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Palm Sunday

Palm Sunday. Onset of lots of extra people in church. (JK, but true!) Beginning of Holy Week.

Jesus enters Jerusalem lauded and anticipated as the possible Messiah with welcoming adoration of “Hosanna”. Before the week’s end the same crowd will call for His death, “Crucify him! Crucify him!”. We are fickle people. Repeating the same steps, day in, day out. 2000 years later. Joyful anticipation of Easter, Resurrection Sunday. Deaf to how He calls us to live our life. To walk the Talk. Living out our faith beyond the pew. Accepting our differences. Forgiving our faults. Encouraging those mustard seeds to take root and offer rest and shade to all who are weary as that seed blooms to the giant tree. Before we celebrate the empty tomb, the Risen Lord, we must experience the betrayal, the condemnation, the pain and suffering and the Death of Jesus. On a Cross. Obedient unto death. So that we may live. So that we may receive the strength, courage, grace and hope to make it through this life with the hope of Heaven when these days are over. It’s a tough week. It’s a powerful ending.

Many blessings as we enter into this holiest of weeks. And, as the Pope said in his Palm Sunday message, “May Palm Sunday be a day of decision for you, the decision to say yes to the Lord and to follow him all the way, the decision to make his Passover, his death and resurrection, the very focus of your Christian lives. ”

When you thought no one was watching…

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I sat in my car early that morning, relaxed in the crisp air as the sun made its way into the sky and watched as quiet, sleepy children and coffee toting parents made their way to the football fields that would be our “home” for much of the day. Our own son was warming up with his team and Hubby would be bringing the rest of the troops when the first game started at 9, and so I had a brief period of rare solitude. And then it shattered.

Before I saw you, I heard you

You dropped so many F-bombs in 60-second period I lost count

“you should have been a girl, because you are acting like one”

F’ing Unbelievable

A boy about 9 stands outside the truck, gearing up for a day of football

A child I cannot see receives the venomous diatribe

Coming around the corner of her truck, we lock eyes

I am embarrassed for her, humiliated for her son, I drop my eyes

It doesn’t stop

Clenched jaw, uncensored words

A door slammed

Shut up. I am not even talking to you. Shut the F up.

I am frozen to my seat.

My eyes tear.

Kids push buttons. Parents are stressed. Tempers flare. Who will be the grown up?

I’ve been here. Not the F-bomb. Not stupid. But clenched jaws. Unkind words. Unloving actions.

I’ve been here. I’ve been 9. You are a pig. You are a crybaby. My father walks away.

We can be so awful to each other.

A door opens. A sweaty head, tear-stained, furious boy of 9 stomps to the rear of the truck.

The silent brother hands him his equipment.

The mother continues to berate. They walk away.

I am still frozen. But my heart and my mind are praying.

Soften our hearts, Lord. Help us to heal. Open our eyes, Lord. Help us to see.

I look for them throughout the morning and come up empty.

My mind continues to spin. The devil taunts my cowardice. My heart aches.

Game 1 over, I leave with my daughters while husband and son watch Game 2.

Sitting in the car, I tear out paper from a notebook, I write a letter.

I do not judge. Parenting is hard. I do not know the circumstances.

I do know what is right and what is wrong. I do know what sears the soul.

I encourage forgiveness, healing. I pray. I bless. I leave the letter on the windshield.

I leave the rest to God.

Did I do the right thing? Will it make it worse? Will she apologize? Will he forgive?

I may never know.

God does.

He sees all.

All in favor of a two-day work week, say “Aye!”

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Since taking three days off of work to spend time with the kids for their Spring Break, my “week” is two days at work and PHEW!, I’m ready for the weekend.

I forgot how HARD being a stay-at-home mom was. It’s been awhile, forgive me, but OH. MY. GOODNESS!! The chores. The needs to be met. Errands to be run. Sheesh. Fortunately for me, I decided early on Monday (about half way through errand running) that these days off would be about bon-bons and chillaxin’. The rest would take care of itself somewhere along the week. And this is what my week consisted of:

Monday-Wednesday at 9 a.m. attending our church’s Lenten mission to hear Father Richard Leonard speak on the history of the church and Mary, discernment and God’s will in our lives and forgiveness and faith. Tremendously uplifting and Living Water for this thirsty soul, right when I needed it. Very cool how “GOD-planned” to offer this retreat on my EXACT days off.
Monday, Tuesday, and today (Friday), hit the gym with my girlfriend and got our strength training on. And abs. And cardio. You know it’s a good exercise week when you are still feeling it on Friday from Tuesday!
I was able to have our girls’ BFFs over to play each day I was off. The boys are older and do “their own deal”, but it was nice to be able to get them breakfast and lunch and run them around a bit as well. Not to mention how great it felt to be able to help out some moms and provide a fun day for their girls. Having “been there, done that”, it is always a happy feeling when you know your kids are having fun with their friends and not bored at home, coming up with new ways to irritate the you-know-what out of each other.
Dinner was taken care of. Monday: chicken and rice for the fam and I went out with the girls to celebrate my girlfriend’s 12th annual 38th birthday! Tuesday: crock pot. Wednesday: leftovers. See? Dinner was taken care of.
We hit the beach. Every day. See previous posts from this week…..Sunscreen aplenty, boogie boards, beach toys, snacks and water. Recharged!
We tried out a scrumptious cupcake bakery in town. (sorry, no link, no web-based orders, local only) My youngest daughter and I had a hard time picking out a dozen minis to share with everyone. Though the price was quite affordable, the calories are simply not a luxury and we will be making a wide berth. Except for special occasions. Maybe.
Book 3 of Hunger Games, “Mockingjay” is downloaded to my Kindle. Which is charged. I have to work today, however, my lunch hour and free time between football games this weekend will be consumed by Katniss, Gale and Peeta and wrapping up this depressing, yet fascinatingly addictive series.

Things that didn’t get taken care of this week:

Laundry.
Spring cleaning
Reorganizing the pots and pans (a mess, let me assure you!)
Reorganizing the spices and pantry (I want it all in ONE spot)
Purging the girl’s toys
Purging the boy’s clothes
Purging my clothes

No big deal. It’s still there and it WILL get done. However, the world will go on regardless, right?

See what other’s weeks looked like @ Conversion Diary’s Friday Quick Takes with Jen Fulwiler!

Have a blessed weekend!

The SALT. The SAND. The WAVES. The BREEZE. AHHHHHhhhhh!

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Spring Break is upon us, and while I don’t have the ENTIRE week off, I DO have these three days off! So, we will be spending at LEAST a portion of every day soaking up the salt, the sun and the waves. The girls have new suits (LOVE Walmart $9 suits!), fresh sunscreen, I have a book to read and the back of the truck is already set with chairs and beach toys. We will vacuum on Wednesday….why bother until then?

Apparently we aren’t the only ones getting in a post-Mass beach day. Well….it IS Spring Break AND the end of Bike Week! not to mention an absolutely GORGEOUS day!!

one set of “bikes”….

and another set of “Bikes”…it should be a little quieter around here now.

You can find me here these next few days. Text if you need me, I’ll answer when I can….

making the trek

Trekking through life: Faith, family, friends and a whole lot of coffee!