from 12-11-2009

You gave me starlings this morning
hundreds and hundreds
stretched out like long tides
over the snow
above my car
in front of my nose
with a pink sunrise in the rear view mirror

each new wave perked my cheeks higher
while the carols played
until I was broad-smiling in spite of myself
and had eyes with that "I know it's You" look in them

thank You
now, I will watch for Christmas gifts from You each day

I still caught myself for a moment, though, looking about in the car
for someone to point it out to

it seems my heart is not in a hurry to stop
wishing there was someone
here with "skin on"

to cuddle, snuggle, laugh, argue, wade the waters with

but for now, and for however long, You've said, "no"

not because I am
a failure
ugly, mean
loud, uncouth
selfish
unworthy

but because You have said, "no"
and that's enough to know

but You gave me starlings this morning
because You love me

and they thrilled my eyes and heart

so I will wait on You
to learn how to have
starlings
sunrises
music
snow
and You

cuddle me, snuggle me

because I do have skin.

What I was doing...

1. We had a guest come to do training and planning with the LT Team.
2. I made coffee and the guest had some, with cream and sugar, if you must know.
3. I offered him another cup, ("But Jim never has a second cup of coffee at home!") which he gladly accepted, but there was about an inch of the old stuff left in his mug.
4. I am lazy. I went outside to throw it out rather than walk to the kitchen.
5. It's all snowy out, and I did NOT want to make brown snow. I tried to carefully dump the coffee on the gravel you see.
   
6. I failed and splattered the entire contents on the wall. I ran back inside because the temps were like 3º F and I prayed it would all run down the wall and disappear.
7. I promptly forgot about it.
   
8. I came to the office the next day and as I opened the door I saw the brown splatter still firmly planted on the wall. Our International and U.S. Boards were in town and everyone had already arrived and walked past my Jackson Pollock coffee splat. Nice.
9. So, I am outside, in single digit temps but in a cozy cashmere sweater, with a pitcher of hot water, washing the wall free of my cream and sugar coffee art.
10. One of my coworkers found this hilarious and took a photo.
11. Thus, a blog post :)

And the winner is someone who did not post the answer (SUSAN D.!) but rather stopped me in the hallway and said cheerily, "I know what you were doing! I saw that big ol' stain out there yesterday...and somehow, even before you posted the picture, I knew the splatter was connected to you!" So, so true.

Do my pals know me, or what? :)

What is she doing now?

Here's a scene from my life at the office this morning:

A surprise Christmas gift to anyone who correctly guesses what I am doing out in the snow watering a thirsty wall!

Never a dull moment in my world...