Turning Ashes into Beauty

When Roy and I got married, we immediately moved to Campion Academy to a small duplex that was perfect for newlyweds. We had next to nothing to our name as we both came from dorm rooms rather than apartments. In fact, our living room furniture consisted of a couch that my parents had in their early days of marriage, and two burnt orange rocking chairs that were pulled from the dumpster. But? We were young and we simply didn't care. It wasn't much but it was ours.

For bedroom furniture, we had a waterbed that Roy purchased for fifty bucks from a friend. And that's it. No dresser, no nightstand, no anything. Just a bed. But as luck would have it, when we arrived at the duplex that was now our home, an old chest of drawers happened to be in the bedroom. It wasn't much to look at. We had no idea whose it was but as the duplex was totally empty with the exception of this chest of drawers, we assumed it was ours for the taking. And so we did.

28 years later? It's still our dresser. And it has maintained its worn, haggard look through the years. And though that is a popular look these days, it is certainly not becoming with this dresser. It's purely utilitarian. And so over Thanksgiving break, Roy and I were inspired to jazz up some of our furniture: the end tables in our living room, the nightstands in our bedroom, and, of course, and the most overdue, our haggard, worn dresser.

We sanded and sanded some more, and painted, and then painted some more, and then changed out the handles and knobs to a more becoming style, and wa-laa, that haggard piece of furniture was transformed into a trendy chest of drawers that was something to behold. We're really quite proud of ourselves as we've never ventured this direction before, and now Roy and I keep asking ourselves....Really. What took us so long??

From ashes to beauty...

This has been a sobering week. The mass shooting in San Bernardino, California brought home the stark reality that we're not safe in our own homeland. We are sitting ducks to Isis who is located throughout the States in sleeping cells and we never know when or where they will strike. As of late, Isis stories have been rampant around the world as they strive to invoke fear in the hearts of regular people. They have no mercy, no kindness, no compassion. But they do have a mission and thousands have bought into it. That mission? To fulfill their prophecy of taking over the world with ethnic cleansing that will leave only 144,000 so that life can begin again as it's meant, in their minds, to be lived. And these people will go to all lengths to accomplish this mission; their own lives have no meaning.

San Bernardino is close to home. I have two nephews that live there, a plethora of friends, and my heart-friend, Jacque. We lived and taught there for 3 years. I know the highways, the schools, the grocery store. When I talk to Jacque, a brilliant teacher in the San Bernardino district, the fear is palpable.

We are in changing times and we have a problem.

Last night before we went to sleep, Roy and I lay in bed quietly talking for quite awhile, as we often do on Friday nights. It's our catchup time after a busy week of schedules and packed lunches and errands during the moments in between. And I said to Roy, It makes me rethink everything--going to the mall, going out to eat, going to the grocery store. These past couple of days I look for the exits, and stage a plan as I am entering the doors.

I know I am not alone.

But stories of heroism are rising from the ashes. San Bernardino is coming together and standing up #sanbernardinostrong. Families are torn apart and devastation abounds, especially for those families and friends of the 14 lives that were senselessly taken. Those murderers have left carnage and wreckage in their wake. It makes no sense and it's crippling. But the human spirit? It's rising. It is rising from the ashes and it's holding hands and moving onward and upward. The human spirit will not be broken.

Isis numbers somewhere between 20,000-30,000, according to news reports. The world population? 7 billion. Isis operates with terror and fear and force. But they do not make up this world. They don't control our minds. They only have power if we give it to them.

I am not saying that we will not affected by their cruelty; they could very well strike in our own communities.

But when we stop living? They win. When we lose confidence in humanity, they gain victory. Of course we need to be cautious; we need to be aware. That's the reality of 2015 in America. But as for me? My focus will remain that life is to be savored; life is to be lived and enjoyed. Moments are precious diamonds, sometimes  in the midst of ashes.

The lights of my Christmas tree are blinking. It's still dark outside, and the blinking lights are a beautiful contrast to the cold world that is just outside my front window. Savana's wedding dress arrived and we made plans to pick it up today. She will try it on to ensure it fits perfectly, twirling magically in front of the mirror as tears will, most likely, roll down my cheeks as I stare in awe at this precious girl that stands before me. It's amazing to me, really, how she has grown from this chubby, slobbery cherub into this confident, driven woman. And when I see her in that dress, it all floods over me like a storm with conflicting emotion and bursting pride.

Jace has a party this evening--a lock-in--and a birthday party tomorrow that he has looked forward to for weeks. On Monday we have a faculty Christmas party and the food will be delectable; laughter will abound.

It's Christmas time here and for our family, that means anticipation of our own family traditions and traveling to Oklahoma and the joy of being surrounded by those I love the most in this world.

The sun will set, and the sky will blaze with color.

The mountains, bare, will continue to rise towards the sky.

And us? Our nation?  Well, we will rise too. We will find beauty in the ashes.