Monday, May 27, 2013

Concrete Words: The Afternoon



With the breeze blowing, the shade felt so refreshing. It was an ideal moment on this Sunday afternoon. We were basking in the warmth of the May sun and the light of a grace filled church service. Two families melted into one around the pool and throughout the house. 8 kids and 4 adults shared life for a few hours that seemed too short.

Laughter was good medicine for the hard week we all dragged out of. There was plenty of it. These are comfortable friends, so we laughed out loud and we laughed at ourselves. We laughed with the 4 year old monster terrorizing the deck. We laughed just because it felt good.

We stretched our minds around meaning. The sermon was on grace. Actually, it was on recognizing the Pharisee in our own hearts. Grace was the plumb line. Grace is very difficult to see sometimes. We need each other to seek it out and help tie it down to our understanding. On the other hand, perfectionism is a hard nut to crack. We helped each other out on that one too. I’m so thankful for the afternoon ease that released us to draw out meaning from those well aimed, well timed words from the morning.
 
We talked about “the old days”. Our lives had intersected at a few points before we even knew to look for each others hearts. We explored those intersections some more today. We saw each other more clearly too. I love that about the stories of our past. I realize it’s the common things that we discover in our lives that offer another leg of stability into the friendship. I walk away feeling stronger, less likely to fall.

We talked about interests too. We are so diverse in our tastes in movies and experiences. We see each other more clearly here as well. That’s when I realize it’s these diversities that keep the friendship fresh. We learn more, and are challenged to explore new corners of life that we hadn’t considered.

I find myself rooted in our shared words, our shared experiences, our shared fears and struggles. I find myself watered deeply in our shared faith. I find my face stretching towards the life giving sun as my wilted stem finds strength and lifts towards the warmth again.


The youngest of us is approaching “that” birthday soon. We’re all in the afternoon of our experience in this temporary home. So we have perspective, we have experience that has ripened and wizened us. We have courage to look deeper. We have an outlook that helps us realize the value of transparency and true vulnerability.


Another week approaches too quickly. I’m not dragging anymore. I’m smiling. I’m remembering. I’m rejoicing and laughing. This afternoon will last me for some time.


I'm linking up this week on Concrete Words at Nacole's sight: http://sixinthehickorysticks.blogspot.com/2013/05/slices-abstraction-on-afternoon.html

Hope to see you there!

3 comments:

  1. Wow...so many quotes here that are so well said! I am so thankful for memories and time spent with friends! Posts like this continue the smile even as the days drudge on and the memories get fuzzy. Heart connections never seem to fade with friends like you. Thank you!

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  2. Beautiful as always, Karin. Your heart is so pure and beats grace. I felt the soothing pulse of this, of your afternoon, of your life--great write.

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    1. Your words are a blessing. Thank you for reading and offering such kind encouragement. I'm praying for you as you make your transition this summer. I'm making the same difficult choice to place my kiddos in public school and have found grief to be my companion some days and wild anticipation on others. But the Lord has covered me every bit of the way. Blessings.

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