When Carson was in third grade his class did the Wizard of Oz as a play.  Carson was cast as a munchkin.  I was 35 and had never seen the movie. I don't know why I didn't rent the video and do a little research...   In my mind a munchkin sounded like a dwarf.  So I dressed Carson with big, baggy clothes stuffed with pillows to give the impression of short and chunky. 

When the kids came out on the stage I had my first hot flash!  OhmygoshIwassoooooembarassed!   Carson is nothing if he isn't resilient and he weathered all the laughter and teasing without once reproaching me. 

Anna is one of the most thoughtful and articulate teenagers I know. She recently reminded me of one of my favorite "lifetime" books.  It had been at least five years since I had read Laddie, so I revisited it through the holidays.  What a treasure chest heaped full of sparkling jewels!  It is the story written from the perspective of Little Sister, the youngest of 12 children on an Indiana farm.  Laddie is her older brother, whom she adores. 

Here is a quote about her response to being taken out of school to be educated at home:

Think of being allowed to learn your lessons on the top of the granary, where you could look out of a window about the treetops, lie in the cool wind, and watch swallows and martins.  Think of studying in the pulpit [a fence corner] when the creek ran high, and the wild birds sang so sweetly you seemed to hear them for the first time in all your life, and hens, guineas, and turkeys made prime music in the orchard.  You could see the buds swell, and the little blue flags push through the grass, where Mrs. Mayer had her flower bed, and the cowslips greening under the water of the swale at the foot of the hill, while there might be a Fairy under any leaf.  I was so full, so swelled up and excited, that when I got ready to pick up a book, I could learn a lesson in a few minutes, tell all about it, spell every word, and read it back, front, and sideways. I never learned lessons so quick and so easy in all my life; father, Laddie, and every one of them had to say so. One night, father said to Laddie: "This child is furnishing evidence that our school system is wrong, and our methods of teaching far from right."

In the days ahead I will share some more quotes from this wonderful book. Do you have a favorite book that you've read multiple times?

The picture on the header was taken in November 2005.  It is a kitchen in El Savador.  My dear Katie was there helping a village get water.  I fell in love with the picture and asked her if I could have a copy for my kitchen.  She made a lovely copy and sent it to me.  When I asked her permission to use it on the blog, she realized that her friend Rick had actually taken the picture.  While I'm trying to figure out how to put his name in small block letters on the side of the picture, I want Rick Bombaci to get credit for snapping such a beautiful photo.  Thank you!

Here are two songs I sang growing up.  They weave together well if you play them in the same key.  Hum them and make strong and what the same note. See what you think...  Which child do you think is me?

Jesus loves me this I know

For the Bible tells me so.

Little ones to Him belong,

They are weak but He is strong.

What can wash away my sin?

Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

What can make me whole again?

Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

Yes, Jesus loves me!

Yes, Jesus loves me!

Yes, Jesus loves me!

The Bible tells me so.

Oh, precious is the flow

That makes me white as snow.

No other fount I know,

Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

Taking Risks

I am a cautious person.  I always scope the situation and imagine the worst outcome. Spinning cookies in a totally empty parking lot is over the top for me.  So how did I end up with a child who clocks his speed snowboarding at 73 mph, who imitates Evel Knievel on his motorcycle?  Changing the pronouns in the poem Father’s Song by Gregory Orr,

                        Round and Round; bow and kiss

                        I try to teach him caution;

                        He tries to teach me risk.

I do take some risks. 

I can get pretty risky when I’m playing the piano for a church prelude.  I play by ear, moving from song to song, from key to key.  I try to practice and map out a strategy beforehand. 

I enjoy playing musical chiasms:

song a, song b, song c, song b, song a,

weaving their themes together.  To my shame, because I can “get away” with not practicing, I find myself playing what comes into my head.  (I believe worship is our highest priority and I want to give appropriate time for preparation.)

Occasionally as I’m playing and modulating into a different key, I suddenly realize that I’m in unfamiliar territory.  There’s nothing to do but play it out and that’s the thrill of danger in my sheltered life.   Some day I’ll have worked through my scales and chord progressions in every key so well that I won’t be fazed at playing in F# minor.  

But I’m not taking up snowboarding anytime soon!