Fear is Not the Only Force

Here is the poem that I wrote last year for this date.  I still believe what it says, and I hope that we have moved closer to understanding.

Remember that fear is not the only force at work in the world today.

All of it.
The hate that those people had for our nation.
The hate that my fellow countrymen have for the religon that has been tried, and convicted in the court of public opinion.
My heart has been changed.
My heart wants the same forgiveness that God had for our whole world.
Now my heart breaks more for the ignorant hate that seems to have invaded our politics, our schools, and our religions around the world.
Won't you pray for them too? My daily struggle is to hope that the same forgivness that I have found in my religion can be found in the hearts of our brothers and sisters around the world.

It's Going to be Great!

Have a mentioned that I am going to be a great-aunt?  

Lacey and Jason Lee are going to be having a boy very soon.  I am excited to be planning some baby centered knitting projects.

Jason & Lacey

"Heather", you say, "I don't think that you're old enough to be a great aunt."  Well this, my friend, is not the case.  Here is the break down of the family tree.

• I am married to James. 
• James is about 7 years older than me. 
• James has a sister, Sherri. 
• Sherri is about 16 years older than James. 
• This makes Sherri about 22 years older than me, and the same age as my mother.  By the way, this isn't weird at all (note sarcasm). 
• Sherri's kids are only slightly younger than me, and are both newly weds.
• Stacy is Sherri's youngset and was just married in June to a great guy named Jason.
• Sherri's oldest, his name is also Jason, is married to Lacey.
• We have to use last names in this group!  It can get confusing, and with my mother-in-law's hearing problems...well, don't get me started!
• Jason and Lacey are going to be parents soon, making James and me Great Uncle and Aunt. 

Caleb and my sister (just kidding, Meg!)

I love being an aunt.  Caleb is the coolest kid, but he lives in Virginia, and I don't get to see him very often.  I think that being a great aunt to a great nephew will be great, but only based on my aunt experience with Caleb, the nephew.

Old Soul

"You have an old soul."  What does that mean?  Is it a compliment?  What makes someone think that about a person?


A few weeks ago, as the Friday afternoon was winding down at work, I was asked about my weekend plans.  I said that I was going to be going to a couple friends’ wedding anniversary party.  It was their 50^th anniversary party.  I am 31 years old.  John and Betty are in their 70’s, and I honestly call them friend.  At the moment that I was telling about the 50^th wedding anniversary party I was tickled that my co-workers didn’t think it was weird that I was friends with people that were so superior to me in age.  In fact, the very next weekend I went to another friend’s birthday party.  She turned 64.

When I think about the cast that I call friends, it is diverse in age.  The group of friends includes people that are several years my junior, many that are in the same peer group as my parents, and yet still a fair number that are contemporaries of my grandparents. 

I am very involved in a church that is muti-generational, and perhaps this is one reason for this group of friends.  Maybe another reason that my posse is this way could be the group of caregivers my mother chose for me as a child.  I spent a lot of time with my grandparents growing up.  Many weekends were spent in a tent in the formal living room on Coral Ridge Circle.  (I know that sounds weird, but hey I had fun.)  I remember two women that lived in the apartment complex where we (my mom and I until 10th grade) resided.  If I ever forgot my key I was always welcome to stay at their house until my mother arrived from work.  The secret is now out that sometimes I had my key when I ended up at their place.

When I pointed out to my co-workers the fact that I was attending the 50^th wedding anniversary party, and that they didn’t make a comment or blink an eye Tamara offered, “It’s because you are an old soul.” 

I don’t know what that means, but I like the descriptor