MAYNY AMAYZING MAYRVELS
May 27, 2012
Happy Unofficial-Beginning-of-Summer to all those who live in areas where the school year has come to an end! Here in Corbin, this great event happened nearly two weeks ago, so I am a full time Nanny-with-children-running-circles-around-her-all-day for the next couple of months. The two I care for are great kids, but they are kids, which means they are full of energy and a thirst for constant activity, and I am old, which means I would like to sit down and read or doze off now and then. Thus, I will be entering into an even tireder than normal phase for awhile. Yippity-doo-dah.
This month has been a mishmash of emotional experiences for me. The beloved college student daughter moved back home for the summer (Hurrah!) with her stuff (not so hurrah). The college professor husband also concluded his scholastic duties for another year (Humhaha–a mixture of humbug for the annoyingness of his free spirit hovering around the house for Four Whole Months and Hurrah-ha-ha for his househusbandly helpfulness with some of the stinkier chores while he hovers). I concluded my 20+ year career as a teacher of church children on Wednesday nights (Soulful Lament) so I could commence my new career as a helpful Grammy with my sweet grandson once a week or so (Soulful Rejoicing). My sister and brother-in-law came for a visit and we all spent a day playing with Charlie the Wonder Boy (HOOORAH-YA-YA!!) but then they had to return to Kansas City (Pooh). Last night I attended my first dance recital without a daughter in it after a 21 year avocation as a Dance Mom (Teensy Lament-While-Enjoying-No-Costume-or-Lesson-Expenses-or-Hair-or-Stage-Mom-Crises.)
One very surprising incident stands out to me, however. It isn’t something that one would think of as a major deal in the grand scheme of life, but to me it was a thing of pure joy. I reconnected with one of my college English professors through Facebook this week! I didn’t know if she would remember me from all the thousands of students she had in her classes over the years, but she did, and we had a nice conversation that stirred the literary embers in my heart. She writes so well and has such a great sense of humor! I was taken back to those college days when I mingled with English majors and professors who took delight in the same odd bookish yearnings I did. It was so refreshing! Through all these years of trying to keep the home fires burning while raising three daughters, the essence of who I am as a non-mom person has taken a backseat. I’ve dabbled in writing and tried to find time for reading great books, but those endeavors have always seemed a bit selfish and trivial amid the constant busyness of family life. Now after one happy conversation, I am all worked up into a lather about literature and writing again! I am rediscovering the fun of being the slightly strange (or novel) person God made me to be. So thank you, Betty Gipson, for taking the time to write back to me! The psalmist said in Psalm 139: 1,13-14, “O Lord, you have searched me and you know me. . . . For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.”
Here’s wishing all of you the same joy that comes from being the unique individual that God created you to be!