Category Archives: Children

Rich and Famous

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In 1993 my mom and Aunt Joyce put together a two week trip to Sweden for 6 of us: my sister Mary and I, our two oldest daughters (Julia and Linnea), and themselves. Off we flew to visit relatives and see the sights, two teenagers, two 40-somethings, and two 70-somethings.

After a delightful time with gracious extended family and lots of yummy Swedish tartas (cakes), we headed home by way of a 3 day stay in London. As our plane approached Heathrow Airport, we discussed what sights each of us hoped to see. Our daughters had only one request, “We wanna meet Princess Diana!”

We 4 adults chuckled at their far-fetched idea, since Lady Di was the darling of the royal family at that time, and more people clamored to see her than Prince Charles and Queen Elizabeth combined. The international press charted her every move, and she seemed to have the world on a string. Why would she want to meet with a handful of assertive Americans?

After settling in at our downtown hotel, Mom and Aunt Joyce gratefully put their feet up while the rest of us set out to find a princess, someone we weren’t even sure was currently in the country.

As we walked into the night without a clue about where we were going, the girls collected information from strangers passing by. They learned that their favorite celebrity was, indeed, in the country and that she was actually in London at a theater within walking distance of us. Excitement grew as we raced toward the royal dance performance of “Romeo and Juliet.” Our girls hoped Lady Di wanted to meet them as much as they wanted to meet her.

When we got to the theater at 10:30 PM, a small crowd was gathering outside, and police were setting up barricades to keep us away from Diana. Fifteen feet from the front door stood her dark green Jaguar at-the-ready much like Cinderella’s coach. Diana’s driver was waiting beside the car door.

Julia and Linnea, ever hopeful, told a tall, handsome bobby they just had to meet Diana and wanted to know how they could. Bemused by their boldness but wanting to help he said, “She may head for her car or mingle with the crowd, depending on her mood. But if you want to ‘up’ your chances, go buy a bouquet. The princess likes to be photographed with flowers.”

Off they went in search of any kind of flowers they could find at 11:00 pm. Returning in 15 minutes with two bedraggled bunches of orange day lilies, they pushed their way through the growing crowd to the front where we’d saved their places next to the barricade. Their bobby friend smiled at their wilting lilies but had some bad news. Diana also liked to be photographed with young children, and in their absence, two adorably dressed little girls had arrived with their mum and were standing near the theater door.

It was a toss-up. Would the princess go for the girls, the flowers, or the dark green Jaguar? All eyes were riveted on the front door, and when we heard dignified clapping coming from inside the theater, we knew she was on her way out.

(…to be continued)

“God shows no favoritism… He accepts those who fear him and do what is right.” (Acts 10:34-35)

 

The Benefits of Nostalgia

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My dad was born in 1899 and grew up in a Chicago that had dirt roads and wooden sidewalks. The women wore floor-length dresses, and ordinary folk didn’t own cars, telephones, or electric anything. Most people never traveled farther than the blocks of their own ethnic neighborhoods, and national election results were announced with fireworks.

My sister, brother, and I heard fascinating tales about Dad’s growing up years and hoped to preserve them for generations to come. Video cameras weren’t available in the early ’80’s, but we did have cassette players, so we decided to record his remembrances as we followed him to each of his childhood homes and neighborhoods, taking pictures along the way to accompany the tape. No one was more thrilled about this than him.

Years after Dad died, we did something similar with Mom, and today Mary and I talked about our own children, wondering if they’d be interested in preserving our histories as we had with our parents. This morning we decided to make a preliminary tour of the pertinent sights from our younger days, planning how we might organize the information. At each house from our pasts, we knocked on the door and walked around the property. No one was home.

Our last stop was Nate’s and my first house, beautifully maintained since we’d last lived there 37 years ago. The owner, working at home, answered our knock and, after hearing why we were interested, enthusiastically invited us in.

Although the house had been reconfigured in several minor ways, it was much the same. In the upstairs bathroom I recognized the tiny floor tiles and old toilet and tub. “High quality,” the man said. “No need to replace them.” I looked at the tub and remembered the early morning in 1973 when I sat on the edge of it trying to decide if I was in labor or not, and several hours later, we became parents.

As we walked through each room, old memories flooded my mind and Mary’s, too. The man seemed interested and asked us endless questions about the house. We left promising to send photos from the 1970’s and the original house listing.

Why is it so much fun to rehash the old days? Maybe it’s a validation of the path we’ve walked. Maybe it’s a longing to go back, to be young again. Or maybe it’s gratitude that we don’t have to.

As Mary and I talked between stops, we shared remembrances, some sweet, some bittersweet, and decided the best approach was to count the blessings rather than the sorrows. Part of that was identifying where God had interjected his influence and changed the course of events.

We talked of how he’d directed Dad’s and Mom’s lives, how he continued by guiding ours, and how he’s lovingly touching our children the same way. “And if you forget everything else,” God said, “remember that.”

“Remember the former things, those of long ago; I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me.” (Isaiah 46:9)

A Heart’s Desire

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My pregnant daughter glowed when she recounted the experience of watching her child’s heart beat for the first time. It happened at a clinic in her university town during an ultrasound test, completely taking her by surprise. At 6 weeks along, she’d expected to see only a tiny, dark spot on the screen, so when the tech pointed out a miniature beating heart, she was stunned.

Birgitta could see it clearly, though her baby was only 1/4“ long with a heart the size of a poppy seed. But never mind it’s miniscule size. Her emotional heart began beating for that little heart right then, and I can tell her from mothering experience it will beat like that until one or the other of them dies.

Research tells us a baby’s heartbeat begins just 21 days after conception. Considering the average baby needs about 280 days of development before it’s ready to be born, this information is mind-boggling. Something else astonishing about a pregnancy is that 2 beating hearts are enclosed in one person’s body. In the case of multiples, there are more.

Birgitta said that at her second ultrasound (at 12 weeks), the doctor began listening for her baby’s beating heart but first heard Birgitta’s. Its regular 60-something beats per minute represented a heart that had been working since poppy seed size within Birgitta, who had been within me, 22 years ago. Since that time it hasn’t shut down for even a few seconds and will probably beat millions of additional times in her future.

As the tech moved her wand across Birgitta’s tummy, gradually her own heartbeat faded and a different beat was heard, strong and steady like the first one but at a pace of 150-something beats per minute. Though small, it was already being faithful to its purpose.

We’ve all heard the expression, “two hearts beating as one,” used in reference to the bond of marriage or a close friendship. The 2 hearts beating inside Birgitta are in as close proximity as any two can be, literally inches apart, yet they’re distinctly separate. They’re definitely not beating as one. And though they’ll always be mother and child, they’ll remain two very different people throughout life.

The Bible has a great deal to say about hearts, the most significant of which is the heart of God. What we learn is that he knows the secrets in our hearts, but regardless of what’s hiding there, he also knows we have a strong longing for him. He put it there when he made us in his image, and when we move to satisfy that longing, he is pleased.

In other words, our hearts beat for him, and his heart beats for us. If there was ever a golden opportunity to hope two hearts might beat as one, this would be it.

“The Lord searches every heart and understands every desire and every thought. If you seek him, he will be found by you.” (1 Chronicles 28:9)