Category Archives: friends
the relationships of life
come on over
tradition is important to me, but i’ve never commemorated our nation’s independence in the same way. each year’s celebration has found me in a different location with a different group of people. i have spent the 4th of july working at summer kamp, traveling in switzerland, camping in the rockies, meeting special friends, at home with a few sparklers, cruising austin with the hubby, and on the lake with friends.
but this year was especially memorable. lee and i invited my family to spend the holiday at our house, and what could have been a standard cookout event turned into something i hope will develop into a tradition. the highlights were a multi-event pseudo-sports olympics and a perfect 360° view to dozens of first-class fireworks shows from the roof of our house. and LOTS of yummy food, of course.
what i realized this weekend is that i really love to host. i always knew i valued hospitality, because i notice the small gestures of welcome when i’m visiting others, and i like to have special things prepared when i entertain guests, even if just for a half hour stop-by: out come the good dishes, tasty treats, inviting aromas, and special bathroom items.
but until this weekend i don’t think i was aware of the joy it brings me to invite family and friends into my home and make every detail enjoyable for them. and this is aside from the happiness i find simply in their company. while i’m a very at-ease guest myself (i don’t expect anything fancy, and i certainly don’t mind finding things on my own or cleaning up after myself), as a hostess i get excited about presenting everything with that little bit of extra flair.
i think my husband has the same inclination, judging by his cheerfulness in attending to the yard and hosing and scrubbing the porch and it’s furniture for this weekend. his enthusiasm in drawing up an elaborate plan for the backyard olympics and gathering the gaming equipment was a clear tip off as well.
the thing is, we’re homebodies, but that doesn’t mean we’re hermits. we’ll socialize until the last reveler has left the party, just so long as we’re not far from the comforts of our own home. some people stress about preparing for guests, we find it more relaxing know we don’t have to worry about forgetting to bring something or the weary drive home later.
so maybe my sense of “hospitality” is really just a side effect of my preoccupation with always having food close by, or my dislike of packing unless i am traveling more than a few hundred miles. or maybe i’ve grown up a little. (i do have a milestone birthday coming up in a few months…) but whatever the cause, i look forward to many more years of opening our home to anyone who would like to come on over.
made to relate
on monday i had intended to write about my wonderful weekend, which included a perfectly laid-back low-key valentine’s day, and my first real catering job. but tragic news of the loss of a dear family friend has arrested my thoughts and emotions this week. i apologize for the neglect to ~~myOLIO~~, but my response to those emotions poured onto the page made of paper and not the one of bits and bytes. the only cyber-transmissions i could muster were the trivial diversions i collect over at ~OLIOsnippets~, which offered welcome distraction.
we all recognize that tragedy strikes every day. in fact, just last week a tornadic storm took the lives of eight near my hometown. the complexities of how each of us deals with emotional injury and recovery is a testimony to the intricate maze that is human nature. whether there is sorrow, anger, disbelief, or numbness, we lean on faith and each other for comfort, demonstrating how we were created for relationships. we naturally seek intimate interaction in our lives. ironically our relationships cause us much pain when there is loss, but also are the very component that heals the hurt.
i am grateful that life and hope persevere. and that i am blessed (yes, thoroughly blessed) with many relationships that have, do, and will bring me much pain and joy.
“the most enjoying traditions of the season…
…are best enjoyed in the warm embrace of kith and kin.”
clark griswold may not get much right, but that quote rings true. as we wrap up the holiday weekend, here are some highlights from my own Christmas Vacation:
titu modeling her gifts
- the boys struggling mightily to uncork the wine with a less-than-ideal bar tool
- listening to dad reading the Christmas story from “da Jesus book” – the new testament translation in hawaii pidgin
- “right then da one angel messenger guy from da boss up dere inside the sky come by dem. all aroun’ dem come one awesome light what shine from da boss. da angel guy say, ‘i come for to tell you guys good stuff from God ..’ “
mom torturing lee with the mini-masseuse because she can't see the control buttons through her tears of laughter
- a four-legged santa
trying out mom and dad's tandem bike (and not falling or throwing each other off!)
- gathering with lifelong friends
through all the crazy and fun antics that make up all family holidays, i hope each of you was able to find time to celebrate the baby born “inside one ting for hold da cow’s food” that came to “take you outta da bad kinda stuff you guys stay doin.” may He be your Light in the coming year!
you can view more photos of the merry madness here and here.
gratitude journal
happy thanksgiving, all! i trust everyone is celebrating with the dear people in your life today, enjoying lots of food and fellowship. may we take advantage of the excuse to show gratitude, and not of the things we have to be grateful for.
after a twenty-seven day spotlight on genuine appreciation for all i have to be thankful for, inspired by laura’s gratitude journal, i am posting the complete journal i compiled by adding one entry each day this month. the list could never be comprehensive, even if i added to it each day for the rest of my life. maybe that is what i should do. 
so here is my list for november, not in order of importance, simply by what that particular day inspired.
i am thankful for:
Nov 1: friends – those who motivate, encourage, and support, console, and brighten my days
Nov 2: my man – a husband who is committed to making our lifelong story a masterpiece
Nov 3: siblings – who are also my best friends
Nov 4: health – my own, my family’s, and especially that of my remarkably strong mother
Nov 5: life – the gift of another year (happy birthday to me)
Nov 6: beauty – surrounding me every day
________________sarah_&_anna_______________________________front_porch_vista________________________________________okc_ballet
Nov 7: discovery – of information, of talents, of cultures, of deeper understanding
Nov 8: plentiful produce – seasonal treats for our culinary pleasure
Nov 9: opportunity – to succeed, to grow, to reach goals
Nov 10: laughter – from the subconscious chuckle at an amusing story to the guffaw sparked by a surprisingly hilarious moment
Nov 11: technology – and the connections it helps maintain regardless of geographical location
Nov 12: faith – the active presence of Christ in my life that makes living meaningful
Nov 13: hope – the active gestures of people doing good things together that makes living bearable
Nov 14: love - the active exchange in intimate relationships that makes living joyful
Nov 15: divine design – God’s awe-inspiring creativity evidenced in the complexity of the human senses, allowing us to experience life to the fullest
Nov 16: entertainment – displays of true artistry in music, theater, sport, film, dance, and writing
Nov 17: cozy activities – sweatpants, a cup of hot tea, a good book, and a comfy chair –> a recipe for bliss
Nov 18: my mother - who masterfully balances her many roles: parent, guide, teacher, confidant, counselor, consultant, cheerleader, friend
Nov 19: my titu – a blessing beyond words
Nov 20: doggie kisses – that remind you it’s not so bad after all
Nov 21: vacation – not as an escape, but as a time to relax, recharge, and reconnect
Nov 22: celebration – making special moments out of small victories and savoring the memories
Nov 23: movement – for expression, for stimulation, for exhilaration
Nov 24: abundance – the want for nothing, the satisfaction of all my worldly needs – food, shelter, clothing – far beyond mere sufficiency
Nov 25: sunny days – gracing the oklahoma plains even in november, making working outside cheerful
Nov 26: memories – to cherish, to learn from, to pass on
Nov 27: and finally (at least for this list), i am thankful for a father who instilled in me a value for family, faith, and integrity; a taste for knowledge, dreams, and humor; and a sense of confidence, security, and ambition. i am grateful for his example of humility, selflessness, and wisdom. happy birthday, daddy!
four weeks of thanks
today is the first of the month, and the first day in a twenty-seven day focus on thankfulness. my good friend laura (of peacoat papers) sparked an inspiring movement among her friends to keep a gratitude journal, with an entry for each of the remaining days until the thanksgiving holiday. i’ll gladly participate, recording at least one thing daily that i am grateful for. honestly, i know it will not be difficult to come up with something each day – i already recognize that i am a very fortunate girl. the sad part is that even in my acknowledgment i find myself discontent at times, and so this exercise will be good for me. gratitude is the key to true joy & peace in life, because everything we have is a gift anyway. thankfulness to The Giver should be a routine part of my life.
“always be full of joy in the Lord…don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything…thank Him for all he has done. then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand…for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have.” Philippians 4:4, 6, 7, 11
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright © 2004 by Tyndale House Publishers.
so today i am thankful for friends who encourage me to think on the things that are positive and uplifting, when the world could be so discouraging if we allowed it. i’ll be keeping a list daily, and will post the log in it’s entirety on thanksgiving day. others on my blogroll have already responded to laura’s motivation, and you can browse their blogs for an extra dose of gratitude. i invite anyone to join in this period of intentional appreciation of what we have, and too often take for granted. i promise you’ll be glad you did.
