Fresh starts

Lamentations 3:22-23

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;
his mercies never come to an end;
they are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.

It's been coming for awhile. We've been too grouchy and too harsh, and we've had too many brushed-over unkind moments. So, we cleared the calendar today and took the time to talk. I made cups of cocoa, and a more sustaining latte for myself, and we settled in front of the fire. We talked about fresh starts, and the joy that our faith brings us in being forgiven and offering the same.

"Next to trying and winning, the best thing is trying and failing."

Lucy Maud Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables

I'm not sure all folks are like us, but we prefer to do things right the first time. When we have to dust ourselves and start again...well, it just doesn't sit too well in our britches. Nonetheless, we need to, and so we dust and start and dust and start and pray and dust and start yet again.

The valentine candy came in handy, too, with the goofy messages on each. We talked about how to express love to each other, and we even had some healthy back and forth about whether we were being reasonable in our requests. It's not easy to be honest with a bunch of outspoken and opinionated folks in your family, and I was proud that each took the time to tell us what they thought.

“I have always been delighted at the prospect of a new day, a fresh try, one more start, with perhaps a bit of magic waiting somewhere behind the morning...”

Joseph Priestley

When my mother-in-law was here, she mentioned how much she appreciates the individuality of our children, that they are not a bunch of cookie-cutter people. I love that, too, for there's never a dull moment around here. Everyone's interests are branching out to new heights and depths, blossoming in exciting ways. Today, though, it was time to weave the tender branches back together for a bit, to clean out the unspoken hurts, and to remember how much we love each other.

It was time very, very well spent.

"Marilla, isn't it nice to think that tomorrow is a new day with no mistakes in it yet?"

Lucy Maud Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables