Namaste

I remember we were cleaning out the garage in El Paso on a Saturday afternoon. Now, you must understand that in El Paso the exact MOMENT you open you garage doors people from across the border show up for a yard sale you may or may not be having.  It is actually an amazing phenomenon that should be in the Guinness Book of World Records, because until you truly have seen it, you wont believe it.  The moment you push the garage door opener amazingly their are people standing their smiling and asking in really really fast Spanish what they can buy or have out of your garage.  Many days your simply taking the trash out and your left starring at the people in amazed curiosity of how they knew just when you would open the garage door.
This particular Saturday we were cleaning out the garage and something AMAZING happened.  No one came.  We looked up and down the street, we pushed the garage door opener several times (because we are sure they had it wired to and underground "get the Americans junk" alarm bell), but still no one came.  We shrugged and got to work.  Jeremy and I were almost done when an old beat up (really really beat-up) Chevy pulled up.   A Mexican couple climbed out of the old truck very slowly.  They pointed to the "junk" we had layed outside the garage.  They didnt speak one word of English, and my Spanish is well....lacking in most parts.  With Jeremy's help the elderly man loaded up the old paint cans, old towels, old tools, into the bed of his truck.  I stood with the edlerly woman who smelled of farm animals, sweat and spice.  She watched me as I attempted small talk in Spanish and nodded her head to indicate she had no clue what I was saying but I was a nice young girl for trying.  When the guys where finished the elderly man waved and got into the truck.  The woman turned towards me and smiled, the same smile she had given me during our little conversation, and then she took her entire hand and drug it over my face.  Then she said in very broken but beautiful English, "I see God on Your Face".  I replied, "Namaste".

Right there on the street corner of Kalpana Chawla, I understood the Eastern concept of, "Namaste".  Namaste is an Eastern Religious concept.  The people who use this concept bow to one another when they meet and say, "Namaste".  It can mean,  "That which is of God in me, greets that which is of God in you" or "I honor the place in you which the entire Universe dwells, I honor the place in you which is Love, Integrity, Wisdom and Pace.  When you are in that place, I am in that place in me, and We are One" or "I see the Face of God in You".  Its an amazing kinship greeting.  It recognizes that no matter what language you speak, what time or culture you have been raised in, wether you are male or female, young of old, that you can acknowledge and deep and powerful connection with other human beings becuase of that place in us that God dwells.  That place that God created in Genesis 2:7 when God "breathed the Breath of Life into his (Adams) nostrils, and the man became a living being".  That "Breath of Life" was the Spirit of God that he put into his creation.  We are connected because of our creator and that "Breath of Life". 
Eastern religions might use the concept of Namaste, but I believe it should be embraced by Christianity as well (an Eastern religion by the way).  We know this concept, we just use a different term.  We use "Fellowship" which is Kiononia, meaning communion by intimate participation.  And closely we use, "Abide in Him" which is Parameno, meaning to remain beside or near.  When we are in intimate participation with eachother while remaining close to the Godhead, then we see Namaste, we see God in eachother. 
1 John 4:12 No one has see God at any time; if we love one another, God abides in us and His love is perfected in us.  
 John 14:20 I am in the Father, and you in Me, and I in you.  
To meet eachother, creations of the Father, and to be able to see what God wanted us to see, His IMAGE, is an amazing thing.  You can see God everyday, if you look for Him in his creations.  I pray that the Lord teaches me to see some white girl standing in front of her house on an odinary Saturday afternoon and stand amazed because I can say, "I can see the place in you which the entire Universe Dwells (the place that God exists in you...I am you I am), I honor that place in you which is Love, Integrity, Wisdom and Peace (Gods attributes) and when you are in that place, I am brought to my knees in that place that God gave me as well, and we become One because of our Creator"
 

The Mothership for Bernina~

Ok, so my birthday is next week.  Jeremy has asked no less than a thousand times (because he's a good husband) what I would like for my Bday.  I couldnt think of anything.  Then the light came on and shined on a Bernina Sewing Machine that exists in my happy place deep inside my head.  After my friend Google filled me in on the fact that we like about and 1 1/2 from the place where BERNINA's are produced in Switzerland, and only about an hour from where Pfaff are made in Germany, I have made a simple but serious decision.  I must have one.  I feel as though I have tasted Bernina blood and now its time to feed (ok that was a really cheesy Twilight line).  So the hunt is on, I have found two stores in the Stuttgart area, so I am going to start there and see what I find.  If not I will be traveling to where Bernina is born!  I have arrived at the MOTHERSHIP of Bernina! 
Everyone has their own opinions of which is the best machine.  My opinion is specifically tied to childhood memories and complete bias taught to me by my mother.  (Thank you for teaching me right Mom)  I have watched my mother willingly slave over her Bernina all of my life.  Every birthday, Easter, Christmas, Halloween, etc. was marked by my mother staying up all night in preperation for all three of us girls to have bonnets that matched our butts.  If your not from the south let me take a moment to explain.  In the south we mark each significant holiday by decorating our children like some decorate Christmas trees.  We cover then from head to toe in Swiss lace, hand embroidery, tucks, entrado, ruffs and frills.  We make a bonnet which matches the dress, which matches the slip, which in turn, matches the fancy panty covers.  You cant say Easter without that! 
Oh and Im not just talking about the girls, we like our boys to look pretty as well! (To my husbands absolute dismay).  Actually when we had Mattox we never discussed one outfit that I put her in.  It was always my decision and he would smile and complement me on how cute she was dressed.  Then we had Edwin Mack.  Three months later Jeremy was heading to Afghansitan and his most important discussion with me was about Edwin Macks clothes.  Really.  The man was leaving for war.  I had seen movies where the sodliers declare their unyielding love as they leave on a ship for war, (ok so they probablly werent married yet.......the soldier was still hoping for a happy ending before his departure), but my husband wanted to discuss our sons attire for the year.  "Dont dress him like a girl, Dont let your mother dress him like a girl" and "Look what your mother did to Clay (my sisters son who 4 years older and was dressed like a girl for far to long by my mother and my sister)". Fiddeldee dee.
I listened and smiled because he was leaivng for Afghansitan and I wanted to humor my dear, dear husband.  In the end I reminded him that what happens in Samson, Alabama stays in Samson, Alabama and that he would be 7, 411 miles away.  So I dressed Edwin Mack how a true Southern Gentelman should be dressed, in John-Johns and knee high socks with a sailor collar to match.  Very cute despite Jeremys protest. 

So needless to say, just after Easter I received a call from Afghanistan.  Jeremy was inquiring as to just what our son was wearing in the Easter pictures.  I told him.  A beautiful blue and eccru John-John outfit that he just loved! 

Wer sind nicht mehr in Kansas........or should I say Alabama?

Well I am here, I have arrived into the blogging world.  I am going to be 28 years old next week, I have two kids, Ive been married to my soldier boy for going on seven years and I drive a station-waggon.....so why not blog?  Who am I trying to kid anyways?  (Can I get a "what-what" from all the swagger wagon mamas out there!)  After the worst move in the history of the universe (yes I am going to be that dramatic), we have arrived in Germany.  Note to self on the move, never ever ever try to move overseas coming directly off of a deployment.....bad idea.  If the Army was asking I would be telling.....BAD IDEA ARMY!  But, its done and the childbirth pains are slowing, we have found a car, a house, possibly a school, ballet class, tumbling class, PWOC, an APO box, doctors, dentist, Jeremys office, and.........well we are still looking for the pair or underwear Mattox left on the plane.  

The first thing that I realized when we got to Germany was this:  I dont understand a single licking word that these people are saying.  At the cost of sounding like the typical American (Southern American at that), I cant understand a word of it.  Jeremy and myself are at a loss here.  We stare at the menus, the street signs, the people and we start laughing because we might as well be on the moon.  So needless to say I will be signing up quickly for German classes!  Sprechen Sei Deutsch?  No, but I'll try. 


I cant say enough about SKYPE.  I have stayed connected with my family daily through SKYPE.  Edwin Mack thinks he can talk to Mimi and Grandad anytime the computer is on.  He climbs on the chair and starts yelling, "MIMI....GRANDAD", but most of the time its just my email account.  He thinks they should always be on the computer talking to him.   I have to say, sometimes I agree.