He is Greater.....John 3:30 says He must become greater, I must become less"

 When my oldest daughter Claire was a newborn she woke up at 6am.  I would feed her and then make tea and in the quiet hours of dark fall mornings I would sip my caffienated tea and play music, holding her close, and we would dance.  I was tired, a new mom, but ever so grateful for the priveledge to hold and nurse and love this beautiful baby girl that I had longed for and prayed for and dreamed about.  When she got older we went for walks and I would tell her to listen....listen to the birds and the traffic on the highway where we lived, to the sounds of nature and to the world around her...and Claire learned to listen.  She could sing the words to songs before she could walk.  She became one who would hear and know and love music and rhythm and movement in a pure way.....and when she turned four years old we signed her up for dance classes.  A size xs black leo, some baggy xs pink tights and some super cute tiny ballet flats and off she went to her f...

 If you have spent time with me and if you are little, you likely have heard me say this.  I love hugs.  Hugs are like medicine to me.  Maybe even if you are big!  I love hugs.  When a child is willing to give me a hug something in me changes.....endorphins fire, my mood lifts, my heart swells.....it is like medicine to me.  All of my kids know it and most of the kids who have spent time here do as well.  Hugs have power to change not just my mood but my countenance and my well-being.  It's physical touch.  It's affection.  It's connection. ( and it is so much more).  I would never force someone to hug me...that is not a trauma-sensitive thing to do.  If I ask for a hug and the answer is "no thanks" that's fine....but if the answer is "ok" well lets just do a happy dance and have a hug.  medicine. When a helpless, fragile, sweet, soft baby is fretting, crying, squirming, asking to be picked up, please oh please oh ple...

 I don't recall that sleep was an issue for me as a child.  As a young adult, I didn't need much of it to function....6 hours worked just fine.  Once we had children who woke up all night long I began to understand exhaustion and the deep need and craving for sleep...and by the time our kids were all old enough to sleep better.....my body kicked into middle age and sleep was interrupted by other issues like needing to go to the bathroom and hot flashes.   Sleep is something we need, long for, read about, chase, avoid, manipulate....you name it we are talking about it.  I'm even buying teas called Sleepytime and doing a happy dance when they arrive in the mail....that's how important sleep is.   When I don't get enough sleep I am irritable, I can't think straight, I am inefficient.  My memory is bad.  I make poor choices with food and don't have the energy to exercize.  My self-talk is negative.  My bible doesn't get opened....