Family

There's a heaping amount of richness in my life right now and it's all spelled out in "family."

Last weekend my hubby and I were given the go ahead to share the exciting news that we are going to be grandparents!!!!  It still feels surreal!!!  We have known since beginning of May which has felt like a long time to keep such delightful secret.  And yet there was a part of this which held its own fun in carrying within this "tiny" but momentous piece of news.  But now...ahhhh, now I don't have to guard my words and try to steer a conversation in another direction.  Now I can freely let this joy flow out into the circles of life around me. 

It will be seven years July 14 when Cam and Sonya got married.  Their life and love is deep and beautiful, godly and inspiring.  I can't wait to witness and share in this new season of their lives together.  They will be incredible parents.

Three days ago my across-the-country-girl came "home".  I LOVE the "arrivals" section at the airport.  It never gets old for me to see her for the first time after getting off the plane.  She's settled into "her room" as only Ashley can.  haha  We've had an impromptu dash to the mall which fills me.  Not the mall!!!  It's the sheer freedom of being able to just pick up and go--because we can.  Technology provides us with continual communication but it can't bridge the proximity gap of miles upon miles.  So right now I'm excited when I wake up because I know I will see her when she rolls out bed.  We can sit around the table and share a meal and talk about anything.  She can call for me from her bedroom and I leave whatever I'm doing to come.  Because I can.  For three weeks I get to do this.

 

 

And then--the five of us--well actually six with baby:) will board a plan and fly to Scotland for 10 days.  That we get to do this is a gift and privilege and probably a once-in-a-lifetime experience.  We've booked our Air BnB's and chosen some of our "must see" places.  That Scotland is the home of Brian's parents makes this adventure very close to home for him and for the rest of us to be a part of.  Our grand finale evening will be taking in the first performance of the Edinburgh tatoo at the Edinburgh Castle.  Brian's brother Graeme will be there performing with the RCMP Pipe band from Ottawa.  Crazy exciting. 

From there we all go our separate ways: 
Ashley traveling in Europe for several months before an October stop-over here and then returning to her cross-the- country-home,
Cam and Sonya a few days stopover in England before home and
Brian and I heading home direct. 

This is the part I want to put off as long as possible.  Because I relish the time of being a family...together.  It's what my Mama heart misses when we're apart. and when we get to be together it saturates my spirit.  So right now, in these brief but drinking-in-kind-of-days I will live in the joy of having my girl home, and experiencing this extravagance of traveling together as a family unit. 

And when it's time for the farewell--I will save it for the departure section of the airport.

Life-Giving Silence

I love words.  I love their rich meaning, their power to communicate deep emotion and their ability to create life-size word pictures.  Perhaps because I also understand the power of words to inflict grave injury upon another, I am all the more committed to the life-giving realm of words.

Ruth Haley Barton in her book, "Invitation to Solitude and Silence", says that "to fill a book with words on moving beyond words into solitude and silence is a daunting task..."

This is somewhat how I feel as I attempt express what it was like to spend a string of days in silence several weeks ago.  How do I put into words an experience in which words pale to describe the unfolding minutes, hours and days of silence?

Powerful

but with a power beyond explanation

Beautiful

as in nothing I have ever taken in before

Other "world-life"

a sense that this was a cocoon-like wholly safe existence in some other realm.

Life-giving

as though this fullness of silence completed me

And yet this sequestered time laden in richness defys even these explanations; only in living in the silence can one grasp its depth.

To share meals with others but never say a word; only the sounds of cutlery touching plates and chairs moving in and out and the workings of the kitchen in the background

To sit beside another in the Retreat House gazing out windows on an expansive picturesque view; only hearing footsteps or the opening and closing of doors

Passing strangers in halls and the outdoors without eye contact simply being taken in by surroundings, one's own self and my Creator

The complete lack of knowledge of any world beyond this acreage

The absence of any knowledge of the people around me; no words or conversations to take in and process and respond to.

This endless freedom of responsibility to or for anyone

All this...and for me as an empath, how completely emptied I was so that I might be filled

Three days and nights of hearing only the voice of my God; of knowing an intimacy and safety with Him alone.  Oh the depth of the stillness

But I am home now, back to this existence of noise and clutter and "life" and seemingly endless responsibilities.  Each day an exercise in seeking to find new ways to live in stillness and quiet in the here and now.  I want to learn how to live a quiet and still life "in this world".  How patiently He guides my steps.