>I always want to surround myself with all sorts of people, different colored people, people of different sexual orientation, people with different incomes, people with different jobs, people of different education, I want to love, respect and give life affirming value to all of them. I want to surround myself with artist, writers, boring people, ignorant people and brilliant people. I want to surround myself with democrats, republicans and independents. I want to continue to take the way with more scenery even if it is the longer way with more of a chance of getting lost. I want to always appreciate a meal with organic milk and taco bell, chips a hoy cookies for breakfast and brown eggs for supper. I don’t ever want to forget what it is like to take money out of savings to pay bills even when work is steady. I want to remember all the ways I have worshipped. I never want to be so far away from my pain that I can’t recognize pain in someone else. I want world peace, but don’t expect it. I want to be creative, compassionate, passionate, and firm, but bendable if needed. I want to know that I am valued and value others. I want others to want these things. I want somehow to be all these things at once and still deal with those who can’t be or won’t be.

This is what I want today.

Tell someone what you want.

>In the van with the kids, this is society in a box. Six kids, two adults and the power play, social skills, and learning opportunities are enough to wonder how the human race has survived for this many years. There must be a God who wants us in relationship for sure, because this is the place we learn in….family time, ie road trips, is not for the weary of heart.
As a kid I was so envious of the families who traveled, who laughed about the endless hours in their conversion vans. I did on rare occasion have the opportunity to ride along with my Aunt Barbara and her (4 later 6) sons. I remember fondly, every time I see my cousin Jeff(y), the trip to Iowa for one of my father’s weddings, when we were all asked to step out of the van line up and be spanked with the floppy end of a boot. That was fun, then and now. The times with my large extended family on those long summer days, watching my cousin, who came in sets of brothers (not sisters, girls were/are rare), prepared me for the walk that the Lord would give me with my own family, with six kids. I am sure that part of the reason I longed for this size family was what I saw at Holton Haven, cousin camp, every summer, the good and the bad, seemed the way it was supposed to be. I know we have dysfunction , but as far as dysFUNction goes, it is more fun if others can experience it with you, at least then you have a whole set of folks to agree with what your remember (most of the time anyway, we all have our on stories).
Back to the van, my children, the six that my sweet Donnie and I co-created with God and have been preparing to set free on the world, for change, they are wonderful. Their noise, the fights about which fast food we are going to eat, the big splash at the hotel pool, the squeals of discontent with not enough space on the seat and floor, the baby (who is now 4) kicking Donnie in the back of his chair, all of this makes me happy, even my on fussing reminds me we are healthy, safe and happy. These memories are important, I hold it close to my heart, when I realize that the way we do things now, will be part of who our kids become. They need the conflict, the tears, the laughter, the scares, they need all of this to be whole and healthy. I need all of this, normal, pain in the butt days and squished vans, it is defining me and I am happy with me today, in our little piece of the world. On the way to Chicago land to spend an extra long weekend with so many of the very same people who had such a hand in my story.
This is my story and stories are important.
Share yours with someone today.