And the Bride Was Beautiful

Two weeks ago I sent out an SOS for help with a project our Bible study was tackling. Holy Moses, did people respond....

 * The fourth grade girls Sunday School class donated a HUGE bag of pajamas for the kiddos in Guatemala.  

* The college ministry provided yards of material and supplies PLUS gift cards to cover the cost of anything else we might need as we sewed.

* We received donations of thread, coupons to help us buy whatever we needed, and more gift cards to help defray the cost.  In short, the people of Jesus STEPPED UP!!

As a result, we were able to sew 11 complete pillowcase dresses and cut and pin 17 more. That's 28 dresses!! 28 dresses that will be distributed to girls in Uganda who have little to call their own, let alone a handmade dress made just for them.  I wish I could see their faces.  I wish I could see what they look like decked out in their new dress. I'll have to wait until this summer to see pictures of those sweet girls but I did see what we looked like, and it was beautiful.

I've never seen an ugly bride, but there are a few who barely made it.

Unfortunately the Bride of Christ has a reputation for barely making it sometimes. Worthless arguments over inconsequential issues, inexcusable self centeredness, and flat out meanness can mar our appearance and make us flat out ugly. 

When the people of Jesus rally to His calling, however, and use their resources and spheres of influence to meet a need, the result is stunning.

Each pair of pajamas, yard of fabric, and hour hunched over a sewing machine, represented mercy, grace, generosity, sacrifice.  People gave what they had, whether it was resources, time or talent, to make sure those little girls know that they are treasured and loved. That Bride is beautiful.

Thank you to everyone to helped!

Keeping This One for Me

As the first born child and grandchild on either side of the family, Samuel's life has been exhaustively documented.  His baby book is complete and bulging with memorabilia. (Please don't ask about Benjamin's.) We have emailed, texted, tweeted, Facebooked, and Instagramed images of church and school performances, soccer, football, and baseball games, and cub scout award ceremonies to his grateful out of state grandparents and our probably less grateful friends. 

Three weeks ago, Micah and Samuel sang with their respective church choirs. I took multiple pictures of Micah, but when Samuel's group walked up to the stage I put the camera down and didn't pick it back up.

Several years ago there was a Newsweek article about a woman who forgot to bring her camcorder to her daughter's dance recital. Panic ensued. Mom guilt took over and her mental state got ugly.  Then, with the first strains of the music, the fog of her anguish lifted and she relaxed.  The camcorder would not magically appear and, as this was in the era before cell phones, she had no other choice but to sit and watch the show. It was the best recital she remembered watching because, well, she watched it. Undistracted by technology, she noticed details about her daughter's performance that she wouldn't have otherwise noticed because she was too busy documenting it. 

As I lifted my phone to capture the song, that article flashed through my mind.  I immediately put it down and made a conscious effort to sit and watch my son. He was confident and unafraid, but not quite relaxed.  The lights on stage were bright and caused most of the kids to lower their faces just a touch, creating a look of concentration. Samuel was no exception. Finally looking at ease as the song ended, he smiled conspiratorially at his best friend who stood next to him, and they ambled down the stage steps together. I thought he was marvelous.

Once the performance ended, another story of another woman came to mind, though this one was far older than the other.  Scripture speaks of a young girl who kept memories of important moments to herself, choosing, instead, to "treasure [them] in her heart" rather than share them. I imagine in times of fear or doubt or loneliness, Mary replayed the images of the adoring shepherds and worshipful magi and let them sit with her, comforting and sustaining her like a trusted friend.

I want to learn to treasure those moments, too. Perhaps my memories are a bit more mondane. Moments that come a thousand times a day and flit away as quickly as they come. A silly look, an awkward smile, or a quiet moment sitting together. These are the memories I want store up, because some memories, no matter how common, are too sacred to be let loose into the world.

My son is growing up quickly. Where there used to be a pudgy toothless baby, stands a gangly, snaggle tooth eight year old that smells of dirt and boy. As his mom, I am priviledged to bear witness to his life.  Some of that life I will share and some I am learning to keep just for me.

A Note to the President

“This is really what the White House is all about.  It’s the “People’s House.”  It’s a place that is steeped in history, but it’s also a place where everyone should feel welcome.  And that’s why my husband and I have made it our mission to open up the house to as many people as we can.”

-Michelle Obama, December 1, 2012

“Due to staffing reductions resulting from sequestration, we regret to inform you that White House Tours will be canceled effective Saturday, March 9, 2013 until further notice. Unfortunately, we will not be able to reschedule affected tours.”
-White House Press Release, March 5, 2013

Dear Mr. President,

Devoted to the idea that there was no better education in American history than visiting the epicenter of our cultural and political heritage, my parents took my brother and me to Washington D.C. for two weeks in the spring of 1994.  The highlight of that trip was our tour of the White House, specifically the Blue Room.  I was delighted and astounded by its hues of sapphire blue and its magnificent view of the South Lawn. I stood reveling in the history that saturated every inch of the space, thankful that I had the opportunity to, not only visit, but feel welcomed in the seat of Presidential power.  Sir, I am heartsick today, because that will not be the case for thousands of Americans and international visitors this spring.

The Sequester is complicated, I realize that.  I understand that it was created to be so intrinsically horrible that both sides would be compelled to the bargaining table in an effort to avoid it.  I understand that the $85 billion in cuts are “across the board,” leaving little to no wiggle room for which line items are to be affected. I also understand, however, that, as the President, you set the tone for our nation and have certain options at your disposal to direct the national dialogue. Mr. President, I believe you chose poorly when you chose to use the closure of the White House to tour groups as a tool in this discussion. 

The American people’s relationship with the White House has always been a very personal one.  In its early days, citizens overran the House during inaugural receptions and daily formed long lines to make requests or “recommendations” to the President.  Donald Ritchie, the Senate historian said that “The gates at the beginning were more to keep cows out than they were to keep people out.”  The Civil War dictated that security was tightened a bit, but even after Lincoln’s assassination, the “People’s House” and the grounds, especially, were still open for public use, a practice that was discontinued only in 1941 with the start of WWII.  It was and is that sometimes ridiculously unfettered access to the seat of power that set us apart and makes our American democracy unique.

Mr. President, certainly this a difficult situation to navigate.  I appreciate that the environment in Washington is tenuous at best, but, in the long run, you are responsible for your decisions and yours alone.  Let your legacy be what you promised it would be: transparency and access. Afterall, the White House is not the “People’s House” in name only. We are your landlords, and we respectfully ask our tenant open its gates once again.

If you wish to contact the President regarding the cancellation of public tours, here is the contact link:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/submit-questions-and-comments

Fighting El Guapo: We Need Your Help!

My Thursday night Bible study girls have been journeying through Jen Hatmaker’s 7: An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess.  The gist of the study is to examine our privileged position in the world and see how we can better use our resources and influence for the Kingdom.  Accordingly, we wanted, as a group, to do something to make a positive physical impact on someone’s life, but didn’t know exactly what that would look like for us.  After we batted around some ideas, one of us commented that she had hoped, for some time, to be able to take warm pjs to an orphanage in Guatemala that she had visited several times and sundresses to another orphanage in Uganda that she had connections to.  With only minimal sewing knowledge and a somewhat limited income, making this a reality seemed a bit daunting.  The girls were ecstatic. This was it. We would sew.

It turns out that four of us own sewing machines and actually know how to use them.  One of us is a master seamstress.  The rest of us are a little shaky on sewing skills but have determined we will cut patterns, pin fabric, and make food to be consumed while the others work.  Its going to be amazing, but we can use help….

Below is a list of things that will help us make as many pjs and dresses as we can.  If you would like to contribute in any way, email me at monica_henry@hotmail.com or message me on Facebook. 

Fabric

-thin, colorful, material for dresses going to Africa

-thicker material for pjs going to Guatemala

Gently Worn or New Children’s T-Shirts

-plain or with cute designs that could be matched with solid colored fabric

Elastic

Straight Pins

Safety Pins

Thread (any color)

Empty Sewing Machine Bobbins

Pillow Cases

Fabric Marking Pens

Seam Rippers

Scissors

Hem Tape

Embellishments for Flair

Big, Decorative Buttons

Joann’s Gift Cards or Coupons

As soon our group excitedly decided we would sew, I immediately thought of this oddly appropriate scene from The Three Amigos (stick with it. its worth it.). Help us fight our El Guapo, won’t you?