:. 1 + 1 = 1 .:

Benny and I celebrated 34 years of wedded bliss yesterday. Of course, anyone who's been married for any length of time knows it's not always bliss exactly. But wedded we've been, for a pretty big chunk of years.
It struck me the other night, how companionable your mate becomes after such a long time together. You know each other so well, the slightest arch of the eyebrow or set of the jaw speaks volumes, words unnecessary. It's comforting, and safe, and lovely to know just one other person so deeply. To have one person be the one you turn to, talk to, listen to, share life with.
God tells us that in marriage, two people become one. One heart, one purpose, one Master. I can tell you: after 34 years, it's a wonderful thing.

Our children honored us quite nicely, foregoing the Super Bowl to share the evening with us. After a favorite family dinner at the Hulling manor, we sat in the living room, and Josh pulled out his guitar. Liam immediately ran to get his, and Gav grabbed the microphone.

And then we sang worship songs.

I can't even describe how amazing/humbling/beautiful/funny that was.
Amazing because this, THIS is what Benny and I began, unknowingly, 34 years ago. This amazing family is the product of two very human people who have made a lot of mistakes along the way.
Humbling because my daughters are wonderful, godly women who chose wonderful, godly men to spend their lives with. They are now raising their children to know and love the Lord Jesus Christ.
Beautiful because watching my grands is always beautiful! The way Liam imitates his daddy while playing guitar like a rock star is beautiful. The way Gav smiles as he's singing at the top of his angel voice is beautiful. The way Tate squeals with delight the louder the room gets is beautiful.
And funny because Liam can't play the guitar at all. But he sure thinks he can. It's hilarious to watch.

I can't think of a better way to celebrate than with all 9.7 of us gathered together, praising the One responsible for it all.
Thanks, kids!

:. the sweetest sound .:

So yesterday I stopped by the Hulling manor to pick up Emily. (We were headed to Ames to work a little magic on Baby Girl's nursery.) Naturally, I ran inside for a minute to say hello to my three little loves.

Tate made happy sounds at me from his position on the solarium rug. Heart-melt.

Liam ran to greet me wearing nothing but a shirt and a smile. Heavenly.

Gavin gave me a huge hug while doing a little happy dance. Perfection.
And then he said:

"Grandma, would you please stay here and have your Special Day with me?!"

Music, I tell you.

:. the bad samaritan .:

Ice, snow, terrible roads. Naturally Benny got his truck stuck trying to get up our driveway last night. And I mean really stuck . . . as in "blocking the street" stuck.
I did go out to help him, though I'm not much help.
I was quite happy when a guy turned onto our block just then. I waved at him to let him know to hold off; there was no way he could get past us. At least there would be another set of muscles to help Benny push as I gunned it, trying to get out of the street.
Unbelievably, the man just sat in his car. For TWENTY minutes. He sat and watched a silver-haired guy and a woman try to get a very stuck truck un-stuck. And didn't lift a finger to help.
I was appalled. Stupefied. Ticked.

And I thought of my boys . . . and how either one of them would have jumped out of their car in a split second, without giving it another thought, and helped someone in need.
[My girls would have had the same impulse; they're just not much help when it comes to pushing cars out of the street.]

Hurray for my boys.
Boo on the guy in the silver Honda.

:. tragedy and the heart of God .:

The pictures coming out of Haiti this week are heartbreaking. There are those who ask, "How can a loving God allow such tragedies?"

Let me say up front, I have no idea why God allows such disasters to take place. I believe it breaks His heart to see so much suffering . . . and yet He, who alone could have stopped it, did nothing.

No, I don't understand that. But I do know that God originally intended for us to live in a perfect world, free from sin, and heartache, and yes, natural disasters. Because of sin, the whole world now lies under a curse.

God is Almighty - so much bigger than you or I - and His ways are "past finding out". To understand every way in which He works in this world would be to cut Him down to our size. And a God who was just like us wouldn't be much of a God at all.

But this post isn't about that, necessarily. This is more about our own hearts.

First of all, Pat Robertson is an idiot. To say that the Haitians have "been cursed" because they "made a pact with the devil" is just wrong. Yes, Haiti has had its share of brutal leaders, and definitely has deep societal problems. But to castigate an entire people is idiotic. That's tantamount to saying they deserved this.

What about Jesus' very own words in Luke 13? He was asked about a tragedy that happened in His day, and He replied,

"Those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them - do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish."

I think perhaps God has a few questions of His own:

Why are you just now so concerned for the people of Haiti? They have always suffered from abject poverty. Isn't that, too, a tragedy? Why did it take an earthquake to shake you from your comfortable nest? Aren't there people all over the world who suffer every day? Where is your concern for them? Isn't it a tragedy that so many Americans need to count calories . . . when there are those in the world who go to bed hungry every night? Where is the justice in that? And what exactly will change now that you have this new-found 'concern'?

You see, I don't question God in events such as these.

I question those of us whom God placed here to make a difference . . . but who instead choose to close our eyes, our hands hanging limply at our sides.

:. rest easy, america .:

Yes, Jack is back . . . and America can rest easy for another 24 hours.

I've been so excited for the return of 24, and just this morning I finally snuck a peek at season 8. It seems my 'long-lost son' has landed a major role!

"Cole Ortiz (Freddie Prinze Jr.), a former Marine who wants to follow in Jack Bauer’s footsteps, runs the division’s Field Operations."

I love the sound of that!

:. it's a new day .:

First, the Year In Review (in no particular order):

• Tate Joshua Hulling! • Baby Saldanha! • Massachusetts • Son-Rise • focus room • badly sprained ankle • split chin • parkinsons • siding and windows • nationwide • Red Thread Laine • California • Disney Land! • ChildServe • learning to ride a bike • exploding speech! • family dinners • geel lunch • Special Days With Grandma • birthday buddy celebrations • fireworks • Jazz in July • Ragamuffins • knit, knit, knit • felt, felt, felt • reading • writing • not much 'rithmatic • laughing • some crying • Drake relays 5k in the rain • some good deeds • some selfishness • encouraged some • let others down • sister time • friend time • garden time • Gavin and Liam for a week • Lost parties • 24 parties • ewan and charlie • zombie movies • sunny days • dreary days • ordinary days • extraordinary days •

And now, some New Year's Resolutions (in no particular order):

1. Eat better. This would involve eating more fruit. (Who am I kidding?)
2. Exercise more. (Again with the kidding.)
3. Take vitamins. (I could possibly get this one done.)
4. Design some really smashing hats and bags. (Ha!)
5. Laugh more. (Shouldn't be hard; it's one of my favorite things.)
6. Make stuff.
7. Learn.
8. Grow.
9. Think.
10. Spend more time snorgling those boys and their little girl cousin!!
11. Appreciate people more. (Easy to do on the inside, I don't always show it outwardly.)
12. Walk more closely with my God. (Always, always my goal.)

I welcome you, 2010. I'm ready for whatever you have to throw at me, good or bad. "I can do all things through Him who strengthens me."

:. like a child .:

"When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me."

~ 1 Corinthians 13:11

When I was a child:

• I thought trees created the wind with their swaying. I still really like this theory; it's very lovely to think of trees that way. (I'm not completely convinced scientists and/or meteorologists have it right.)



• I thought people in "the olden days" lived in a black and white world, since all photographic evidence pointed to that. I always felt very sorry for people who lived before "color".



• I was very confused about "which side of the family" I was on: my mom's side, or my dad's. I heard my mom use that expression once, and I was pretty worried I wouldn't be on my mom's side. (sorry, dad.)



• I thought grown-ups knew everything.



• I thought the world was a safe and happy place.



• I always hoped if I was really, really good, an angel would appear to me and tell me some big news. (Yes, just like Mary . . . only not that news.)

Now that I've 'put away childish things', I wonder how silly my thinking still looks to the One "in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge"?

Yes, I'm just smart enough to know I still have a lot to learn.