Prize

"And then this one girl was talking and talking and talking over all the other girls," Jane says, her girls' small group from the 2nd/3rd grade class fresh in her mind.

"Yeah?" I say. I check the rearview mirror for pedestrians, then nod, sideways glance to her.

"And I was like, Well, the kids who talk the most have to come sit by me so I can hear them better. So you better sit over here."

"Hah!" I say.

"I find it really helps with the over-talkers," she says.

"Yes," I say.

"And she was like, Um, ok," Jane says.

"Um, huh," I scan for more pedestrians as we lumber through the church lot and coast to a stop at the street.

"And then another girl was like, Let's go around and say everyone's favorite color. And I was like, That's a great idea. Let's pray so we can do that."

"Oh, good idea," I say.

"And then they were like, Oh, we don't have anything to pray about. So I said,  I know, that's why we're going to sit here quietly and think."

"Oh, good'," I say.

"And then suddenly they had tons of ideas," she says.

"You're so great at this," I say.

"It's just like I really love them, but I'm not going to let them get away with doing any old thing," she says.

"I know," I say, "That's exactly what I loved about teaching. Sometimes I even found myself really loving the naughty kids the most."

"Yes!" she say.

And in that moment I can picture how this lovely child shall sprout wings and fly. And I shall call to her for the pleasure of friendship. All the leading and guiding and setting of immovable and unpopular boundaries, and yet there it is, the far horizon of friendship. The prize.

Gratitude:

6476. Running errands and package mailing with my mom, the joy of lovely company and conversation makes it a date.

6477. I continue the slow twenty-mile-march of organizing and simplifying our home.

6478. Jane and I collaborate with another homeschool family on curriculum ideas. All the way home, nibbling chocolate as we go, we chatter about how much fun we had.

6479. Salted chocolate caramel.

6480. I catch up with a dear, dear friend going through incredible painful trials. We draw strength and encouragement from each other.

6481. Jack figures out which ingredient he has been measuring wrong in his famous berry cobbler.

6482. We enjoy the fruit of many weeks labor doing school work at the wide open kitchen dining area. All the work begins to feel worth it.

6483. We enjoy a double date with friends, the first in more than a decade.

6483. We catch up with our dear small group, friends of twenty years. As always, it feels as if not a day has passed since our last gathering except for all the children grown taller.

6484. We begin to find our stride through the days as if we are by miracle of miracles beginning to trace and match the steps of our beloved Savior. Such peace ensues, I am surprised, speechless.