Simple Truth on Memorial Day.

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This is my niece Ashley, and every time I'm with her, I'm reminded of the faith and simple trust of a child.

Now that she's the ripe age of 5, we can have real conversations, and they simultaneously make me giggle and pause in wonder. Her understanding is simple, and it's refreshing.

On Memorial Day, we were sitting by the pool under the patio covering because it was drizzling once again in dreary Dallas. But spending time with Miss Curly-Q, as we call her, brightened my spirit. I was painting a large tin trough in which my sister-in-law was going to plant flowers, and Ashley was fidgeting in one of those camping chairs with the built-in cup holders. Earlier that day, Ashley and her sister Maddie had made some chalk drawings on the patio by the pool. We started chatting as she began cleaning up:

Ashley: "Aunt Stine, I'm going to help clean up the chalk, and that will make Daddy happy."
(She walks over the the edge of the pool and begins splashing pool water on the chalk and rubbing it out vigorously.)
Me: “Ashley, that’s so nice that you’re being a good helper. You know Jesus is happy when you help other people.”
Ashley: “Yeah, and so is Daddy.”
Me: “Yes, but Jesus is even more happy than Daddy when you’re a good helper!”
Ashley (in her signature sing-songy voice): “Yes, and Jesus had helpers, too...like James and John.”

Nothing like a 5-year-old to remind you of what the Bible says. Then our conversation turned to family matters.

Me: "Ashley, do you know how your Daddy and I are related?"
Ashley: "Re...la...ted?"
Me: "Yes, do you know what that means?"
Ashley: “Yes, you’re related to Daddy because you LOVE him.”

Well, there you have it.

Somehow in my day-to-day adult life, I have severely lost focus. Somewhere in the mix of keeping a clean house, working 8 hours a day and then extra on side projects, making time to spend with my husband and girlfriends, and taking care of myself, I have lost the simple faith of a child. I have lost my simple trust in the Lord. And I want it back.

I've missed the deeper understanding that maybe, just maybe, doing something simple to serve someone else is how I can become a little more like Christ. Maybe what makes us "related" to one another in this big Family is that we simply LOVE one another.

Sitting by the pool sheltered from the drizzle, pondering life with a 5-year-old with golden curls and a trusting heart...I can't think of any better way to have spent this Memorial Day.

Psalm 131: Simple Trust in the Lord

"Lord, my heart is not haughty,
Nor my eyes lofty.
Neither do I concern myself with great matters,
Nor with things too profound for me.

Surely I have calmed and quieted my soul,
Like a weaned child with his mother,
Like a weaned child is my soul within me.

O, Israel, hope in the Lord
From this time forth and forever."

6 weird things about Moi.

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OK, I was tagged to do this by both Suz and Lauren, so here goes!

The rules are as follows: Each person who gets tagged needs to write a blog post telling 6 weird things about themself... as well as clearly state the rules. After you state your 6 weird things, you need to choose 6 people to be tagged and list their names. Don't forget to leave a comment that says "you're tagged" in their comments and tell them to read your blog for information as to what it means.

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My first thought when I got this was, "ONLY 6?!" There are so many more, so many more. Anyone who's lived with me can attest to that! Ha!

1. I always heat my eyelash curler with a hairdryer before I use it on my lashes. Right now, you're asking one of two questions: a) "How on earth do you do that without burning your eyelashes off?" Very good question. First, you test how hot it is on your hand and then apply to your lashes. Never ever apply to lashes without first testing the heat. I learned that the hard way. It holds the curl all day, though! b) "Why would you want to do that?" 'Cuz my eyes look squinty if they're not curled. I know that's superficial and weird, but there you have it.

2. I have an obsession with making a face known as "square lips". My friend Mary Alice and I have years and years of these pics from all different times in our lives. Here are just a few of them. Do you think my lips will still do this when I'm 80?


And the queen of them all...


3. (Submitted by my husband) I tuck my pajama pants legs into my socks before I go to bed. I can't stand having my pants riding up my legs during the night! Sure makes for a fun surprise though when I wake up and answer a knock at the door, or friends are staying overnight, and Christine the Genie emerges from the bedroom.

4. I think I've become a hippie. I can't believe I'm posting this publicly, but I take a shower every 3 days now. I just don't like showering every day! First of all, it's too much of a pain, and second of all, I work from home, so how dirty can I really get? I think I smell like peaches and cream, but Steven begs to differ.

5. I dissect my food, particularly sandwiches & burgers. Don't like all the extra bread. I strive to leave the minimum amount of bread required to keep the sandwich together, but usually I'm left with a few mangled pieces of bread and then all the insides of the sandwich falling out on my plate.

6. I am strangely fulfilled by cleaning dirty dishes. I've been known to offer to clean other people's dirty dishes. I like the hot water on my hands and the feeling of completion.

Now I'm tagging...

Michelle

Jenni

Stephanie

Tara Leigh

Ange

Crystal

Do it, do it!

Chubby bunny.

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Well, folks, a few days ago I had the surgery we all dread as kids but which is reportedly even worse to have as an adult: yes, I had my wisdom teeth removed. And what a humbling experience it’s been. More than anything, I’m humbled by my husband’s servitude as he completely put himself aside for 3 straight days: cleaning the kitchen and making me an endless supply of smoothies and ice cream sundaes, keeping track of my medication schedule, setting me up on the couch with 4 pillows and every girly movie known to man, and even holding the drool bowl under my chin multiple times while I washed out my mouth with the syringe. Now, that’s love.

But what's really love is that he can still say I’m beautiful when I look like a chipmunk with my cheeks swollen out to kingdom come :). Of course I never wanted to reveal these photos, but in keeping with the spirit of being the “real” Christine on this blog, I’m officially unveiling the worst pics ever taken of me for your viewing pleasure. Enjoy :).

Coming out of the sedation fog and Steven already has me laughing...

Pitiful much?
Nice try, buddy....you still have to make me some soup.

Suz and I kinda think my cheeks look like the “swiss water” lady in the movie Return To Me in this pic - hee hee!

And the crowning glory of them all...I don't know what's worse about this pic: the fact that I look like a character out of The Chronicles of Narnia (Mrs. Tumnus, perhaps?) or the unidentifiable substance I'm about to put in my mouth!