Saturday, December 5, 2009

secret telling

before i begin where i want. please know how utterly delightful i am
and imagine the smile that is stretched across my face knowing it is now
Christmas Season
and i may listen (without being made fun of) to
all 5 of Sufjan's Christmas CD's. 
by far in my top five favorite Christmas releases ever.
Sufjan is such a genius. i adore him.
plain and simple.

"and now back to our regular scheduled program..."

sometimes i connect so much with things other people have said
or written
or sung
its as if a piece of my heart and soul was the
paltry inspiration
laid bare for all
to see.
its as if a part of
me
was created when their thoughts and feelings were
transmuted.

spoken, written, imagined,
words and the images they conjure
move me in a way few other things in life can or do.

music could be the only exception. sometimes i can hear a piece of music
and be silenced.

i feel as if i could have written all this.
i certainly think this.

"I have come to believe that by and large the human family all has the same secrets, which are both very telling and very important to tell. They are telling in the sense that they tell what is perhaps the central paradox of our condition- that what we hunger for perhaps more than anything else is to be known in our full humanness, and yet that is often just what we also fear more than anything else.
It is important to tell at least from time to time the secret of who we truly and fully are- even if we tell it only to ourselves- because otherwise we run the risk of losing track of who we truly and fully are and little by little come to accept instead the highly edited version which we put forth in hope that the world will find it more acceptable than the real thing. 

It is important to tell our secrets too because it makes it easier that way to see where we have been in our lives and where we are going. It also makes it easier for other people to tell us a secret or two of their own and exchanges like that have a lot to do with what being a family is all about and what being a human is all about.
 
Finally, I suspect that it is by entering that deep place inside us where are secrets are kept that we come perhaps closer than we do anywhere else to the One who, whether we realize it or not, is all of our secrets the most telling and the most precious we have to tell.“
- Fredrick Buechner, Telling Secrets


ooo good ole Fredrick. i cold read a book of his every day and never grow weary of his writing.
his candor moves me in a way that is
sweet and simple, as well as
provoking and enriching.
he's like a tall glass of pink lemonade fresh from the fridge
on a balmy summers night.
surprising, delightful, refreshing.


isn't it so true that the thing we want most in life;
or perhaps i shouldn't speak for you. so,
what i desire most in life is to be seen and known.
fully and irrevocably.
but its so unnatural, huh?
to be naked and unashamed...
a despite striving for Eden, for what was and what will one day be again.
but isn't now.

i layer my clothes to hide myself.
careful attention is put into camouflaging
areas i'm insecure about and don't want "you" to see.

i layer my emotions, my heart.
even more careful attention is far too often put into
camouflaging the parts of me i'm afraid to let "you" see.

my friends say the thing they love most about me is how
utterly honest i am.
and the way my heart lays bare in my hands.
too often i'm too open.
able to pierce the distance of time and space and express
how my heart beats and why it beats.
and how it breaks and what makes it break.
such a strange vast desert of joy and sorrow the human heart!

i'll share to my heart is silenced and leave still feeling as if
i'm not fully known.
as if more secrets have welled up that need telling.

tomorrow, tomorrow. tomorrow
i'll share more. tomorrow i'll kiss the moon and wake the dawn
with as much fullness and abundance as i was given.
i was given it all. i was given an awful lot.

enough to not be afraid.
enough to invite others into sharing their secrets.
enough to delight in the fact that He knows all my secrets;
that He is all my secrets.
every fleeting or sustaining thought i have is begun and ended in thoughts of Him.

i try and be honest when i share on here.* it is usually not very easy at all.
but all i know is to be myself and few places allow me the format to
think and ponder while writing as this does.
i write for me. it is as necessary to me as breathing. if a single soul
never managed to read another entry
i'd still write as i do now.

this is where i spill my secrets in the hope that you can spill yours too.
and by sharing our secrets we can grow.
we can learn to love each other.
we can learn what it means to bare with each other,
pray for each other and
believe in each other.

today i'd like to say that tomorrow i'll share a secret i just am
beginning to realize in myself. okay, i have
been smacked over the head by it this week.
but this post is long enough..

share a secret with me, please?
go ahead, its liberating.
terrifying, yes; yes, yes, of course.
but necessary and lovely.

*because i was asked what the purpose of this blog is, why i write, etc....

Friday, December 4, 2009

yesterday morning, johanno came up to me almost in tears.
"bekah, lift me, bekah.
please, bekah, hold me. lift me."

in one swift fluid motion i had him nestled up on my
hip
tucked into me.

i asked him what was wrong.
before i tell you what he said, you must
understand
my johanno.

he is my toughest
boy's boy.
all boy.
180% boy.
fearless.
extreme pain tolerance.
ALL boy.
never lets me hold him on my lap or kiss him
unless something is wrong.
and even then, never asks to be held,
he only
agrees to it, for a
moment,
then quickly wants down again.

he asked me to lift him.
i was concerned what was going on in his mind
since nothing out of the ordinary had happened that day.

so i asked what was wrong.
he said "i'm just having a sad day
and
i like you.
i like you, bekah."

well, dear goodness...
i like you too and i'll take all the moments with you that i get.

even the toughest have
sad
days, somedays.

isn't it nice to know there is somewhere we can go to be held
on those types of days?
.................................................................................
on another note, some of the boys are fastly approaching the age
where girls
begin to develop "cuties."
what a sad day it will be when they don't rush to hug me
or fight to sit in my lap.
.............................................................
i took this about two weeks ago
when i was dropping off some friends at the airport.
do you have tickets? need a place to stay?
you better believe its going to be a complete
circus,
but i couldn't be MORE
thrilled to be living here during this pre-excitement.

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

daily life is normal. wonderfulness

a bunch of random thoughts not at all connected...

on friday, matthew came with a small bag of frito type cheese chips.
It was actually good because it kept him entertained
and happy during the usual
10
(10! 10 minutes is all he cries now?!?!
Ooooo Thank you, Jesus for progress!)
minutes or so he cries in the morning.
Johanno got a hold of them and
after silence
(NEVER a good thing when working with children)
I glanced over to see what was going on.
Johanno had his hands in them but he really wasn’t eating them.
(its now 10 minutes later, and i’ve been quietly
(and very slyly) watching.
he keeps feeding them to matthew.
only he says
“i have to food matthew, bekah! i’m not eating them! i’m fooding matthew!”
hahahaha
“fooding” hahahahaha
he’s so funny.
and for the record, after a few moments of giggling, i did correct his english.

.....................

so my hair is getting SO long.
this past sunday was the first day i felt like it is in the
“long” length.
Before, I would have said it was medium,
but i blew it out straight and could not believe
how far down my back it went.
Granted it did not go that far, but far enough that it is now
classified
as long.
This of course, brings up a mighty large dilemma
because with it being our summer here,
i’d much prefer it short.
but in a few weeks i’ll be home to Lord willing
LOTS
of snow
and all the cold weather associated with that.
i’m also itching to do something shocking with it.
like dye it. but again, nothing ever takes in my hair
from the extreme blondness and
it’d be silly to work against nature now that i
live in the sun with the kids each day.

which reminds me...
lets here it for me being the darkest sibling come this Christmas!!!
it’ll be a first and you better believe
i’ll be looking good, nice, and tan next to the other 6 pasty white ones.
Considering i’m the usual
albino in the family,
you better freakin believe i’m excited!
:) hahahahaa
.........................................................................
i just finished reading this book. it was a very fast 2 day read for me.
it was strangely fascinating and heartbreaking at the
same time.
its crazy that even in america people are so brainwashed
and broken.
it reminds me more and more i don't need to be overseas to minister
life
to desperately broken people.
..................................
i found the ways she learned to cope with her abuse
familiar.
its amazing the little mind games you
play with yourself to survive
daily psychological attacks.
i'm so sad for her and what she went through.
what a survivors spirit of perseverance.
i hope she finds Jesus and real healing is brought to her life....
......................................................................................................
and because everything is better if there is a photo attached to it.
this is little jacques and i at his sisters dance recital last weekend.
i love it for so many reasons!
one it is 'him' perfectly. he's such a blur of
energy and love and
hilarity.
two,
his family is 'my' family here and the recital reminded me of ALL my many
recitals when i was nicole's age.
also, i just love blurry photos.
always have.
always will

Tuesday, December 1, 2009

What a weekend!

I wish I had taken photos on Saturday. Saturday was our BIG Thanksgiving meal on the farm. There were 13 adults and 2 children in attendance.
Most of that is a fun little story in cross cultural living, but will prove rather dull and boring for a blog post.
I made the turkey.
I made the stuffing.
I made my chocolate cake and chocolate icing.
I made a pumpkin pie,
I made pumpkin cream cheese muffins.
I made green bean casserole.
I reviled in baking and cooking glory.
I was in the kitchen nonstop for 5 hours till it was all ready.
I was a beeline between the two ovens downstairs and
the one upstairs.
All three had something in almost nonstop.

Leah made deviled eggs and some snacks for later.
Lizzy brought a roast and potatoes.
Tom brought the bird he shot on the farm earlier in the week.
It was a great meal with my family here.

What an accomplishment!
and I was so happy and delighted.
I kept thinking of all the lies I was destroying.
So much joy and healing Saturday brought to me!
I really just love cooking and baking and
the entire process that involves
"kitchen" things.
put me in my apron and I'm a happy lady.

Sadly, I took no photos. I wasn't thinking.

Tom, Simba, Tommy, Fritz, Shawn and I all spent the night at the Hopehouse.
Sunday we woke up and had our big Christmas extravaganza.
We had a great breakfast. Played some silly games.
Then had our gift exchange.
We picked names.
It was awesome.
and hilarious!

As much as I am SO looking forward to being home,
I'll miss my SA family.
I'm glad we "had" Christmas early here.
You can never have to much Christmas cheer and
love
to spread around.

Do you like our Christmas Crowns?!?!!


Leah and her Christmas Umbrella




Nathan was super excited to get Madagascar.

Fritz salutes Christmas. 


Shawn showing off his gifts.


Simba was very excited to get a photo frame. He already has his new engagement photo in it with Annie. 


Tom and Tommy opened together. (We went in alphabetical order. Being an "R" name I was not used to be in the top tier of anything. ever. But i was third to open! Crazy!)


Happy Thanksgiving and Merry Christmas from our Charlie Brown tree
and me!
*big smile*


Friday, November 27, 2009

funnies in movie format

 ooooo so Christina reminded me that I have been meaning to share my favorite silly movie moments for awhile now.
I kept forgetting.
By the way, if you need cheap and chic fashion advice, she really is the place to be each day.
plus, Christina, you’re probably one of the funniest people ever!
hahahahaha i can’t even think of you without laughing. love you! :)




a bit ago i shared the movie moments that make me cry.
here are all the moments that no matter how often i've seen them,
make me laugh and laugh and laugh.

as i was saying here are some of my favorite FAVORITE funny
movies and movie moments.
ahhhhhhhh

oooo dear goodness

  1. this is a first rate movie. it isn’t a comedy at all, i fact its one of the most heartrendingly beautiful stories ever, but it does have some moments that make me laugh harder than most "real" comedies. it is SO my humour and my brothers. for instance, this, and this.                                                                                                                    (i know some would be offened by this movie and what not, so i apologize if thats the case)
  2. how can steve and martin be in a movie together not make the list?!?! welcome to the nineties. LOVE this movie....
  3. never mess with a Sicilian when death is on the line! ah haha ah haha ah!
  4. if i was ever to be in a movie, i would want this part. words can't express how much i LOVE doris and rock together. ooo thank you mom for making us watch classics like this growing up. a little pillow talk is good for everyone.
  5. a movie that mocks beauty pageants and small town america is MY kind of movie. this movie is SO inappropriate but so hilarious...ooooo i love this part, and this one, and the boys. 
  6. uhhhh reminds me of my childhood. i wanted to be with ferris. ok, ok, i still sorta do...
  7. hahahahahahaha and brahahahahhahahahahahahaha
  8. ok...i can't do this list without including something from this. i'm shamed to admit i've seen this movie. and i'm shamed to admit i found it clever and hilarious and so wrong. miss you brother.
  9. this movie is brilliant. it helps so much that they are in love in real life.
  10. can't have a list of funnies and NOT include this movie. this is not my favorite scene, but i couldn't find that on youtube. i settled for this and am not that disappointed. 
  11. finally, a family classic. this movie is so silly. somebody stole my pants...
please share the movies that can always make you laugh....
ahhhhh laughter so good for the heart.

thanksgiving

i had all sorts of fun things to share today. but then i remembered it was Thanksgiving and i thought i'd share what my day was like. basically, it was normal.

if you are on "this" wall. i'm thankful for you.


if you aren't on this wall. i'm probably still thankful for you. i just dont have space. hahahaha
but really, i do lack space for my photos.

i'm really blessed with some amazing friends and family back home.

please notice the two pieces of white paper with the
squiggle lines
from my sweet niece Seana. 
she drew them just for me,
and my gram sent them over for me.
love them :)

also, SO thankful for skype.
i am currently sitting in the car
talking with not only my family
but my good family too.
LOVE it.
love it.
love it! :)

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

the boys repeat silliness

i'm trying to find beauty in the normal part of each day. its easier than it seems.
for instance: the following occurred yesterday and was marked in my journal. still makes me laugh so hard...

i had Madagascar two on the tv. i always let the boys watch a movie in the morning till we eat breakfast. it keeps them quieter as i finish preparing for the day and helps them wake up. this is the school favorite. and my own too. its just so cute and hilarious.

anyway, a part came on and johanno started laughing. then as soon as he stopped matthew did. then he stopped and rubin took over. then they all laughed together.
but it was (for all of them) their "fake" laugh's. it was the laugh they each do when they know something is funny,
but they don't know what, but still they want to be included so they laugh.
which makes me laugh SO hard. hahahah

then later in the day, we were about to start tracing different letters and i just had to quick finish sharpening the pencils for them. well, i finish and then the lead falls out of one of them.
completely.
i just shrugged my shoulders and said "o my gosh"
because it was a dramatic moment and i was semi frustrated but more humored.
then perfect just looked at me and shrugged his shoulders and said: "o my gosh!"
said exactly like i said it!

it made me laugh SO hard!
then we both were laughing and soon all the boys were laughing with me too.

after that for whatever reason i said "mojo!" ha! i haven't used that word since the 90s.
but it came out like it was a natural part of my every day language.
i said, "man, this pencil has lost its mojo!"
perfect looked at me and shaking his head real sad like said: "its mojo...lost..."
hahahaha o my gosh it was hysterical!

also the boys have taken to blowing on dandelions and thinking they are butterflies chasing them.
they really see beauty in so much.
i love that any bug or thing that flies is a lovely butterfly.
you should see them squeal and chase after the butterflies.
they are adorable.

also, this video had me laughing harder than anything in probably the past two weeks.
giggles just burst from me and i couldn't stop.
i love ellen (sorry mom and dad. hey gram!)
and i am a
closet
josh groban fan. (can't believe i admitted that on the internet!)
and this video is just amazing. i love it. i love the matching outfits.
the vocals.
all of it.
if you need a laugh, PLEASE watch this video....amazingness...