Signs of Life

Confession: I've been watching my life again lately. I've been a total spectator in the stands and not even the kind that is really into the game. I think I've been on an extended half-time, still eating popcorn and waiting for the crowds to clear so I can go to the bathroom. By this I mean I haven't been doing anything because I keep waiting for everything to settle down. Note to self: It never settles down. I go to bed every night promising myself to get more out of this blessed life tomorrow. I live a pretty incredible life, but I do I truly take advantage of it?

It got me to thinking. Is my life well lived? How do you know if a life is well lived? What are the signs of life?

I think I found some.



Like missing teeth. Really, at what other time in your life would you proudly show the fact that you have no front teeth? This is a moment that comes once in a lifetime. For Jill, it came at seven. She lost the first front tooth in the normal bathroom sink kind of way. But the second was missing when she woke up one morning. We continue to work under the assumption that she swallowed it in her sleep as we never did find the tooth. After laboring to eat apples, corn and just about everything with two loose front teeth, she is reveling in the ease with which food slips right in now.

Another sign of life: Bruises, bumps and scrapes.

It's a fact, you can't get hurt if you're not in the game. But, then again, what's the fun in watching other people play the game just to spare yourself a little pain? The girls have been on their bikes everyday getting every second out of these glorious days God has given us. Nearly every afternoon, just as soon as they come in, they hear a call from the neighbor kids, "Emma, Jill?" They look at one another and without a word spoken they slips their shoes back on and run outside to squeeze out just a little more fun before it's time to come in for dinner. Not a moment wasted. Every drop of sunshine reaches its full potential in their imagination and joy.

One of my favorite signs of life: dancing.


Erik took the girls to annual Daddy-Daughter Dance at church in February. But he did more than just take them to the dance. I was horribly sick that day and had planned to take the girls to get their hair done and paint their nails - all the fun girly stuff that comes with such an occasion. I worried they would miss out, but I shouldn't have worried. I should have remembered whom I married. He took them to get their hair done, painted their nails, helped them get dressed and then, of course, he danced with them all evening.

Oh, and there is one more dance around our here that brings life to the whole house and makes us all laugh. It can only be done by Jilly and she named it herself.

It is known simply as The Buffet.

This is only one small piece and if you've not seen the whole thing, you really must. Jill makes us all laugh all the time. The best part about her style of humor, is that it's so unintentional. It's the way when her dad asks her on the way to church, "Jill, how are you doing?" and she responds, "Why do you want to know?" It's the way when you ask her, when she's not listening, "Jill, what are our rules?" and she responds, "Listen, be respectful and don't execute people." We're pretty sure she meant don't interrupt, but then again, it is Jill...



A perhaps more subtle sign of life - maturity. Not the kind where one takes herself too seriously. No, the kind where you start to really discover who you are and even begin to get comfortable with what you find. My Emma is doing this in a really lovely way. I think back to when I was 9 and I can be pretty sure I did not mature as gracefully and beautifully as she seems to be doing now. Her smile is nearly as big as her heart. She finds fault with few, but even when she does is so quick to forgive. She doesn't judge, if you know her, you're her friend, and she is so well navigating the space between still being a little girl and becoming a young lady. She's still way into her music, loves animals and is becoming quite the mountain biker. I have to say, I soooo love her taste in music. Lately, she loves the Beatles, Erasure, French music and Harry Nilson. My girl.








I suppose a sign of life can also be marked by numbers. Like, 13 - the number of years Erik and I were married on March 15 this year. How about 4? The number of days we celebrated with a childless mini-vacation. We went to Las Vegas as a gift from our parents. My parents got us a suite at the Palazzo (The Venetian) and Erik's parents were generous enough to keep the girls. In addition, a former client of Erik's got us tickets to see The Beatles Cirque de Soleil show, Love. It was amazing and we had a great time just talking and walking and eating and eating and eating.... For two non-gamblers, by the end of day four we were anxious to get home and even more anxious to hold our babies. We kept thinking the whole time we were on vacation how blessed we feel to actually want to come home and what an awesome life God has given us. Erik gets to work from home, I am home schooling the girls, we eat 3 meals a day together, we continue to serve in teen ministry together, and, yes, we actually like to spend that much time together! Vacation seems to feel better when you don't feel like your trying to escape your life.


I can't think of a better time of year to talk about life. About new life, about resurrected life, about eternal life. So, as I celebrate life this Easter, the One given for me so that I may have new life, I suppose it's time I get in the game.


Ok, ok, but can I take my popcorn with me?


Happy Easter!

In His Service,