This Man

12 years, this Man and I have ben together. Most of the photos I have of my husband are just like this. Try as I might I cannot coax this camera shy guy to let me openly capture his face. This is a metaphor of his life.

Today we celebrate 8 years of marriage.

What an adventure it has been! What an honor to witness one person grow, learn, change. And what an experiences growing, learning and changing right along side him. Words can hardly begin to describe the part of the journey we've already covered. All I can say is, I am open to receive the adventure that God has set out before us for the next 8.

Journey to Opening

So far my quest for openness has led mostly to me opening up the perspective I have of myself. By nature I'm not very introspective but in the last couple of years it seems if I am going to grow and mature, introspection is a must.

Recently, although I do not write here often, I've been writing various post in my mind. They are all in the queue to be posted, whenever I decided to set aside the time to write. Mostly they've been mind's eye posts. And there seems to be a theme with the selections I've been choosing to "relive".

1) Encounters with close friends. Many of which are much dearer since the encounter.
2) Music. Whether playing, but mostly singing together. I know that music is connector but I didn't realized how much I've used it to connect to others. It was/is such an integral, natural part of our relationships. . . See below!

With legs strewn over one arm of the chair and my head and neck supported by the other, I gaze at the ceiling visualizing the scene our combined voices would make as they raise towards the 20+ foot ceiling.

Seven of us sing praises to our Creator as we are reminded of what He's doing in our lives. I let the ceiling fade away as we begin to sing the bridge,

"You give and take away,"

In the last few months and weeks each of us have experience our own trials and triumphs.

"You give and take away,"

Losing roommates, one year closer to graduation, decoding decaying relationships, new jobs, mourning family members, celebrating commitment. . .

"My heart will chose to say blessed be your name! "

During this bittersweet ceremony bidding maidenhood farewell and welcoming marriage, God is seeing us through our many transformations. In each circumstance, good or bad we are reminded we are not alone. We rejoice and experience sorrow, not only with our Father but with each other.

2011: Word of the Year!

I've been so busy living life, there's been no time to blog. . . perhaps once a week posting was a bit too ambitious.

Each year one of my favorite bloggers, Ali Edwards, chooses a word as a theme for her year. In past years I've been skeptical. My free flowing personality likes to see how things develop and not be tied to "one" thing. Last year as I let the theme unfold, it just ended up being a lot of me seeming to play catch up and realizing how fleeting time really, truly is. Over my birthday, my time of reflection and annual commitment, I wanted things to be different, more intentional. So, when Ali shared her new word for this year I decided I should pick one too. Just a word, no resolutions, empty promises, or expectations to live up to. This year it did not seem so daunting.

So my word seemed to come to me again and again over the first week of January. I initially did not want to accept it because of fear, my biggest enemy. I wanted something more simple, charming, warm and fuzzy. That is NOT what I'm suppose to be about this year, so I'm learning.

Now, drum roll please, my word, that chose me, for 2011 is OPEN.
Open to love. Open to change. Open to the unexpected. Open to pain, failure and fear.
Open to growth.

I've spent so much of my life in self-protection, not wanting pain and fear to creep in. By trying to keep them out I have also omitted some positive facets of life. Already, as the month comes to a close I have made choices that are breaking the pattern. As 2011 forges ahead, I am Open to becoming.