An Amazing Moment

This little dude flew into our living room today, and panicked because he couldn't get out.

I had the awesome opportunity of climbing the stepladder, holding him, and bringing him outside.

And when we got outside, he just sat in my hands for a couple minutes... and then, turned around and looked me right in the eye before he flew away.

Incredible.

Sixty-Six Things About The Birthday Boy

Celine Dion might sing it as a love song, but to me it's about the man I get to call "Dad."

Happy birthday to the man who makes this true in my life... "I'm everything I am, because you loved me."

Ten Things That Describe My Dad:

• Kindness personified
• Patient
• Great driver - still no tickets, right Dad?
• Ethical worker
• Brand new retiree
• A willing father figure to anyone who needs it
• Prayer Warrior
• Pillar of support in whatever church he attends
• Gentle in his spirit, and with his words
• A man of character

Ten Things That I Love Most About My Dad:

• As a little girl, he prayed with me in each night, sitting on the edge of my bed... And he still does it every time I go home to visit
• He tells me often that he's proud of me
• He said "I love you" every day of my growing up... and still does in emails or phone calls now that I'm far away
• The feel of his beard on my cheek when he give me hugs
• The way he loves my Mom
• He's one of my biggest fans
• When I Skyped him from far away, sobbing from a broken heart, he cried with me
• He sent me a Spanish/English Bible as soon as I made the decision to move to Costa Rica
• He and mom both broke family cycles to create a solid family foundation for our family
• The way he has adopted so many of my friends who saw a solid father-figure in him

 Ten Things That My Dad Loves:

• His God
• Mom
• His kids
• His grandkids
• His iPad
• Singing "All Your Anxieties" with his reluctant daughter
• Lolo and hot dogs
• To sleep during movies
• Jeremiah 29:11
• Serving at church

 Ten Things That Remind Me of My Dad:

• Tweed suit coats
• Light green Tic Tacs
• Original scent Chapstick
• Homemade egg rolls
• Irish Spring soap
• Tenor voices
• Black fine-tipped ballpoint pens
• "World's Best Dad" paraphernalia
• "World's Best Grandpa" paraphernalia
• The Canadian Flag

Ten Random Things You Might Not Know About My Dad: 

• He was born a preemie
• His knees do horribly awkward and backward things when he walks double-jointed-ly
• He had a callous on the inside of his right middle finger for years, from all the written accounting he did as treasurer of the church we grew up in
• He knows he got an amazing deal when Mom said yes to the letter from Mr Abram that said, "Phillip Jones would like to cultivate your acquaintance."
• He shaved his beard when we joined a strict home school group, and started growing it back the day we quit
• He loves watching the nightly news
• He didn't start drinking coffee until a few years ago, and now he's a big fan
• He did CPR on a man at the Garden Tomb in Israel, and saved his life
• He's the best Boggle player I know
• He gave perms to many of the women living on Chestnut Hill for years

Sixteen Things That My Dad Does Really Well:

• Rubs Mom's feet every night
• Makes the best waffles around
• Math
• Respects his parents
• Hugs
• Cherishes my Mom
• Plays Solitaire
• Telling those in his life "I love you"
• Points others to Jesus
• Grow a beard.
• Snuggles with his grandchildren
• Makes people feel safe
• Loyal friend
• Shows genuine interest in other's lives
• Makes waffles... I'm sorry, but it deserves to be at LEAST two of the sixty-six things

And the final thing that this man does really well...

SUPPORTS and LOVES his daughter who is writing this today.

Little Faces

 Yershuah, newest member of Viña Anonos -- came to church at two days old

Genesis, loving on her gallo pinto

Monse and her kittie

Deawyn, keeping himself occupied while Mom & Dad play soccer

Argerie and her little curly-haired cousins

The bigs helping the littles get their dance on

All buddies like cake, no matter how small

The Interchangables

I love this puppy. So much.

And it's a good thing I love her so much.

Because our names get switched All The Time.

"Lindsay - it's time to go outside potty."

"This is our newest intern, Lindy."

"Whose a good girl?? Lindsay's a good girl!"

"Lindy, do you want to sing this Sunday?"

 

Here's how we make it work... I let her use the bathroom outside and she lets me sing on the worship team.

 

And we split being the good girl!

Turning the Page

I love a new year! The clean slate. The excitement. The looking back at what’s past, and looking ahead to what could be. And so, as I sat outside on the balcony last night, looking over this community that is my new home, and watching the fireworks as they geared up to ring in 2013, I reminisced about precious memories from 2012…

*Holding Ava Lorraine for the first time

* Working with MAW and meeting Faith’s family at the airport

* Sitting on the floor of Evan & Jill’s house, being prayed for by four sobbing little ones the night before I moved to Costa Rica

* Seeing a shooting star in Nicaragua

* Riding the waves at North Beach with Chris & Amy

* Sitting on a rock in the middle of the river for hours, talking to Craig

* Being together as family at Wes & Kate’s wedding

* My last Sunday at MVCC… Amanda yelling “You got this, Linds” as the tears wouldn’t stop part way through my sharing, being surrounded by love and support of my family and friends, and sent out on this adventure by people who trust in a God who is faithful always

* Watching my “kids” grow on the trip to CR in July

* Going to the shooting range for the first time

* Motorcycle trip around Cape Ann with Nate & Amy

* Saying goodbye to writer’s block

* Driving to Nova Scotia with my two big brothers, in a bright yellow Camaro

* Sister dates with both Sara & Jill

* Seeing Drewey’s face when I walked into her school to spend the day

* Sitting in the kitchen during my second week in Costa Rica, crying and eating cookie dough with Diana

* Surprising Mom in the parking lot of a Nova Scotia Walmart

* Hugging Mom & Dad goodbye at the airport

* Playing the tourist in Northern NH with Amy

2012 felt like a year of goodbyes… but along with those, came hellos. There were countless hugs and countless tears – moments I never want to forget, and moments that I long to have washed out of my memory.  It included new love and heartbreak. The freedom of selling or packing everything I own, and moving from my own apartment to communal living… from my beloved NH, to another country and culture. I mourned what could have been in my relationship with my Grandmother, yet rejoiced that she is now living in fullness of life, face-to-face with her Savior. I went from sleeping on a queen size bed, to a little twin mattress. I discovered the true meaning of God’s promised “peace that passes understanding.” And instead of hugging my nieces and nephews on a frequent basis, I’m loving on little ones who try to teach me Spanish.

But most of all, I see that 2012 was covered with God’s fingerprints.  Having family and my closest friends far away, I learned in new ways that Jesus is faithful. Always.

 

And I’m filled with much hope in looking at 2013!

Happy New Year, my friends!