Gifts

Go ahead and swim against the current. It’s hard at first, but one day you look around and realize you’re dancing on the tops of the waves.

Here are some highlights of our Northwesterly Expotition:

-> A leisurely Victorian tea at the Queen Mary Tea Room with Grace and Luke, served by Grace’s lovely roommate, Briana. I’m pretty sure I once met similar fresh homemade orange-cranberry scones in a dream, but here they were real.

-> Breakfast at The 14 Carrott Cafe with Blake and his oh-so-adorable wife, Karla.

-> Coffee and stimulating conversation with Alexander, beginning at The Fremont Coffee Company and continuing at a nearby Indian cuisine cafe, where Curtis joined us for lunch.

-> Being with Grace and Curtis at various restaurants and in the car and at Grace’s apartment and walking down the sidewalk and anywhere else we could be with them. Every time I think of those two I get the biggest grin on my face.

-> Hearing Curtis and Grace sing at the O Lounge and Crown Plaza Hotel.

-> Attending the Purim festival at Beit Tikvah, a Messianic Jewish Temple in Renton. The rabbi, Hylan Slobodkin (who was dressed in some sort of monk-cloak-black-masked-costume that made him look like a deranged racoon impersonator), explained the festival is like the Jews’ version of Halloween, with costumes, carnival rides, food, and prizes. The centerpiece was a very clever modern-day version of Esther’s story, acted out by youth and adults from the congregation. Rowdy and lots of fun.

-> Dining with the Slobodkin family at the Icon Grill and meeting Israel’s girlfriend and Eliza’s fiance. Grace lived with the Slobodkins for several months after she and Eliza returned from their European adventures. We owe them much more than a nice dinner!

-> Meeting the Higgins family, Grace’s employers, who live in a lovely home on Lake Washington. We also met their dog, Lucy, and watched her retrieve tennis balls from the lake, which was more inspirational than you might imagine. Grace recently wrote some awesome thoughts about that very thing.

-> Views of the mountains. Views of the water. Views of the city. Seattle is very view-worthy, in case you were wondering.

-> Eating good Thai food. Eating good seafood. Eating Ivar’s clam chowder. Eating dark-chocolate-covered caramels from Trader Joe’s. Seattle is very food-worthy, in case you were wondering.

Our last night there, Curtis asked George and me to sing for them. George was hesitant, because he almost never plays his guitar anymore and doesn’t sing much except in the car or during congregational singing in church. But he agreed, and it ended up being a very cool time. We played and sang songs we wrote back in our college days–songs that hold many significant memories for us. Harmonizing with George has always been one of my favorite things ever. The next day, before we left for the airport, George told Curtis how much he’d enjoyed it and how he wants to start playing his guitar consistently again. I don’t know how long I’ve wished for this. George has a beautiful gift that died a little when Jacob had his accident, and it’s been asleep for a long, long time. If it stirs to life again, this will be a good thing. A very good thing.

Today I’m thankful for glimpses of Truth, for the awakening of the earth from her winter slumber, for promises of yet-to-come. I hope today finds you thankful as well. Until tomorrow . . .