Emerging Again, Complete with a Song

As I finished the last of my morning coffee, Olivia said, "Did you know that if you chew gum while you're peeling an onion you won't tear up as much?" 

"No, I've never heard that before," I chuckled, "But you sound just like your mom."

Olivia's mom, my friend Debi, passed away from cancer in late July but left behind a lifetime of home remedies - some of which I take seriously. While she offered anecdotes for almost every plight, Olivia is quick to point out her mom also knew how to cook apple cider, potato soup, mac and cheese, and oatmeal with added pizazz.

So when the twelve year old and her older sister spend the night with me, Olivia starts our day with oatmeal. Like today. Yummy, cinnamon, cranberry, walnut filled oatmeal.

We enjoyed Sam's BBQ together just Tuesday night where the girls taught me more about my new iphone 5c. After years of dropping calls with T-Mobile, we swapped couriers to Verizon.  Here's our first iphone selfie:

They're facing the holidays without their mom and I just sang at another funeral after a friend's husband lost his life last week. So making hearty oatmeal, stirring No Bake Cookies (and eating them straight from the pan), and rearranging my living room furniture to accommodate a Christmas tree has made for a therapeutic day. 

But before we make pumpkin muffins and pull out the tree lights, I'll post a video of the song I wrote last week. It's a rough recording. The piano sounds clompy and out of tune and I haven't washed my hair in two days. But Olivia promised I look fine and held the camera high enough you can't see my thighs. So I didn't even put on eye make up and simply hope the words have meaning.

They anchored me in the storm. 

Center of the Storm

We can't make any sense of this senseless tragedy

We're still looking for hope cause our hearts are filled with grief.

It's impossible to understand all the turns our lives can take

So I'm just asking God, come fill this place.

Cause we are broken, our lives tattered and torn

We are broken, oh so weary and worn

So Jesus come and be, the center of this storm

There's no changing the past or rewriting what's gone wrong

There's just living today with the strength to carry on

You gotta wonder if the tears will dry 

Cause this ache keeps grabbing hold

So I'm just asking God, come take control

The wind will blow and the rain keep pouring down

So more than ever God we need you now

 

photo credit: Infomastern via photopin