A Letter to my Children on Friendship

But, for a Christian, there are, strictly speaking no chances. A secret master of ceremonies has been at work. Christ, who said to the disciples, “Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you,” can truly say to every group of Christian friends, “Ye have not chosen one another but I have chosen you for one another.” The friendship is not a reward for our discriminating and good taste in finding one another out. It is the instrument by which God reveals to each of us the beauties of others.”
― C.S. Lewis, The Four Loves

I still have a special place in my heart for my childhood friends of long ago. Hours spent playing in my best friends’ treehouse, playing Barbie dolls, going to the corner store to buy 5 cent candies, having a myriad of sleepovers, and playing at the playground with school friends.

There are many things my parents taught me about friendship that I want to pass on to my children. Though they are still very young, I want to teach these things to them early so that, by God’s merciful grace, these character traits will become a part of who they are. The advice of my parents is the advice I want to give to my children as they begin a new school year today.

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The Lord is Your Shepherd and Best Friend

Dear children,
The Lord Jesus is the one who will lead and guide you. You will not lack anything. Place your trust and faith in Him and ask Him for what you need. He will supply everything you need. You will never be alone and He will walk those hallways with you. He goes before you to prepare the path for you. He is already providing for you before you even ask Him for help.

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. Psalm 23:1

“It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.” Deuteronomy 31:8

Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
Matthew 6:8

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. Isaiah 43:2

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Be a Friend.

Dear children,
As you go to school and see all your old friends, enjoy those friendships and thank Jesus for them! As well, remember that there are new kids at the school who may be nervous about their first day there and really need someone to reach out to them and be their friend too. There may be kids who are feeling left out or forgotten about. So take Nana’s advice to me when I was a child and go find those who need a friend and be their friend too. Keep your eyes on Jesus and your hands reaching out to serve others.

A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. Proverbs 18:24

Oil and perfume make the heart glad, and the sweetness of a friend comes from his earnest counsel. Proverbs 27:9

Whoever pursues righteousness and kindness will find life, righteousness, and honor. Proverbs 21:21

Trust in the Lord, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness. Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Psalm 37:3-4

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Its always our turn to love others.

Dear children,
There may be days at school when friends might say insensitive or unkind things. There may be days when you do the same. There may be days when you feel alone. Just like Papa Loewen told me as I was growing up, its always our turn to forgive. Its always our turn to love and serve others. So trust in Jesus that when you love and serve others, you are really doing this for Jesus. And if you say something unkind, talk to your friend and apologize. Saying, “I’m sorry” are two of the best words to nurture your friendships.

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9

For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me,” Matthew 25:35

Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven;” Luke 6:37

Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.
Colossians 3:23-24

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“We’ll be friends forever, won’t we Pooh?” asked Piglet.
“Even longer,” Pooh answered.
-A.A. Milne

Friendship is like a garden. You must be willing to go out into that garden and care for it, removing the weeds, trimming the plants, planting new seeds, and working hard to make it beautiful. One of my favorite portraits of friendship is that of A.A. Milne’s Winnie-the-Pooh stories. I wish for my children to have honest and kind friendships like the animals of those stories. But even more so, I want my children to look to Jesus as the greatest example of friendship and selfless love. It is in Jesus that we find our greatest joy, affirmation, approval, acceptance and eternal friendship.

No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.
John 15:15

Correspondence

{A Basket of Letters from many people, but mostly from my mother.}

When I was a little girl, about the age of 8 or 9 years old, I began reading through a series called The Mandie Books. I have fond memories of pouring over page after page of these exciting stories of Mandie and her friends. Now, thirty years later, I am reading them to my daughter and she, too, is enthralled with them! As a young girl, I was amazed to find that the author, Lois Gladys Leppard, based many of the incidents in the stories on real life accounts of her mother’s life growing up in North Carolina in the 1900s. My favorite genre of books are undoubtedly Christian and missionary biographies, so its no surprise that even at a young age I was drawn to read about stories based on true accounts.

I remember there was a small Christian bookstore down the hill from our home and I would ask my mother often, if she could take me to the store to check if the next book in the series had been published. I walked the aisle, my heart pounding, the bookstore smell so sweet as it was, and the excitement of seeing the newest book on display. I would hold it in my hands, absorbing every detail of the cover illustration, the chapter titles and return to the counter to pay for my book. The store owners wrapped it in a small brown paper bag and stuffed a cardboard bookmark inside. I could not wait to get back home and read it. And then I’d have to wait months until the next one was published. I even remember one day that I was sick and home from school. My mom had bought the two newest books for me and I am sure I read them both that day! Oh the joy of reading!

I remember the day I told my mom I wanted to write a letter to the author. She checked over the letter, helped me address the envelope and then off it went. Although I never heard back from the author, it was exciting to write to her. I’m sure she received a lot of fan mail especially from the east coast of the United States where the books were probably more popular. But there, in the southwest corner of British Columbia, Canada, her books were making an impact on at least one little girl.

Fast forward thirty years later.

This past year, I’ve had an unexpected journey with books and authors. I have written  about the book, God in the Sink, by Margie Haack. After reading on her blog that I could purchase a signed copy of her book by emailing her, I did just that. She wrote back to me an encouraging and heartfelt letter. She wrote about her joy in receiving my letter, the common ground we have in our husbands having both attended this seminary, her own memories of growing up on the border of Canada, and words of blessing to continue to follow God’s plan for my husband and I, and our future. For an author to take the time and write back was a real privilege and an honor.

{email letter and a postcard that came with the book, photo of Margie’s childhood home}

In a previous blog post, I mentioned that I had recently learned more about the life of missionary, Lilias Trotter, from biographer, Miriam Rockness. After commenting on one of the articles, I had the privilege of hearing back from her, not once but twice. She even took the time to share her words of encouragement about my own writing and blog, noting even about our common love of specific books, authors, and musicians. She even gave delightful descriptions of their hallway of books! It is those little personal touches that mean so much.

She wrote: “I wish you God’s continued joy and blessing as you write (and sing) out your life and faith.” – Miriam Rockness

Whatever is your field of ministry in the Kingdom of God, it is of incredible importance to search out older women who can pray for and encourage you in your work and calling. Sometimes the encouragement is from peers who are doing a similar work as you. Building a network of like-minded friends can go a long way to building one another up and creating a safe place to spur one another on.

“If you want to write good books, good songs, good poems, you need some talent, yes. But you also need good friends. You need fellowship. You need community.”
–Andrew Peterson, The Rabbit Room

For the past several years, ever since I heard a cassette tape recording of Tim Keller speaking on the topic of marriage whilst staying at Swiss L’Abri in 2007, I’ve been following the ministry of Tim and Kathy Keller of Redeemer Presbyterian Church.  Every once in a while, I read a book, an article, listen to a podcast or like last month, get to see them in person at The Gospel Coalition Women’s Conference!

This afternoon, as I was resting from a busy day, I picked up my iPhone and thought of Kathy Keller. I randomly found an interview with her on Christianity Todayrecounting her correspondence with author, C.S. Lewis! I was engrossed in this interview as I had not known that she and him had written letters to each other for two years before his death. Here was a woman whom I greatly admire who had corresponded with an author/theologian whom I greatly adore. It was another example of writers writing to writers and the impact it can have on a single life.

“He did send me letters. I gave copies to the center at Wheaton College. At one point, I saw a book called “C.S. Lewis’s Letters to Children” and sure enough, mine were there. What was humiliating was seeing some of the letters other people had sent. They were so thoughtful and interesting and deep. I just wrote him of the small doings of my world, “I’m keeping house; my mother is sick.” He was so gracious.” – Kathy Keller, Christianity Today

Years ago, Sandra McCracken shared an essay about her experience writing a letter to Wendell Berry and the visit to his farm in Kentucky that followed. The entire experience being a dream come true for her.

“The exercise of writing my letter to Wendell Berry was, after my procrastination, a very gratifying experience. Just knowing that my official “thank you” was sealed, stamped, and on its way to Port William — I mean, Port Royal — gave me a feeling of deep satisfaction and joy. This would have been enough, but then a few months later, he wrote me a reply. I read his words of appreciation on a simple note, typed on simple stationery. I was thrilled.” – Sandra McCracken, Arthouse America

As I sit and think back to the correspondence I’ve been encouraged by this past year from several different authors, including having one of my articles being featured at Story Warren,  the new friendship I’ve made with a missionary mom in Taiwan, and the correspondence with a good friend from the Northwest who has now left to become a missionary on the other side of the world, I’m reminded of the simple joys of life, friendship, and correspondence. I’m reminded of how important correspondence is. Like Sandra, I was thrilled! It was the fulfillment of that wonderful quote by Sandra written many years ago to which I often come back to at the dawn of a New Year:

“I want to make house calls. I want to waste time on things that matter. On things that leave a mark in this world and the next. I want to carve out time to stop and boil the water. To bring out the china and the silver. To ask good questions of myself and my neighbors. And to listen patiently for the subtle answers…” – Sandra McCracken, Arthouse America

Each of those letters written to me this year has left a mark and has unexpectedly impacted my heart. They were a gift from my Lord. My blog has been silent for a few weeks. Summer has been full, full of many good things. I’m allowing myself this quietness here, mostly because I have no energy at the moment for piecing together words and sentences. So I find my creative energies are put to use searching out little woodland creatures behind our home, taking pictures of them, creating vignettes in my head about their comings and goings. As I pick up the pace just slightly again with my writing and working on my craft, I am reminded of the words of these authors who have been pivotal this year in the Lord’s work of shaping my craft. And I am thrilled!

Lilias Trotter ~ An Invitation to Many Beautiful Things

When I first met missionary and artist, Lilias Trotter, it was in the pages of a book given to me by a dear friend who is now, herself, a missionary to Ireland. This book, Faithful Women and their Extraordinary God, is written by Noel Piper and is a collection of short stories about the lives of five women and how God used them in their unique circumstances, giftings, and callings. With a love for Christian biographies, I dove into this book ten years ago to learn the life stories of these five women. One of them was Lilias.

It was a delight to read the story of this seemingly forgotten woman. I hadn’t realized at the time that Noel Piper’s book was just the beginning of Lilias’ reintroduction to the world. There was little written about her from various sources, but there was a small group of women who in this day and age had been continuing to keep her story alive. They affectionately have named themselves the Trotter Trust. I had not heard much else about Lilias in the years between first reading Noel Piper’s book and now. And then it came, an invitation.

An announcement came to our seminary inviting students and families to attend a special viewing of a documentary film about the life of Lilias Trotter called Many Beautiful Things. Although I was not able to attend, I was curious about this film and I already knew I wanted to watch it at some point and learn more about this daughter of God, her art, writing and mission work.

As I began reading two of her books, I was incredibly moved by the way she compared the process of new birth in Christ and sanctification to the processes of plant life. So detailed in her descriptions and so delicate with her words, she draws the reader into the intricate world of plant life to paint illustrations of spiritual truths. I was intrigued. What else was there to know about her and how beautiful it would be to discover it.

It is when the death of winter has done its work that the sun can draw out in each plant its own individuality, and make its existence full and fragrant.  Spiritual growth means something more than the sweeping away of the old leaves of sin – it means the life of the Lord Jesus developed in us.
–Parables of the Cross

The documentary film, Many Beautiful Things, is a glimpse inside the research process of Miriam Rockness and her journey over many years in discovering more about Lilias’ life, her writing, art, and ministry in both England and Algeria in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s. As I learned more about her, I was struck with a sense of beauty that seemed to effortlessly flow through her thoughts and images. Her mother had introduced her to England’s most famous art critic of the Victorian age, John Ruskin ,who helped to hone her skills and technique. At the same time, she was attempting counter-cultural and even dangerous work serving and feeding homeless street women. Eventually, Lilias was faced with an enormous decision as her mentor encouraged her to focus solely on her art. Would she pursue the greatness that Ruskin believed she could accomplish and give up her work with the poor, or continue her ministry to the homeless?

Take the very hardest thing in your life – the place of difficulty, outward or inward, and expect God to triumph gloriously in that very spot.
Just there He can bring your soul into blossom.
-Parables of the Cross

This was a monumental crossroads that she had come to. Desperate to know God’s will for her, she sought the Lord in prayer and submitted herself to His purpose for her, no matter the cost. Could she entrust her art to God? Could she give up one of the greatest gifts she had been given? What was she being called to?

Surrender – stillness – a ready welcoming of all stripping, all loss, all that brings us low, low into the Lord’s path of humility  – a cherishing of every whisper of the Spirit’s voice, every touch of the prompting that comes to quicken the hidden life within: that is the way God’s human seed-vessels ripen and Christ becomes “magnified” even through the things that seem against us.
– Parables of the Christ Life

As Lilias discovered, God was changing the course of her life and setting it in an all new direction. It would still include art, but art would no longer be the goal; it would be a tool for ministry to a different people group, in a far away land.

“Before us all dawned, I think a new horizon – of the glory of the task to which God has called us – a glory in its every hardness & in the sense that we are working for the future & its coming day.  ‘We were dreamers dreaming greatly.’”
23 October 1911 – Lilias Trotter

As my daughter celebrated her birthday recently, I was overjoyed to give her the gift of a children’s story about this woman called, Lily the Girl Who Could See. There are many similarities I see in my daughter and Lilias, and its a joy to see her discover her own gifts, given by the great Giver and to offer her a true story that points her to Him. The story itself, written by Sally Oxley and Tim Ludwig with Miriam Huffman Rockness is like a biography for children and the artwork in watercolors on every page are reminiscent of Lilias’ paintings further creating a holistic portrayal of this artist, writer, and missionary.

I often come across the stories of Christians in bygone eras and am drawn into their stories, the sights and sounds they experienced, the emotions they felt, the honest reflections of life detailed explicitly in journals, poems, essays and like Lilias, in her art. I am only beginning the journey of discovering her work, absorbing the images she painted, and opening my heart to what God desires to show me through what He has shown her. And He has shown her…

“many, many beautiful things”
-Lilias Trotter, her last words.

*This reflection is my small part in continuing to tell the world the story of Lilias Trotter. For more information, please visit the website of biographer Miriam Rockness: Reflections on the Art and Writings of Lilias Trotter. To purchase the film, Many Beautiful Things, click here. To purchase the children’s book, click here. A full list of books, booklets and art by Lilias Trotter can be found here.

A Blossom in the Desert: Reflections of Faith in the Art and Writings of Lilias Trotter

Blessed Assurance ~ Wait For You {Part 2}

This is part 2 in a series titled, Wait For You, based off of my album of the same name released in 2005. This collection of original songs was written over a period of 10 years and were glimpses of my story up until that time. To read Part 1, click here.

I wait for the Lord, my soul waits,
and in his word I hope;
my soul waits for the Lord
more than watchmen for the morning,
more than watchmen for the morning.

Psalm 130:5-6

I was born to first generation Canadians whose parents had immigrated from war-torn Europe. My grandparents were faithful Christians who had to face huge obstacles as young children with their parents fleeing their homeland. Although one of my grandparents was born in Canada, the other three had become refugees in a new land, far from their own relatives, churches, friends and culture. In this struggle, God blessed them. He provided through their struggles to settle in the new land, make a new life and a new way of living. They farmed, they attended school, and God continued to provide for them. My grandparents grew up, met, married and had children. My parents grew up, met, married, and had children. It was there on the flat plains of a coastal valley that I was born.

I was blessed with an amazing family, a wonderful childhood that I would relive any day, and God gave me a strong faith in Him at an early age. At the age of seven, I believed in Christ as my Savior and by His grace, He gave me a desire and yearning to live for Him alone. I went on from there to share the gospel with school friends, and the more I knew Christ, the more I wanted others to know Him too.

My goal is God Himself, not joy nor peace;. Nor even blessing, but Himself, my God.
-Oswald Chambers, My Utmost For His Highest

We took our first missions trip to Mexico as a family with our church in my early teenage years. This and other experiences like it, drew me deeper into love of Christ, love for His Church and love for cross-cultural mission work.  I was thankful for these years lived on the mountaintop of peace and growth. These years were necessary as a firm foundation for the testing and trials that God would later bring into my life to refine me, to break me, and to set me on a course of complete dependence on Christ.

This is what the past is for! Every experience God gives us, every person He puts in our lives is the perfect preparation for the future that only He can see.
-Corrie Ten Boom, The Hiding Place

This foundation was the groundwork God did to prepare the soil of my heart for the roots to grow deep, to be fully anchored to Christ so that my soul would yearn only for the life-giving presence of Himself, my God. It was also the foundation that God would use to bring sanctification, a breaking away from sin, self, and pride. God would teach me what it was to die daily so that He might live His life through me.

“Separation from all known sin is the starting point for sanctification, not the goal… Holiness means something more than the sweeping away of the old leaves of sin: it means the life of Jesus developed in us.” -Lilias Trotter, Parables of the Cross.

I needed those years of growing in grace and knowledge of my Savior, for the life of Jesus to be developed in me. I needed those years that I fell asleep each night, picturing the arms of Jesus hugging me, fully confident that I was saved without a doubt in my mind.

How hopeless the naked wood of a fruit tree would look to us in February if we had never seen the marvel of springtime!
-Lilias Trotter, Parables of the Cross.

I am constantly thankful for that chapter of my life, that springtime of childhood, the gift of faith given by God, and the strengthening of the Holy Spirit as a child. The Lord Jesus was my reality, His shepherding was my constant awareness, and His love for me was my blessed assurance. It was a gift and preparation for the next season of life when my Savior would lead me down from the mountain into the valley and out into a dry and thirsty land.

Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine
Oh what a foretaste of glory divine
Heir of salvation, purchase of God
Born of His Spirit, washed in His blood

Look for Part 3 of this series coming soon…

The songs Steadfast Constant and King of Glory are the first two songs on my album and describe this first chapter of my life in its recognition of God’s steadfast love for me and my worship of Him. To listen to the songs or purchase the album, please visit my bandcamp page jenniferharris.bandcamp.com.

Filled With Hope - A Reflection on TGCW 2016

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead… 1 Peter 1:3

Last weekend, I was given the opportunity to go to The Gospel Coalition Women’s Conference in Indianapolis. Built around the book of 1 Peter, the theme “Resurrection Life in a World of Suffering” focused on how we as Christians respond to suffering in our own lives and in the world, specifically as it relates to the Body of Christ around the world. When I saw that several ladies from my church would be attending, I thought how awesome it would be to go along. But, I thought it was not possible in this season of seminary life, with limited finances and time. It was my husband who brought it up to me one day, saying that he wanted me to go. Having wanted to go to one of these conferences for the past four years, I couldn’t believe it was actually within my reach.

So many times, my husband has encouraged me to just trust God and ask for His provision. God also put it on the heart of one generous woman, whom I had not even met, to pay for my lodging and transportation. God was putting this together, it was unmistakable. A week before I was to go, I sprained my foot and even considered not going. But thankfully, God and my husband really wanted me to go! A wheelchair was provided and eight loving, older women gave of their time to wheel me around the convention center!

There are many types of suffering in this world. The seasons of suffering that I have experienced in my life have been mostly that of anxiety. Unless you have experienced this category of suffering, it is hard to understand, and it is hard to know how to comfort. And yet suffering in any form can propel Christians into the loving and faithful arms of God and cause us to depend more heavily on Christ, on the Father, and on the Holy Spirit. As I’ve sought the Lord for comfort throughout those difficult seasons, I have found that others whom I have admired and looked to for teaching and wisdom have also suffered deeply with depression and anxiety. From theologians to missionaries to missional mothers. When I read of their stories of faith and struggle, I am comforted and encouraged to persevere.

These themes and thoughts were fed by the expository teaching of 1 Peter to this crowd of 7,000 women who had gathered to be filled with hope! And we were! Fed by the faithful teaching from Scripture, verse by verse, a whole conference based on the Word of God, passed down through the ages, and now here for us to feast on Hope!

That is what we need in this age of unparalleled suffering amongst the Body of Christ, sufferings of all kinds, as we live in a world filled with despair. The daughters of God need the resurrection life of Christ living and flowing through us, so that we will be filled with hope, overflowing with it, and daily living that out in our homes, our families, our neighborhoods, wherever the Lord has sovereignly placed us.

At times, the suffering in our own lives and the suffering in the world can threaten to undo us and sweep over us like a wave of despair. Yet, Jesus lovingly reaches down to us with a clear call to resist the Enemy of our souls and his roaring, and remember that Jesus has conquered sin and death. For all who repent and believe in Him, to those He has given the right to become children of God, children of Hope! IC XC NIKA, Jesus Christ conquers!

My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness
I dare not trust the sweetest frame
But wholly lean on Jesus name

On Christ the solid rock I stand
All other ground is sinking sand
All other ground is sinking sand

~Words by Edward Mote

The Hospitality of Frog & Toad

Long car rides and washing dishes in the kitchen sink have something very important in common. Both have the ability to let my mind retreat into itself and let random thoughts come to the forefront, much like the way tea leaves expand in the boiling water. This morning, at the kitchen sink, with my hands scrubbing bread pans and pot lids in the warm soapy water, one of those unexpected thoughts suddenly came to the forefront of my mind so unexpectedly that I wanted to drop my dishes right then and there and start writing. However, I responsibly finished my kitchen work, cleaned up from the lunch hour, welcomed some new seminary students into our home for a short visit and put my littlest down for a nap while my husband roasted some fresh coffee beans.

With a cup of English breakfast tea in hand and a book beside me for inspiration (God in the Sink by Margie Haack), I recall that somehow between the soap suds and relaxation of washing dishes from the day before, the calm in my house while children were playing, I realized something very wonderful. It involved hospitality and a children’s book series, Frog and Toad.

My thoughts often revolve around children’s books in this season of life. I wonder about that Winnie the Pooh who so looks at everything in life with such simplicity and ease. I often think about Squirrel Nutkin and his crazy antics and how much he has made my children laugh until it hurts. Our kids go on adventures into Narnia behind our home and I brace myself while reading the Chronicles for the moment when my kids realize that whatever magic is happening in the story in that moment surely means that Aslan is around, He’s coming or is already somehow mysteriously there though they hadn’t realized it for a few paragraphs. And I can’t wait for one o’clock to roll around so we can snuggle up on the couch to continue reading about a little baby named Pollywog and his curious disappearance in the playhouse floor. Unlike Eustace, and most like the Pevensies, we Harris’ want to make sure we read all the right books! Perhaps if we do, we might get to travel to enchanted lands of our own or walk into the coat closet and see if it leads to another world… my oldest two did nervously try that once, or twice, a few years ago!

Stories about little critters that keep house and home in burrows, hollows, or tree stumps have fascinated me since I was a child. So how did I make that connection between hospitality and Frog and Toad? I had never explicitly realized it before, but somehow subconsciously I had always known it. Frog and Toad are two friends that share life together in a caring and winsome way. Perhaps its the illustrations of a crackling fire in the fireplace, a toad sitting on a wing-backed chair, a cup of tea shared. Perhaps its the letter sent from Frog who knew how desperately his friend wanted a letter to come in the mail. Perhaps its the way these two friends always know the other will always be there for them or the way they really do care what the other friend is talking about even if it doesn’t totally make sense. Perhaps its the hospitality experienced in the willingness to sit with a friend who lost his to-do list. I’m sure one day I will be old and grey and need someone to remind me of the things I needed to do that day.

Sharing the simple ordinary events of their days. Isn’t this what hospitality is? Entering in to someone else’s life because you simply want to! Even when you don’t want to, but still do, this is hospitality.

My home was not cleaned up when these new students arrived on our doorstep today. There were parenting moments, interspersed with conversation, a sink full to the brim of dirty dishes, a sewing machine, a dirty floor, and messy hair tossed into a bun. But this is my ordinary and we welcomed them in to our ordinary, we made time to talk, and we gave them some fresh roasted coffee beans. Then we made sure we remembered each other’s names. It reminded me of Frog and Toad.

Presentating an Inventor and a Poet

Yesterday was a day that was captured in pictures and videos on my phone and memories in my heart. I had the privilege of attending my son’s Kindergarten Chapel to watch him presentate (a word my children made up and which has solidified in their vocabulary instead of present) a short speech on his favorite verse, John 8:12, and how he would like to serve God in the future as an inventor! All the kids were dressed in costumes to represent their future jobs. My son won the cuteness factor with his suit jacket, bow tie and Daddy’s old black-rimmed glasses. I cherished those moments when his eyes searched for mine and we smiled. I cheered him on from the front row, clapping for my son, rejoicing in his hard work and learning. After the class sang several songs, my heart was about ready to burst with joy. I filled my camera with a sufficient amount of memorable video clips and pictures to send to the grandparents a thousand miles away.

I also had the privilege of attending my daughter’s poetry reading event later that afternoon, an event put on by her class. These students worked so hard to memorize long passages of poetry and then present it to parents in a small and encouraging environment. I was so proud of all the children for their hard work, their presentation skills, their humor, perseverance in reading, memorization, and writing their own compositions. Each child learning and achieving at their own pace. I was incredibly proud of my daughter and the hard work she put into this event. This was bravery unleashed.

It was not only a year of transition to live in a new state across the country, a new church, a new neighborhood. But it was also a year of transition with their education as we changed course from homeschooling to a private school during this season of life. My kids’ courage constantly astounds me, their perseverance inspires me, and their accomplishments are the sweet fruit of never giving up. They have passed the finish line and are wearing the badges of courage and hard work that they have earned. This Mama’s heart is bursting with joy!

artwork by my daughter

I was also introduced to a series of poetry books featuring duets, where one child reads one sentence and another child reads another sentence, back and forth, in turn, in a dramatic and entertaining conversation. It is called You Read to Me, I’ll Read to You written by Mary Ann Hoberman. This would be a very fun afternoon quiet reading series to read with one’s children this summer!

After the poetry reading event, I was so impressed and inspired by these young poets that I decided I need to write more poetry! In celebration of the end of our adventurous and exciting school year, I present three original Haikus based on the goings-on at our home, Woodland Hollow, these late spring days.

Morning Thunder
Thunder and lightning
Morning storm and rain pour down
Drenching our garden

Selfish Squirrel
Birdfeeder and seeds
Little squirrel on the pole
Save some for the birds

Birdwatching
Goldfinch, cardinal
Bluejay, robin, hummingbird,
Four children watching