let this be an appetizer to hold you over until the main course...

it takes a community.

i just want to say thank you to all of you who have been praying for my mom and our family. it truly has been a blessing to us. i know i was grateful when yesterday was over, though the road to recovery will definitely have its challenges. the good news is that after such a major surgery she is doing well. we know that her strength and good spirit are yet another reflection of God's faithfulness. the title i used "it takes a community" comes from a devotional book that calvin college put out - it happened to be the one i read the night before her surgery when we were feeling so wonderfully supported by dear friends and family, our community. mom, i know you might not appreciate my putting a picture of you (and dad) up, but you will just have to deal. you are beautiful (even after surgery when your face was somewhat puffy and eyes swollen). more importantly, your story is beautiful and such a testament of faith.

my cup overflows.

i think that there is a danger in blogging. inviting people to read your blog gives the impression that what you have to say is worthwhile - so there is a constant pressure to be creative with words and/or pictures. tonight i throw away those pressures and write simply (but more worthwhile than anything i have to say) the words of david that i was unable to physically speak tonight with the others:

"The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.

He makes me lie down in green pastures,

he leads me beside quiet waters,

he restores my soul.

He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,

I will fear no evil, for you are with me;

your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.

You annoint my head with oil;

my cup overflows.

Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life,

and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever."

psalm 23

single-motherhood.

i gained a whole new respect for single mothers this weekend. (maybe i should rephrase that statement as "i regained respect for single mothers this weekend") not that i encourage single-motherdom. but there are situations where i can respect and admire a woman for raising children by herself. so back to my story - a few months back i agreed to watch my nephew for a weekend so that my sister and her husband could have a weekend getaway of camping. now i had forgotten about this agreement until midweek last week. no problem - no big deal. i live at home, so i knew my parents would be of some help, or my other sister and family live very near. and as my mom tells me, i did a good job. but i'm not going to claim it to be effortless or easy. not to mention that on friday night i had my 11-month old nephew, but also my 7 and 4 year old nieces for the evening. i have a new respect for parents, period. parenthood is something that cannot be done without strength from God, support from family, friends, and church, and a lot of love. hence, a couple of pics from the weekend:

my sisters, mom, and i used to mock out my dad when rolls of film would be developed and the excitement quickly dissipated when discovering that they were dad's work pictures. pictures of poor quality work of the maintenance crew or contractors. pictures of water that shouldn't be inside of a building. plenty of before and after shots. well, another example of my becoming my parents. i can blame it on my job, yes, but interesting nonetheless. my camera now hold more pictures of work site photos than of friends and family.