… and then what happened?

One of my favorite authors is Neil Gaiman.  He wrote some of my favorites, including Coraline, The Graveyard Book and Neverwhere.  He writes a blog at http://journal.neilgaiman.com/ which I stumbled across today while reading another blog.  In scanning through a question, and the subsequent answer, caught my eye and gave me one of those pauses.

It was this:

Dear Neil,
If you could choose a quote – either by you or another author – to be inscribed on the wall of a public library children’s area, what would it be?

Thanks!
Lynn

I’m not sure I’d put a quote up, if it was me, and I had a library wall to deface. I think I’d just remind people of the power of stories, of why they exist in the first place. I’d put up the four words that anyone telling a story wants to hear. The ones that show that it’s working, and that pages will be turned:

“…and then what happened?“

—–

I love when a writer (or anyone with an incredible ability to use words) is able to so completely and simplistically sum up what both a storyteller and a story listener understand.  Some of my most precious memories, especially in these most recent years, are looking at the eyes of Cole and Grace as they watch me and I spin a story about a silly boy and girl, or whatever strikes my fancy at the time.

And it got me thinking.. especially as this time of year comes around and we’re caught up in the decorations and the present buying and the festivities and parties..how simple of a story it was, especially to a child.  I tell Cole and Grace about the donkey and Joseph and Mary and the baby born in a manger and their eyes light up with the wonder of it all.  I can see them thinking about the starlight, and the animals, and the precious little baby.

But my favorite part is at the end of the story.. when we discuss the baby being given the gifts by the wise men.  Nothing makes my heart swell more to hear them both ask me, “and then what happened?“.

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An Update

It has been way too long since I’ve updated here.  I’ve slacked off – mostly due to the fact that life here in Georgia has been so busy and so blessed.

Going to resort to bullet points to try to fit in everything that’s happened since my last update – because believe me, there is a lot!

•  In addition to the piano teaching business, God has provided with an opportunity to supplement my income working for a realtor who I know from my small group.  I am working from home now, setting my own hours and thanks to my experience working for Mike at the law office I jumped right in with little training involved.
• Went home for Thanksgiving and had an amazing holiday and visit with family.   I think Evan has grown at least 3 inches since I moved to Georgia. I made some incredible cranberry dishes with fresh cranberries (my first time with them!)  The best, by far, was the Ginger-Lime cranberry sauce.  This holiday, combined with the events of this year, really brought home to me how thankful I am to have my family, to have good relationships with them and to be able to count on them – both in good times and in bad.
• Christmas is almost here!  Where did time go? With all of the dropping off and picking up from school, making lunches, thinking up of show-and-tell items (an item that starts with E folks.. anyone?), birthday parties, endless loads of laundry and even more endless happy hugs I can hardly believe we’re nearing the end of the year. I’ll be flying home again on the 19th of this month and returning to Georgia on the 27th.. hopefully with my baby (big) brother Alec.
• My old five-year-old, self-built computer is finally dead.  Kaput.  Won’t turn on.  Thankfully I was able to purchase a new Dell machine (it has FOUR GIGS OF RAM PEOPLE) and it runs my games and new work programs and movies like a charm.  I’m loving it.  Praise God for providing me with the income to afford it.
• Church has been incredible.  My small group and my church family have really come together to support me and provide me with a second family when needed.
• One pattern that keeps reoccuring is how well God is taking care of me financially. Every single time an issue comes up and I do not know where I will get the money to deal with it something happens the next day that proves again and again that my life here is in His hands.  And just now I am understanding what a precious thing that is.

So there’s a bit of an update – and I promise not to be so slack in the coming months.  God bless, and have a Merry Christmas!

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Happy May Day!

May Day is full of all sorts of memories for me, particularly ones that remind me of my grandma. Grandma passed away several years ago, but still, quite often, I am reminded of her and long for access to talk to her and laugh with her and enjoy her companionship. I was so busy the last few years of her life working and playing I didn’t spend the time that, in hindsight, I wish I had with her.

But I do hold some memories very close to my heart. May Day baskets when we would visit in May, tea parties year round at our visits, painting flowers on wooden items, cross-stitching, and then seeing our cross-stitches framed and on her walls. Sugared tea, jello, cottage cheese pie, grandma’s casserole and her infamous ribs – the smell of which would notify my cousins that their uncle and his family were coming to visit.

And with the memories of my grandma come those of my grandpa – the blinking railroad light at the base of the stairs, the smell of tobacco, a comfy laugh, his foot pounding the floor three times to call us up for dinner or a scolding. How he could be all prickly on the outside and so soft and loving when receiving a hug. I remember seeing him and my grandma out on the swing together, and laughing when little grandma would scold the great bear of a man that grandpa was. They always called each other “mom” and “dad” too. How normal that sounded coming from them, even though if I were to hear my own parents addressing each other that way I think it’d be a little wierd. =)

Grandparents are precious things. May Day has always been, and will always be, my own little reminder to keep the memories fresh because they both live on in my heart and my thoughts.

So – in accordance with my May Day memories, I’d like to wish you all a Happy May Day!

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