What to give your father-in-law for Christmas

My son's father-in-law, Ed, is a die hard Washington State Cougar fan. Both my son and his wife attended WSU (I don't think my son's father-in-law would have let him marry his daughter, if he hadn't gone to WSU, so it's a good thing since my daughter-in-law is wonderful!)

Several years ago, Ed had a special, one of a kind, hand made, WSU rain poncho that he loved to wear to the games. He always got asked by people how they could get one like it. It had wonderful pockets, it was big enough to keep out the rain and to wear a warm jacket underneath. He loved that poncho. Sadly, one day it got left in a rental car and was never seen again. (Even after calling the company several times and doing everything he could to find it.)

Fast forward about 3 years. My son is working for a company and a fairly new guy sees the WSU memorabilia on his desk and asks him if he would like an old WSU poncho he had. He had gone to Montana State but he used to work for a rental car company and he been given this old WSU poncho that had been found and he never knew what to do with it. He had moved it with him through many moves and had thought about throwing it out, but he never did. My son said sure, he would take it off his hands and thought "Here's a great (read cheap) Christmas gift to give my father-in-law".

Fast forward to Christmas Eve. My son and his wife walk into his in-law's house and he is carrying this nylon bag with the poncho inside. Ed, my son's father-in-law, jumps up and says "That's mine". He grabs the bag out of my son's hands and opens it up. He pulls out the poncho and just breaks out laughing and smiling. It was his poncho! (He says he knew it was his old poncho because he recognized the nylon bag which was missing a draw string.) My son is now his favorite son-in-law. Ok, he is his only son-in-law, but that's not the point.

Even when we don't know God is at work, he is. Sometimes, we spend our time questioning why the poncho had to disappear for 3 years, or why it had to get lost at all, instead of just resting in the knowledge that God is at work and he is in control. He knew where that poncho was all along. Maybe he just wanted to boost my son's standing with his father-in-law. Maybe God just wanted to see the joy on Ed's face. I don't know. I do know that reminding ourselves that God is at work, even when we don't see anything happening, is a wonderful anteater.

Bonus Anteater - God is even more delighted when he sees us, than Ed was when he saw his old poncho. God delights in us. He sees us and sees his image in us and says "You are mine".

White Dove of the Desert

This is the St. Xavier Mission Del Bac, also known as the White Dove of the Desert. It is located near Tucson, Arizona. They have been doing a lot of restoration work. Dave and I watched the video about the restoration. It is slow, painstaking work but the result is beautiful. The artists gently rebuilt the broken pieces, restored the colors, cleaned off the dirt, and found beautiful art work underneath the dirt and grime. Sounds a lot like the work God does in us doesn't it? Good thing God is patient and persistent in working in our lives to restore his image within us.

God's creation is amazing!

Good job God! What a wonderful world you have created!

Hugs in unexpected places

While I was on the plane, flying to Tucson to my cousin's wedding, I was sitting across the aisle from two adult women. They appeared to be mother and daughter. Their hair exactly matched in color and it was almost the same shade of beautiful red hair my daughter had when she was little. (Before she started dying it all the time :-) They were talking and obviously enjoyed spending time together. I could tell they loved one another and delighted in being with each other. When we got off the plane, I found myself standing in line with them waiting for our baggage. Of course, I had to make a comment about how sweet it was to see them together and that it made me miss my daughter. They asked where my daughter was and I told them she was in Cambodia for 4-6 months. The young woman turned out to be about my daughter's age. She reached over and gave me a hug and said "that's for your daughter". It brought tears to my eyes, but it made my day.

Hugs are great anteaters. Giving them and receiving them!

Beauty even in the desert. Blooms in the desert? Is that an oxymoron? My friend once gave me a plaque that said "Bloom where you are planted." We don't usually ask to be planted in the desert but sometimes we are. It's good to know we can still bloom.

Tucson Trip - plants

This is a Sunflower Tree. I didn't even know sunflowers grew as trees. (And I was born in Kansas. I should know these things.)

Flowers at the Desert Museum near Tucson, Arizona

Dave pushing Mom up the Rim trail at the Grand Canyon

Late afternoon shadows on the Canyon walls

Even Cactus can be beautiful!

We just got back from a trip to Tucson Arizona to my little cousin's wedding. We had a wonderful time and took a side trip to the Grand Canyon! It is amazing!

Eating Chicken Feet - an act of love

My husband, Dave, is one of the most loving people you will ever meet. He has a wonderful heart. When we were visiting relatives in Hawaii, our little cousin wanted to try eating some chicken feet at a Dim Sum restaurant, but he didn't want to try it alone. (He was about 7 years old at the time.) My husband volunteered to order some fried chicken feet and they both ate them! Now that is love! (I'm not that loving.) When I see people acting in loving ways, it makes me smile. Our job is to look around and notice the loving people in our lives.

Noticing people acting in loving ways is a great anteater. Sometimes they just are smiling at someone. Sometimes they are playing hide and seek with a bored child in a restaurant. Sometimes they are making dinner, folding clothes, or just listening to a friend. (And sometimes they are eating fried chicken feet :-)