First Time Ever

 I sauté beet greens for the first time ever.

Wash and Chop Beet Greens

Sauté Beet Greens with Olive Oil and Lime Juice

I add olive oil and lime juice.

Here goes! I absolutely love them.

Boiled Fresh Beets with Sauteed Greens

I absolutely love that even after all this time of living, I still have first time ever experiences. As simple as beet greens! The world is full of new things to taste, see, feel, and smell. Meanwhile, I'm off to share beets with my daughters.

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Have you recently tried something for the first time ever?

Your Flying Leap

In the middle of the night, a raging storm rips through the valley. Loud thunder and blinding lightning wake us all.

Normally in such conditions, my youngest will race down the stairs, burst through our bedroom door, and take a flying leap to land right into the middle of our bed. She'll burrow down, wiggling and shimmying her way into a comfortable spot, stretch out her little arms and legs, and fall fast asleep in the security and satisfaction of it all. 

Not my oldest. She arrives cautiously and stands by the door. She announces the obvious--the loud storm--and makes all sorts of excuses about why she's at our door. I actually coax her to my side to let her receive comfort. Still, she's justifying herself, explaining her fear, and asking if I'm sure it's OK that she's bothered me at 3:00 AM.

All into the morning, I visualize the difference between that flying leap into my comforting arms and the cautious, justifying stance of the wise, logical older sister. So many times, my approach to God brings me cautiously to the door, making excuses, wondering if I'm a bother. 

Doesn't scripture proclaim that we can come boldly--in a flying leap sort of way--to receive from God?  I remember this from Hebrews 4: "So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most."

When did my oldest abandon her flying leap? When did I?

Living with flair means we race, we burst through, we take a flying leap into the arms of God.

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Why do we become cautious and logical when we need God most? 

"I'll Do the Hoping For You."

Yesterday, I text the Local Artist to tell her that a literary agent called to offer representation for my novels.

Finally!  After all these years! After a decade of "we don't want this" and "no" and "we'll pass on this."

The Amazing Agent doesn't just want one of my novels; he's interested in a whole series I wrote years ago.  

I'm casual about it. I'm not telling hardly a soul. Something in me can't hope yet. 

But the Local Artist screams with joy on the phone. She's so happy for me. She's bubbling up with hope.

"I'm just not as excited as I could be," I tell her. "I guess it's hard to have hope after this long."

"I'll hope for you," she says. 

I'll hope for you. 

I love her. She hopes for me when I feel hopeless. Even more, when I stop by her house, she has a huge bouquet of balloons--one that shouts CONGRATULATIONS--a gift card for coffee, and a glorious golden pen (she knows one of the characters in my novels has an obsession with beautiful pens). 

It's over the top. It's too much.

It's just what I needed. 

I'll hope for you. 

Living with flair means we hope and go over the top for friends who maybe can't hope yet. We're too much (because I think you can't have too much hoping). 

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It's true! I am signing with a literary agency after all this time. I'll keep you posted! Do you have friends who do the hoping for you?