(This post initially appeared on sisterblog.net--a shared blog between my sister Amy and I).
The instructions here say that I should share a little biographical information--as opposed to biological information, like that I have a lot of freckles, or that I have a Miller's thumb. (You'll have to google that). So here's some biographical info, for what it's worth. I was born in a small town in upstate New York back in the 60's. We moved to a little bigger small town in Washington when I was three, where I grew up in a little white house (with my mom, dad and older sister and where Mom still lives). There were several mills in Longview (International Paper, Weyerhauser, Reynolds Metals) being that the city borders the north bank of the Columbia River before it makes it's final 50 mile journey to the ocean and where ships from Japan and other countries can come and go easily. My dad worked at Reynolds and Mom worked down the river at International Paper. All those mills gave the town a pretty potent rotten egg odor on warm days. I had a Dorothy Hamill haircut and I wore a lot of big-flower-printed tops with my bell bottoms. My favorite pair were gold and purple plaid. They didn't go very well with my big-flowered tops. My sister was tall and thin (like my mom) and I was sort of tall and not-so thin (like no one else in my family). Which was a bit of a sore spot with me until I realized it meant I didn't have to share my clothes with anyone. A good reminder that there are always benefits to any situation if you look hard enough. I thought I loved a boy named David in the fourth grade. He moved away before I had a chance to write a love note to him on a scrap of notebook paper and stick it in his math book like I did with Jeffrey the next year. Every time I hear the song "I Can See Clearly Now" I think of David, since that was the big song that year. I think I thought I loved four or five other boys before I graduated High School. I don't think any of them thought they loved me back. Our dad drank a lot during our growing up years. He moved out when I was 12. It wasn't a particularly happy time in our family, but my mom was adept at making things seem okay in spite of some pretty dark circumstances. I am grateful for such a strong mother. I played the piano ALL the time back then and took piano lessons from age 7 to age 18. I met a lot of great friends and had a lot of great musical opportunities throughout high school since I got to accompany just about everybody who sang at my church or school or around town. I loved to sing too, but played more during those years. I ate, slept and breathed music when I was young. I graduated and went to college in Seattle where I broadened my world, made some more great friends, had wonderful roommates, thought I loved a few more boys and got a good education. My mom worked really hard to put me through school. I didn't appreciate it or realize the significance of her selflessness at the time like I do now. I've used my musical education just about every day since I graduated. What a gift my mom gave me. I traveled with a few singing groups after college--around the country and overseas to Peru, Brazil, Chile and Colombia. Singing has now taken me to Africa and all over Europe as well as every state but North Dakota; I don't if I'm missing much, but I think I'll probably get there some day. I met my husband in 1989 and we were married in December of the next year. He sings too, and that's how we met. I was in a Christian rock band, Komunique, and he joined us when we found ourselves short a member. I was actually verbally engaged to someone else at the time. I say "verbally engaged" because I didn't actually have the ring. Never call yourself engaged until you have the ring. My verbal fiance' was seeing someone else, and things didn't work out well. But again, if you look hard enough, there are benefits. As a result, I ended up with the most amazing man--the first one that really loved me back. Now we are many years into our marriage and I'm looking forward to many, many more. One of the best gifts of the life we've built together is our son, Jake. He makes our life fun and so much more deeply meaningful. How life changes when you bring another human into the world. What a blessing he is to our hearts. There are a lot of things that have happened in my life since I showed up on the planet back in the 60's, but the very best was that day at Vacation Bible School back in 1975 when I met Jesus. He has walked with me ever since that summer day in Longview Washington, through every situation good and bad. I haven't always made the best choices. (That's a blog for another day). He loves me no matter. I want to live my life for Him, every moment; there is no good thing in life that doesn't pale in comparison to knowing Jesus. There is no greater thing. I'm often a selfish girl and need Him every day. I love Him with my whole heart, and will never stop being thankful that He saved me from myself all those years ago. I am unashamed to say that I am living my life in full pursuit of knowing and walking with Jesus. And that's the very best part of my biographical info, no question.
0 Comments
|