The one and only Caleb

I don't know anyone quite like Caleb.  He has a strong sense of self, and is living life his own way.  He's an interesting mixture of fun and adventure with logic and no-nonsense. Of incredible talents, with zero interest in showing them off.  He bristles at most authority, but has a deep and sincere desire to do what God wants him to do.  There are so many things that he doesn't care about AT ALL, and so many things that he thinks really deeply about.  Being Caleb's mother has demanded much personal growth and change on my part.  I'm a better mother and person than I was 18 years ago!

Here he is with his recently shaved head (due to a lost bet) spray painting his car gold in time for New Years Eve.  It actually looks better to me now.  Before that it was covered with graffiti done by himself and his friends.

Anyway... I just wanted to remember this story:

Caleb had recently received a bag of hand-me-downs from his uncle Emet.  Which, by the way is pretty much the only way he acquires things to wear.  Everything he owns used to belong to someone else, or it was a birthday gift from his sisters.

His friends were in his room as he was getting ready to go somewhere, and I heard them giving him a hard time about what he was wearing.  His response cracked me up!  "You guys!  You have the wrong idea.  It's not like I get to choose what clothes I own.  They just show up randomly in a bag, and that's what I wear!"  Their disapproval didn't dissuade him at all.  Classic Caleb.

ALIVE!

Every year, instead of a long list of New Years Resolutions, (which I tend to forget,) I like to pick just one word to focus on.  This year the word I picked is ALIVE.

When I picked it, I envisioned myself saying yes to more things.  Living bigger!  Enjoying the moment.    I envisioned being healthier and more energetic.  Laughing more.  Being more curious and more spontaneous.  Feeling the sun on my face and the wind in my hair... that sort of thing.

I love the way that vision makes me feel!  Just by thinking "I'm ALIVE!"  I can summon all of those feelings of freedom and energy and wonder!

I started off the year with a bang, too!  My first step into the world of living bigger and saying yes to more things came on New Years Eve.  I decided to wear silver stretchy pants and sequin high heels to the family New Years Eve party!  I'll spare you the picture, but my outfit was a big hit!  My five year old niece asked if she could have those pants for her birthday.  🤣

But, being nine days into the New Year now, I'm already increasing in wisdom.  I've noticed that sometimes being "ALIVE" means that I have a headache.  Sometimes it means that I have chores to do that I don't really feel like doing.  Sometimes it means that people I love are struggling, or that I don't have all the answers.

But as I experience those "negative" things, I remind myself that I'm alive.  Sometimes this is what it feels like to be alive.  And that thought brings me a feeling of peace and gratitude.  It feels like a privilege to be able to experience it all.  I'm willing to embrace the highs and the lows of being alive.

So this year, I'm going to be more ALIVE than I have ever been.  I think 2019 is going to be the best year yet!


Christi