COFFEE by danielle | april 16, 2012

If you were to join me for coffee this morning....well, let me first back up.

I never drank coffee, UNTIL the past few weeks. I am hooked. Not on coffee itself, but the pricey new York Peppermint Patty creamer. We are conscious-slash-EL-cheap-O grocery getters. This creamer is our splurge. Shhhh! (wink). So,

If you were to join me over richly sweet peppermint coffee this morning, I would tell you about our week.

I would casually start with my sister, my only sibling, moving nearby recently. We haven't lived in the same town in years. Like practically ten of em. I would tell you that the boys are rockin out baseball, and have made the best little friends as of late. Joel and I have contemplated moving from here for a long time. But overnight, our hometown-- feels like home. I would cringe and say that Mary Mac hurt her mouth again. I swear I don't know if she'll make it to the age of five with any teeth in tow.

If you are a blogger, I would not have to tell you who NieNie or Kelle Hampton are. I would just say I read both of their books this past week. You might then go ahead and hand me a Kleenex. Or two.

Those books, would lead into a perhaps rant on my part. Something I would want my children to know, if somehow I couldn't live it out in front of them.

Most of this actually comes from one of the early chapters of Kelle's BLOOM book. I won't be a spoiler, but it's the chapter on her faith so to say. And if you haven't read, I might loose you here. When I jump from Down Syndrome to this.

I do not have a problem with others living their life, with a different lifestyle or choices or whatever, than myself. Or better said in my mind, someone simply living their life. To be so centrally located amongst severe conservatism, I would have it known that I look from within, through a very broad scope. I just prefer we all love, and be loved. Unless it somehow infringes on my rights or safety, I don't care.

I am much more weary of those that would turn away from others, because of who or how they are. If someone in my life wouldn't truly accept me or my own, because of who we are, whatever that "who" is.. I don't want them to begin with. That is the influence, I don't want in my, my children's life.

Someone recently wrote to me. Comparing themselves to myself by saying, "they too had looked over and protected their young children. Raised them to be God fearing. And that if the ultimate parent (God The Father), couldn't stop His children from rebelling, why would any of us think we can?"

I don't. What a fool I would be to set myself up as a woman, parent, sinner that way.

Here's my thing. If that ultimate parent can love us all anyway. So can I. He accepts us as we are. So can I. There will always be things not pleasing to Him. On all our accounts. While that isn't a free pass to Christians, it is a if you love and accept Him, He soooo more does you. There is nothing else to it.

It's such an easy process. The world makes it hard.

I can love you. I will love you and in an OPEN ARMS kinda way. Because if He can, I surely can.

Mosby, JEB and Mary Mac: love. Leave the judgement to Whom it belongs. Don't allow this world to dress Christianity, so nakedly judgmental. I desire a beautiful relationship with Christ for you. And in that way, surely it will be with others.

My children, I accept you as you are. I mean this. With huge mama welcoming open arms. So easy to now, so easy to always.

Whooh~ (back of hand across sweaty brow).

AND SO that our coffee date didn't end on such a serious note, I would totally lighten the mood. With a story about this week's check-out lady. She, while bagging my groceries, started up about her childhood digi pets.(.??!). How one pet "died" because the school bus was late- and she didn't feed it on time. I knew what she was talking about. However, let's just say digi pets, were past my prime. But, she and I now have real mouths to feed. That are the same age. I guess I fall in that MATURE parent category.

And I love it.