In which I have a very bold, very BALD friend

This is my friend, Terri. (I call her Tez because she's Australian and that's what those weirdos do. Just add random "z" to names.)

Terri has been my friend for nearly nine years now. We first met on an online message board (remember when we had to use those on the Internet?I feel like a grandmother recalling typewriters or -gasp! - pen and paper.) Over the years, we've become good friends. We even met in person when she came through the States while I was pregnant with Joseph. I drove down to Seattle to meet her and a gaggle of friends for a sleepover. She laughed at me when I woke myself up by snoring. My only defense is that I was pregnant. In one of our conversations that weekend, talking about that book "The Shack" and the fact that God is represented as an African-American woman, she laughed until she nearly cried when I seriously made the comment "Well, it's not like God actually has a penis. So who cares?"

She is a woman after God's own heart. And I'm thankful for her wisdom in my life.

Anyway, she's also a dizzy fool because she just shaved her head. BALD! BALD! (I can hear Elaine to George - 'YOU'RE BALD!")

Out of the depth of her selflessness (and a few good glasses of white wine), she sat down on Saturday to participate in the World's Greatest Shave to benefit the Leukemia Foundation. Her cousin is battling the disease and so, as a show of support and love, she gathered donations, threw a BBQ and let her friends shave her hair all off.

I'd need a drink, too, if I shaved my head at a summer BBQ. In front of an audience. And said audience - who claimed to be friends - actually all cut my hair into a mohawk with a braided rat tail and then laughed and took pictures before finally shaving it all off.

Such a good sport, she is.

Good on ya, Tezzers.

She raised $854 on behalf of her cousin for this foundation that provides practical support and care to families battling leukemia and other blood related disorders. She had a goal of $1,000. If you'd like to help her reach her goal (it's just over $100), you can click here to donate.

In which this is Tuesday Unwrapped

It's where we always go,

the mountains, when

we need to not-think for a while.

With everything going on right now,

losing a job,

all the rest of stifling life,

it can be good to have your breath

taken away sometimes.

We climbed a trail

just above the river.

Stood on the edge of the world.

Felt the sun shine

in the cold, clean air.

Breathed in the pine.

The tinies tossed rocks off the edge,

just to watch them fall.

We braced our feet

and filled our lungs

and hardly said a word except

"Can you believe this?"

I tied my hair back in pigtails

because the wind was tearing it to pieces.

My eyes were watering

I couldn't quite tell if it was

because of the wind

or because I couldn't quite take it all in.

What a world.

*Part of Tuesdays, Unwrapped at Chatting at the Sky. A weekly prompt to unwrap and notice a small moment of our week.

In which this is my prayer for the week

May today there be peace within.

May you trust God that you are exactly where you are meant to be.

May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith.

May you use those gifts that you have received, and pass on the love that has been given to you.

May you be content knowing you are a child of God.

Let this presence settle into your bones,

and allow your soul the freedom to sing,

dance, praise and love.

It is there for each and every one of you.

St. Teresa of Avila

In which this is what I would write if this was the last one

Write a post on your blog in response to the following hypothetical situation: Electrical storms are going to wipe out the Internet (perhaps forever). You have one day left to write about your passions: what do you want to say to the blogosphere in 300 words or less?

I wonder sometimes why in the world would I write my deepest thoughts and most cherished moments and then put them out here in the open field of public opinion? Especially, why write about religion, politics and raising children (The Triumvirate of Things Thou Shalt Not Discuss in Polite Company)? Why be so transparent? It all seems a bit risky.

And, let’s be honest, it's weird.

But, you see, writing through my life has helped me to honour the journey.

It's been my simple way of piling stones, like an altar. I point to these word-stones and say, “Here. Right here is where I continually see God work and move and live in me.” This small blog is my homemade shrine, heaped with experiences, opinions and musings, reminding me that the journey matters.

On this journey, there is also you – family, real life friends, new friends, "online friends". Life is richer because of you, coming alongside of me, while I wrestle with being a thoughtful follower of Jesus, learn to be a wife, mother and a woman of God.

I am grateful to you for being here, bearing witness to my life. And if these were the last words you read from me, I would want to say thank you.

And I would want to say two last things, because really they are the reason I write:

1. You are loved - deeply, wildly, passionately loved by Abba. Relax into the reality of being loved. Life is meant to be lived in relationship, in beauty, truth, justice and love. May we truly love one another.

2. Finally, if these are the last words I write, let them tell my small family - the husband of my youth and the tinies that are My-Heart-Out-Walking-Around - that I love them wildly, ferociously and to my marrow. You are my own Kingdom of Love. We are changing the world, starting with ourselves.

Grace and peace. See you outside.

Prompt courtesy of this contest.

In which I announce the winner of a giveaway

The winner of Don Miller's "A Million Miles in a Thousand Years" giveaway is #21 - Stephanie of Metropolitan Mama. If you haven't visited her site yet, please do. She's got a wonderful perspective on life.

Beautifully written. I yearn for the same things for myself, for my children.

I especially liked the part where you wrote: "Do I want people to compliment my children for being obedient or for being brave?" I'd much rather the latter. :)

(Stephanie was auto-selected by Random.org number generator. Also, I purchased the book for giveaway myself.)


Hope you enjoy the book as much as I did, Stephanie. Watch for an email from me in your inbox.

For the rest of you, thanks for entering. It's a book worth buying so you can underline it, like I did. And then you too, can write bad poetry about how it moved you.

In which my wedding ring cost $35 (AKA My thoughts on wedding shows)

Brian worked at a country club in banquet service while we were dating, looking after the Old Money in Tulsa. He nimbly walked the line between the old gentlemen that blustered for their Scotch and their wives who quietly slipped him a 20 to water it down or just conveniently "forget" to bring it to the table. He also learned that every single pot of coffee is decaf.

Mr. Warren asked him once, why he was working there?And Brian told him that he was saving for an engagement ring for his girl. Mr. Warren gave him a $50 tip that night. It felt like winning the lottery.

So Brian bought my engagement ring from a discount wholesaler. It was a simple ring, a brilliant half carat on a plain band.

He asked me to marry him one starry Tulsa night in the backyard of a fancy hotel. To this day, we've never actually walked into that hotel. But it had a nice backyard and so we'd go there, lay on a blanket, talk, watch the grown ups inside having supper through the big pane glass windows, dream and kiss until we didn't feel safe to drive. But our pockets were empty when the time came to buy the wedding ring.

So we picked out a simple white gold band that is now turning yellow. And it cost $35. Inside of my ring, we inscribed the words "I am my beloved's" and inside of his, it reads "And she is mine."

We got married, one Saturday after a raging thunderstorm. He slipped that $35 ring onto my left hand in front of our parents and our friends. We were barely 22 years old. I could have been wearing my Old Navy blue jeans and flip flops for all I cared. Instead of a bouquet, I carried the slim white Bible that my mother had carried at her wedding, with just a couple of roses tied with a ribbon to it. I almost ran down that aisle to him. He kissed me there at the front of the chapel, holding my face up towards his in the sunlight.

When we got married, nine years ago this May, the focus was so totally, absolutely on the joy of being married, of building a life together, of finally getting to live together. We took photos of the first pot roast we cooked together during our honeymoon.

Sometimes, when I see those shows about weddings advertised on TV, the ones about big, important weddings for big and important people or rich brides, poor brides and fabulous wedding competitions, I think about that ring.

Then, I think that I might be richer, with my tiny $35 white gold (that is slowly turning yellow) wedding ring.

In which I am capturing quiet

This is my first time to participate in You Capture, hosted by Beth at I Should Be Folding Laundry.

I am not a photographer. In fact, my little point-and-shoot panasonic has a lot of scratches on the lens and sand grit to boot. But I like to take picture of our little family and other things that I think are lovely.

So I thought, maybe I can play too?

This week's prompt is "Quiet" and I immediately thought of these photos we took at the shores of the Pacific Ocean last weekend. For once, the ocean was incredibly calm and quiet. Just the quiet sound of the water, no crashing, no stewing or swirling.