Family
Aunt Jane
One of my anthems of the past few years has been for honesty and transparency—for us as Christians to have the strength and confidence to confess we are out of strength and confidence. It’s in these places of humility that we find community and that we allow our God to meet our needs.
Thus, in the most practical exercise of my anthem, I confess my family is grieving. For those who do not know, my aunt Jane passed away unexpectedly in her sleep last Saturday morning. We all celebrate that she is in heaven—in our heads—but everyone’s heart still aches with loss. We know that God has purpose, but our love feels beyond reason.
The service elevated Jane and made every single person in the room want to give more selflessly of themselves just as Jane did. It elevated Christ, just as Jane did. Everything was perfect, but the familial bond still holds so tightly.
After we all placed the roses, it only seemed right to sing “Blessed Be the Tie” as a family. The song seemed to well up inside us. We always sing this song before dinner at Grandmother and Granddaddy’s. The cousins use to snicker and try to catch who didn’t know the words, but Grandmother would always sing it so proudly. I know she must look around her table and see the legacy of children that she raised—all holding hands… together. This past week when we sang “Blessed Be the Tie” no one was snickering or even thinking about themselves. I know we were all only thinking about how much we loved Jane—part of our family—and how much we treasured each other. Had we never been knit so closely together to begin with, breaking the circle—even momentarily on this earth—wouldn’t be nearly as painful. “Blessed Be the Tie” took on a whole new meaning, a new depth, and I know the family tie was tied one knot stronger.
Blessed Be the Tie that binds our hearts in Christian love.
My pretty mama and twin sister Jane.
Also check out:
CommentTour de Tejas
This past week I spent driving around my own Tejas in 107 degree weather. It was a mini vacation. In my neighborhood.
On Wednesday I picked Robert up in Dallas and we headed to the Dallas Cowboys Stadium. We toured the locker rooms, gawked at how each locker cost $9,000, and sat down on the field because we were too mesmerized (and in my case-tired!) to leave.
The next day we headed to Austin and after dragging Robert around the outlet mall, we went to the Texas State Capitol. Robert had the hiccups the entire time. They’re were so obnoxious I thought he was kidding, that is, until he squealed like a little girl while the security guard was running the metal detector across him!
Robert tried sushi for the first time and… masterfully (really) put it back to the plate, we wandered around Austin for a while, and Robert saw more homosexuals and hippies than he probably will ever again. Oh cultural shock.
My new church launched their VBS with an outdoor carnival on Saturday morning. There were water games, hot dogs, and good old fellowship our in the sun. The kids gave new meaning to precious.
Early Sunday morning we then took off to Galveston. I have a quote file documenting my dad’s quirkiness and some of those stories I know will be told and my kids will say, “PaPa did that?!?”
Tour de Tejas.
With family.
Sometimes the best places are right in your neighborhood.
Also check out:
CommentYeeHaw
The Country Western Dance class was a success. We got lost on the way in and made our grand entrance 10 minutes late as the youngest couple there. Clayton sarcastically said, “man, I’m so bummed I have to miss next week.” By the end however, Clayton repeated the same line– but meant it.
It was a blast because for the first time we got it. The 2 step and waltz makes so much more sense when you someone teaches you. The teacher said we had a “gift,” but I think she said that because she wasn’t quite sure what to do with how much fun we were having. We were trying to contain laughter the whole time to “appear” mature. Perhaps joy is indeed a gift.
No regrets.
Also check out:
CommentSo this is Summer…
and what have we done (this weekend)?
I’ve lived in Waco for 4 years and I’m still finding new things to do and my to-see/do/experience list is growing. People who say Waco is boring need to get out of their little bubble. It’s all about perspective I’m learning.
I hope you had a wonderful weekend wherever you were.
Also check out:
Tornados & Neighbors
Ironic fond childhood memories:
-
Tornado warnings= neighbors come over.
Something about the disruption of the normal brings an excitement. The radio crackling, the neighbors piled on our basement couches, and the jumps that initially accompany the lightning until the bright lights eventually become the normal. The siren wailing [which for years I thought was an ambulance driving around resulting in a fear for the safety of the driver...]
-
We are amidst a real life Waco, Texas storm. James is baracaded in the basement of the Penland dorm, and my friends and I are plopped down on the couch watching the news, sirens outside, and popcorn popped.
-
My neighbors aren’t over, but my duplex neighbors are like children in a candy store when it comes to the weather. They are always outside– right now… Hail! It’s hailing! and when it snowed, look at those flakes! Wow! Those flakes are huge. It’s humorous. Yet, in a creepy way we’ve failed to meet one of all seven of them.
-
It makes me think of the night the power went out, and my roommates and I stayed in a hotel. We were like giddy children.
-
Simple distruptions= simple joys.
-
a little reminder not to get too comfortable in the normal, because I guess down deep we really don’t like it all that much.
-
The all-clear text was just sent from Baylor. It’s a let down. Yet, the hour of disruption to the normal was just like childhood. treausred.
Also check out:
“If you are bored check out Kroger”
best advice ever for a little field trip with Grayson.
However, this is what I found:
This Kroger is slightly confused. It doesn’t know quite what it wants to be.
Does Kroger want to be a Bed Bath & Beyond?
A Sams?
A Lowes?
A Dillards?
or a Furniture Store?
This might be peer pressure at its finest leaving Kroger with an identity crisis.
[You were warned: this post is adequately tagged completely pointless.]
Also check out:
CommentHey There
In a matter of days I'm going to marry my college sweetheart Clayton. I'll be the resident chaplain at a girls dormitory this year... which will add a few quirks to our first year of marriage. I've been adopted into Texas culture and I keep Sonic in business. I blog about faith and the struggles with faith. My first name is Jane; I'm Caroline.
Featured Post
To my single friends, I just posted a cute picture of Clayton and I on Facebook. 10 minutes later we were sitting in my driveway talking about how his stress was overwhelming me and how he was stressed because I was overwhelmed. Dumb. […]
Must-reads
Friends and follows
or, link to me with this!
