Trick or Treat?

Halloween.  I am so glad it is over! I think it has to be my least favorite of all the psuedo-holidays.  The purchasing of candy so that you can sugar up the costumed masses of children and teenagers that come to your door all of whom you have never seen  during the other 364 days of the year leaves me a bit cold.  Maybe I am just getting a little snarky in my old age or maybe it is because after the age of 8 I wasn't allowed to trick or treat.  I am not sure, but either way I am still not a big fan of the day.  Then you throw in the added pressure of coming up with decent costumes for your kids to wear and well, this year it was almost too much for me to deal with.  Fortunately my kids are pretty great kids and were happy to mainly be whatever we had at the house already or in my oldest son's case, a willingness to be a close facsimile of his favorite character. 

Despite my dis-like for the day my kids ended up having a fairly good Halloween anyways.  They got to dress up, go trick or treating, take turns passing out candy to the un-known masses, and eat orange jack-o-lantern pancakes with whip cream and chocolate chips for dinner. 

Katie 11 as Goth/Rocker girl, Klayton 6 mo. as a clown, Kalen 8 as a China doll, Klara 5 as a ballerina, Karson 2 as a cowboy, Kamden 9 as Luigi, and Kody 6 in his Navy guy aquaflage

Klara getting her Jack-o-lantern pancake

Now, I get to relax, put the costumes away, and enjoy the festivities of the real holidays that are coming up. A day that celebrates all the good things in our lives and involves eating copious amounts of delicious food...now that is a day I can get behind! So bring on the turkey and the giving of thanks, cuz I am ALL about that!



The Rain Has Come

The rainy season is upon us here in the Pacific Northwest.  For many that is something to groan and gripe about.  For me it is a reason to rejoice.  I love the rain.  I love to watch it pour down.  To hear it splashing against the ground.  When roads are empty I love to drive in it.  I love the sound it makes against my van's metal roof and the way it runs willy nilly across my window.  I even like walking in the rain.  I like the way it soaks into my hair and clothes when I know a warm shower is soon to follow.  It is refreshing and cleansing.  It allows growth.  It washes all the dust away.  I am a person who needs the rain. 

Today was a hard day.  Today, I needed the rain.  My body aches, my heart aches, my mind aches, and my soul aches.  There are so many things I don't understand.  So many questions that go un-answered.  Driving home today I took notice of the rain.  It didn't bring me answers or stop the aches and pains, but it brought me comfort.  Thank you Lord for the rain.

Can't you feel me?

Klayton was lying in my lap asleep.  When he awoke he didn't see me, his eyes were diverted and elsewhere.  He began to panic.  Fear replacing peace.  I quickly picked him up as the tears began to fill his eyes and put him to my chest.  Cradling him within my arms I kissed his forehead and said, "I am right here.  Couldn't you feel me? Couldn't you sense that I was with you?"

Immediately I wondered just how many times God has whispered that to me. "Karmen, I am right here.  Can't you feel me? Can't you sense that I am with you?"  How many times have my eyes been diverted and elsewhere other than on Him?  How many times have I been nestled in His lap and not even realized it? When fear replaces peace I need to remember that God has me within His loving arms.  He has me cradled to His chest and He is present and hasn't left me.  What an amazing gift to be God's child.  Thank you Lord for reminding me of Your love.