How is it Between Us?

Sara Groves CD Conversations has really been speaking to my heart. It's been my 'cleaning the kitchen music' for the past few weeks. This CD is titled perfectly, practically every song is about something I've had a conversation with one of my friends about or have thought about. I love how she writes, she is so practical. With starting a new week this song came to my heart. Hope it speaks to you as well.

How is it Between Us?

Woke up on the wrong side of the bed, the wrong side of the room, the wrong side of the world.
Can`t put my finger on the mood. It`s not melancholy, anger or the blues.
I love my husband, my house, my job. Couldn`t be any better, and really what else is there?
Then I realize I`m forgetting God, and that`s the root of all my misery.
Lord, first of all, how is it between you and me? How is it between us?
How is it between us? When did I talk to you last, and what has happened since? How is it between us? How is it between us? When did I talk to you last, and what has happened?

When I wake up I am on my way, reinventing the wheel and saving the day.
I have learned this lesson a thousand times, I am the branch, and you are the vine. Apart from you we are mice and men, with our fancy dreams of grandeur and no way to get there.
Oh I can think about you now and then, or I can make a mark on eternity.
Lord first of all, how is it, between you and me?
How is it between us? When did I talk to you last, and what has happened since? How is it between us? How is it between us? When did I talk to you last, and what has happened?

So let the wicked prosper, let the oceans roar, let the mountains crumble, and fall into the sea.
There`s something more important weighing on my mind.

Lord first of all,

how is it between you and me? 

 

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I've Got a Crush on You

In the light of the up-coming Valentine's Day celebration, I thought it would be fun to

remember the crushes I've had thru the years. Swoon with me ;)

Ralph Macchio- Daniel Larusso in Karate Kid. I loved him so much. He was the first picture of a boy that went up in my bed room.






John Schneider and Tom Wopat- Bo and Luke Duke in The Dukes of Hazzard. My sister Sarah and I had 'I love Bo' shirts and I had a Dukes of Hazzard b-day party. Serious crushes.

Kirk Cameron- Mike Seaver in Growing Pains. Loved his 'bad boy' image. haha.







Scott Baio- Chachi in Happy Days. Waa Waa Waa. I wanted a picture of him with the red bandana tied around his leg but I couldn't find a good one.




Christian Slater- Brian Kelly in Gleaming the Cube. Ignited my love for Skateboarders. Other than the skateboarding and cute boys, this movie was kinda painful to watch. But we watched it a million times because that's what you do when you love a boy.

Christian Bale- Jack Kelly in Newsies. No wonder we loved this movie. All teenage boys singing and dancing. "We'll make our own paper."

Jon Bon Jovi- Every girl needs a rocker crush. 'SweetRock'.

 "I'll be there for you, these five words I swear to you. When you breathe I wanna be the air for you."

Toby Mac- Dc Talk and now solo. and since I am not THAT shallow, I like him for more than his looks. His music seriously has inspired me, as a teenager and now.

Matt Damon- Jason Bourne in the Bourne Identity series. I loved him in this role. Love all the action in these movies.




And there are many more, but these boys are my favs.  And then I found my ultimate crush. He far surpasses all others.

Chris Owens- Love of my life. Major swoon!

Stuck In The Middle

My name is Christina and I am a middle child.

My older sister Sarah is a beautiful mother of three and a loving wife. Sarah is a brainiac, straight A's all thru school. She is a Pharmacist for CVS Pharmacy. She is strong and capable, she is giving and loving. She is an example and I have always looked up to her. She has been my protector and Sarah is my best friend.

My younger sister Brenda is also a beautiful mother of three and a loving wife. Brenda is the one you want around in a crisis. She will figure out what to do and call 911 before you have even realized that something has happened. Brenda also is a brainiac, very smart and was an excellent student. She is a Special Education teacher. (Although now she is raising her children and being a “Aunt/Nanny” to Sarah's children.) Her name means: fiery and enthusiastic and Brenda is my best friend.

I am not a brainiac. I didn't go to college. I am not the one to be called on in an emergency. I am in the middle. Growing up I was the rebellious one, the mouth, the fighter. My sisters often would beg me to apologize to our mom when there had been an argument. I could sway the day up or down with my mood. There are many times that I remember and I am not proud of. I am thankful for maturity, growing in maturity fixes a lot of issues. My mother, realizing that I was different than my sisters, started encouraging me in what I was good at. I am a good friend, I have always had close friendships and I don't let them go easily. I am a good baker, I am creative, I am sensitive and I feel for others. When I was in 3^rd grade my mom gave me a poster of a big thumb print with the verse: “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made.” Psalm 139.


My son Ryan is a middle child. He is our fire-cracker. He crumbles with defeat if he loses a game. He wears is heart on his sleeve and is quick to get his feelings hurt. He is sensitive and loving, he named me “Pretty Mommy” and he will never know how much I need to hear that. Chris and I have realized quickly that Ryan needs encouragement. He thrives on it. He needs to be re-assured that he is loved, that he is doing a good job, that he is smart and capable. I am determined to encourage my boy to dream big, reach for goals and never lose that sensitivity that makes him a tender heart.

My name is Christina and I am PROUD to be a middle child.

“Middle children aren’t usually average. Middle children show a different disposition; there’s usually something about them that makes them unique. Middle children are more known for their “middle child syndrome.” Middle child syndrome is real, and most middle children actually have it. Middle children have low self-esteem. They need support for anything they do, sometimes talents are wasted when they do not pursue their dreams. They may be very outgoing because they have to be to get attention. They may be extra friendly because they are used to being surrounded by people. They are often loud, and have fairly laid back personalities. They also tend to be peace-makers; they like helping everyone get along together.” ~from the Internet.

Scratch and Sniff

I have a very good sense of smell, and I've always been proud of it. The reason I am proud is because of my mother. When I was in 2^nd grade our old cat Sloopy (named after the song, “Hang on Sloopy”) was nearing the end of her life and couldn't hold her bladder. Don't know how my mom figured out I had a good sniffer but she would send me around the house, on my hands and knees sniffing the carpet until Eureka! I'd find the cat pee spot and we'd clean it. We often joke about this in our family and I honestly am not scarred by this um........child abuse?? ;) I am proud of my sniffer. Here is a list of things that evoke a memory when I smell them..... just for fun.

Tone Soap: The smell takes me right to the upstairs bathroom in our house in Willingboro where we grew up.

Finesse Shampoo: The outdoor shower on summer vacation in Long Beach Island. And my sister Brenda's hair.

Nag Champa Incense: Early days of dating Chris. He always smelled like this.

Cabbage Patch Kids: Reminds me most of our lifelong friend Chelsea Rae and her Grannie's house.

Drakkar Noir Cologne: Takes me to working at my dad's restaurant when I was about 14. When Z. Cavaricci pants were cool. One of the employees I had a crush on wore it.

Camp Fire: Reminds me of a Flannel jacket Chris wore when we were dating (red and black plaid). It took on the smell of a bonfire we were at with our youth group.

Gain Laundry detergent: Smells like a boy I went to school with.

Country Apple hand soap from Bath & Bodyworks: Cherry Hill mall, before it got all Hoighty-Toighty.

Johnson's Lavender Baby Shampoo: My boys when they were babies. I still buy it once in a while for nostalgia.

Baby Magic shampoo: When my cousins, Laura, Jason & Katie were babies.

Lilac's: My childhood, house in Willingboro, Springtime, and my teachers. My mom always gave me a bouquet for my teachers. The steams were wrapped in a wet paper towel and then aluminum foil.

Mildew: A family members basement. (no names)

Old Spice: My dad's clean shaven face.

Artificial Strawberry Smell: My sister Brenda's Strawberry Shortcake doll that blew kisses if you squeezed her belly.

Lemons: Romanian Easter Bread. Although it tastes nothing like lemon we grate the lemon rind and add that.

Alcohol on someones breath: Reminds me of working at CVS as a Pharmacy Technician. Apparently a lot of drunk people came in there to get their meds.

Onions: Grandmom Fisher “You don't know what your missing,” she'd say. Ahh, yes I do, onion breath.

Bonnie Bell Lip Smackers(grape): My Aunt Jeri. She had a big tube of this when I was a little girl and I would beg her to let me use it.

Paint: There is a back stair way at our church. Whatever paint was used to paint the steps must be the same paint that was used in my High school. (The steps going down to the locker room to get ready for gym class).

Murphy's Oil Soap: Saturday morning chores.

Gasoline: Being in the car with my mom, usually sandwiched between my two sisters.

Dreft Laundry Soap: Sweet, sweet smell of newborn babies.

“When you first smell a new scent, you link it to an event, a person, a thing or even a moment. Your brain forges a link between the smell and a memory -- associating the smell of chlorine with summers at the pool or lilies with a funeral. When you encounter the smell again, the link is already there, ready to elicit a memory or a mood. Chlorine might call up a specific pool-related memory or simply make you feel content. Lilies might agitate you without your knowing why. This is part of the reason why not everyone likes the same smells.”

New Life Rising

“If the leaves had not been let go to fall and wither, if the tree had not consented to be a skeleton for many months, there would be no new life rising, no bud, no flower, no fruit, no seed, no regeneration.” ~Elisabeth Elliot

My cousin Laura is expecting her first baby in February. Our family is so excited for her and her husband Nick. They are going to be fantastic parents. My sisters and I have been having 'motherly' chats with Laura. Re-telling the birth stories of our children and giving her bits of advice that we learned along the way. Excitement is in the air!

What an amazing journey having your first baby is. Meeting that new life that was formed inside of you leads to a wealth of emotions. I can truly say, as I look back, that giving birth 3 times and making it through those early months with a newborn baby are the times I have been the most proud of myself. The loving moments with each one of my boys is etched so deep in my being. I look at their baby pictures and in an instant I can feel their soft, wispy hair on my cheek and I can almost touch their silky skin and smell their fresh new life scent. I have learned so much from those day. So much about true love and sacrifice. My life was not my own, I felt I was created for such a time as that. My main purpose in life was to mother my baby boys. To hold them, for a long time. To feed them from my heart. Bathe them with such gentleness and carefulness. Watch them sleep and breathe. Their every need was met by me.

Those days also stamped my heart with a love for my husband that will never be erased. He was there, he helped, he loved, he learned with me. He supported me, he reached passed his in-securities and has become an excellent father. As a young bride just 21 yrs.old, I had no idea what fatherly qualities were hidden inside his heart. Those nights when the baby wouldn't settle for me he would walk a path in the hallway singing and bouncing his baby boy until he was asleep. More than once he has taken us on a late night drive so that the baby and I could fall asleep in the car. Sacrificed sleep for himself and then get up and work a full day. I often have said my husband was/is a diamond in the rough. He outshines many.

We are entering a new phase in the Owens household. No longer are we parents to babies. We have 3 little boys! Our youngest will be 3 next month. We've never been here before. Every time the older boy was 3, I was either pregnant or with a newborn. No more diapers or midnight feedings. Sometimes rocking and singing aren't the fix for the crying. An encouraging talk or a comforting hug is the answer now. I am scared, as I was back then. Scared and nervous at the new challenges we will face. But I have faith and trust that our parenting hearts will be guided by our source of wisdom and direction.

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” Proverbs 3:5-6

It's like Coming Home

Have you ever seen the movie Hope Floats? There is a scene when the dad leaves. The daughter, Bernice, thinks she is going with him. She runs upstairs and packs her little bag and grabs her stuffed rabbit. She follows her dad outside and to his car. She puts her bag in the trunk. He takes it out and shuts the trunk and gets in the drivers seat. She follows him to the passenger window and in tears begs him to take her with him. Her Dad tells her that he can't and that her Mama needs her help. She continues to cry and plead with him, “Take me with you, Daddy you want me!” He pulls away and drives down the street leaving her standing there heart broken in pieces and sobbing. She drops her bag and her stuffed rabbit and her Mama comes and scoops her hysterical daughter up and carries her inside the house.

That scene hit me hard. I sobbed loudly in the movie theater. Forget the ugly cry, I was uncontrollably sobbing. My father never left us, he never walked away. But for some reason I could feel her pain. I think it was the feeling of rejection that Bernice feels that I could relate to. At one time or another we all experience rejection. And it hurts. In our lifetime most people are on a quest for love, acceptance, approval, a sense of belonging. Life's blows often pull the rug out from under us and we are left feeling unloved, rejected, dis-approved of and alone.

As a mother making sure my boys grow up feeling secure is extremely important to me. I want them to be confidant in the fact that their mom and dad love them and each other. The feeling of coming home, the warmth of a hug and the total peace of knowing that you are not alone. That is what I want my boys to most remember from these early years in their lives. Comfort, support, encouragement, acceptance, and love.

I grew up sharing a room with my sister Brenda. When we were teenagers my dad worked the late shift. He'd pull into the driveway after we were in bed. I remember feeling a sense of relief and comfort when his car lights would light up our bedroom. It wasn't until after he passed away that Brenda and I realized we both had the same feelings of comfort and security when Daddy was home.

Chris and I love the movie Sleepless in Seattle. When Tom Hanks is describing meeting his wife, he says, “It's was like coming home.”

Nosy Knickers

I admit I am a pretty nosy person, always have been. And since apples don't fall far from the tree, my son Ian is very nosy and inquisitive too.  He will ask me about something and not even wait for my answer and ask me another question. Sometimes I have to tell him, "No more questions!"  Once I was writing a text to someone and Ian was leaning over my shoulder reading out loud what I was writing and asking who was I texting.  I sent the text to the wrong person, and not just the wrong person but someone who never should have gotten that text! I banned Ian from talking to me if I was texting for a while after that.

You know when you ask someone about something and they say, "You don't want to know" I wish I could leave it there and be satisfied. Being a nosy person you often find out things you wish you never knew. People hurt, people can be mean, people can make stupid choices. And once you know about it, you have to carry it too, while trying not to tell it to someone else. Noeses and mouths go hand in hand. What the nose sniffs out, the mouth wants to spill out.

I am trying to keep my nose AND my mouth in check. "Even fools are thought wise when they keep silent; with their mouths shut, they seem intelligent." Proverbs 17:23.  And as Ian would say, in regards to this verse.....You just got burned!

What's In A Name?

My name is Christina Joy. Please don't call me Chris, Christine or Kristina. I like Christina. (The only exception allowed is 'Aunt Chrissy' from my nieces and nephews, and 'Chrissy' from my sisters and cousins) My mother chose my name. In 1975 while she was pregnant with me, she asked Jesus Christ to forgive her sins and heal her hurts. He was faithful to her and so she named me Christina after Christ and Joy for the joy He gave her. 

Our names are important to us. Parents spend many months making lists and researching the meaning of names. The decision of  what to name your child is usually not taken lightly. (When I was a teenager I wanted 4 children. Two boys and two girls. I was going to name them, Crystal and Christian and Jewel and Joel, haha.)  When you get called the wrong name or if someone should forget your name, it kinda stings. Our names are our identity, our character often is expressed in our names. We all make a name for ourselves. As we build our lives and choices we make, they all affect our name.

Christina Joy

"In Scripture, the names of God are like miniature portraits and promises. In Scripture, a person’s name identified them and stood for something specific. Naming carried special significance."  When I was younger my mother nick-named me 'Little Joy'. My father called me 'Mouth O' Mighty' and 'Mouth of the South'. My husband calls me 'Boss' and 'Jackson'. My boys call me 'Momsters' and 'Pretty Mommy' and 'Mother Dear Love of my Life' (I taught them that one;). I want my name to mean something, to tell the good things about me. I pray I live to be worthy of the name my mother chose for me. Worthy to be called a Christian through my name, Christina. And worthy of being called Joy by bringing Joy into others lives.