We are vintage

I have seen the word "vintage" tossed around quite a bit lately.  It's one of those words like "thrifted" or "upcycling" that puts an upscale polish on reusing an old item.

I've become familiar with these terms through my time spent linking around in Pinterest.  It hardly needs to be said that this Pandora's box can change your life and it's like the best magazine you could ever read because it's full of glossy content tailored to your interests.

I have to admit, though, that I get my feelings hurt when in an ad or a link I see pictured something that was part of my childhood termed "vintage."  In a very limited sense, the My Little Pony toys that I passed on to my daughter (because my mom kept them - thanks, mom), are "vintage."  All the same, they're 30 years old.

Hmm; as I say that, I realize 30 years is a pretty long time.  Still - doesn't vintage stuff need to at least look old?  Shouldn't it be distressed and sepia-toned, and really funny-looking?

I suppose my reaction is partly my fear of becoming obsolete - of needing to be patronizingly pulled from the discard pile and "made over" to fit a new generation's definitions of cool.  There, I guess I needed to say that.

It's also coming from the sense that time has expanded abnormally - that something that happened yesterday can be chronicled in such great detail and word count that there won't be enough room to record history in the books anymore - if indeed in the future books exist as archives and not just artifacts.

Not much in my life has lasted long enough for me to feel I've sustained any meaningful endeavor.  However, I became Mrs. Martinson 15 years ago yesterday, and for the first time, it felt like a really significant accomplishment.  I feel I have made history, even though it is just my own.  It's a good feeling.  

In our history, we have these two kids, these roads we've traveled, these jobs, homes, communities, heartbreaks, recoveries.  All of this is made possible - held together and aloft - by grace.  I have to say, all of those hopes, all of that faith that we had at the beginning, have ripened and matured to something very complex and worth savoring.  Better over time.

So, we are vintage now, and I say that in the most appreciative sense.  We began awhile ago, and have gotten better over time.  Cheers.

The Greatest is Love

As I have pondered my children's development lately, the things that I have learned have all pointed back to the importance and effectiveness of love in action.  I find myself often considering how withholding interaction or affection may have affected them, and how continued involvement and engagement may heal and prosper them.

People like me need to hear the words of 1 Corinthians 13 often.  We are doers; we are cerebral and somewhat socially inept.  We need to be reminded that all of those good things like prophecy and knowledge will pass away, but love will last forever.  Even biology bears this out; love creates the pathways that make people more and more like the image of God, and that lasts forever.  Love endures. Perhaps this is the kind of knowledge people like me need - that which satisfies the cerebral curiosity but also encourages deep affection.  There are few outlets of this level of thinking about relating.

So now I will get ready for church - get showered and dressed up, and see what we will learn and find today.

Take another step

I knew it was going to take some work to get this set up.

I also had the sense that there were going to be setbacks.

Going back to school for both kids is a big deal for anyone.  For me, it was a source of high anxiety because of my son's special needs and aggressive behaviors, and those combined with kindergarten.

The first week was great.  We were still holding our breath, but we were happy.

Then yesterday, it all fell apart, and I sort of did, too.  He acted out, the school called, and we were all trying to figure it out.

What do you do when there are a million things to do, but your son's academic situation is critical, and you can't really help... and you think it will probably be like this for another few days or weeks...

I freaked out, and then finally asked some friends to pray for me today (anyone else feel like their chronic need can be a drain on others, so they back off from mentioning it?).  I think they have, because I feel a bit more steady.

This song was just going through my head - I listened to this album yesterday and drew courage from it, though I was deeply shaken.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/6E0F2s_3I78" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

I've put one foot in front of the other today and done what needed doing.  Phone calls, housework, and now I think some more house work, more pending calls, maybe some sewing.  Trying to enjoy a few days at home alone before I go back to work.

What steps are you taking today?  What kind of stuff happens that causes you to walk by faith?

Under construction

I'm getting my house in order here, and hopefully will be able to share it with you soon!  Knock again in a few days.