I have this bad habit of threatening God. In my shaky defense, it’s not, like, all the time, it’s only in one (recurring) situation. Last October, Marco left me alone bravely ventured to New Jersey to help clean up after the devastation Tropical Storm Sandy so kindly gifted the Eastern seaboard. I stood in the driveway as he pulled away and waved cheerfully until the van rounded the bend. But the whole time I was thinking “So help me God, you better keep him safe. I’m serious. Don’t you dare even THINK about letting something happen to him. You got it?”
Probably not the best way to approach God, but I’m sure I get points for being real with him. He’s a real God and he appreciates stuff ilke “human real-ness”. That, or I’m in a huge amount of trouble for disrespect ;)
Tonight, Marco left again. Just for a few days, but there I was in the driveway threatening God again. “You better take care of him, you hear me? He’s my whole world. I swear to (you?) that you’ll regret it if anything happens.” I’m sure God chuckles and shakes his head the same way I do when Daniela crosses her arms and scowls. A parental chuckle that says “trust me, child. I got this.”
And really, what other choice do I have? Even though I’m forced to trust God to protect Marco from harm, I’d like to think I’d do it anyway. Because me and God are just tight like that. But trust is a tricky paramour. One day it’s the two of you happy as a clam, strolling through the park hand in hand; then, without an inkling of suspicion to prepare yourself, you’re alone with rain smacking your face, left wondering where the hell the floozy went. Trust is like that.
Freely trusting someone (notice I didn’t say blindly trusting) is a vulnerable place to be. But if there is a middle ground between trusting and threatening, I think I’ve found it. I think it’s called reality, and God’s grace covers occasionally trysts to each extreme. Because God’s good like that.
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Speaking of God, today wrapped up the Florida League of Christian Schools (FLOCS) Visual and Performing Arts (VPA) competitions held in Lakeland, Fl. This is Daniela’s third year participating and she really blew me away. She competed as part of a human video group and they were astounding! The vast majority of groups each year perform intense portrayals of the mysterious work on the cross set to gorgeous, moving music. It’s incredible, really. I love it. But watching performance after performance of tear jerking human videos can leave one a bit numb and prone to perusing instagram on the sly. Like being in all day revival services. Enter Daniela’s human video performance. It was fun; it was upbeat; it was colorful; and it was a wonderful break from the heavy!
Did you see Daniela’s facial expressions!? My god she cracks me up! As much as I dread (and complain with Marco about) all the time spent in rehearsals, it’s totally worth it to see my brave wallflower’s personality explode on stage. I just want to grab and squeeze the freaking life out of her! I have issues controlling extreme merriment. As shown in the photo below where I can’t even keep both feet on the ground. Ha!
And on to the rest of the photos. Feel free to stop reading at this point; they’re all basically the same. I just can’t help myself.
You looked at my photos! What a lovely person you are; unlike the rest of humanity who clicked away 12 pictures ago. Okay, I’m done :)
