Valentina

She picks up the clipboard and calls my name. Her beautiful English is spoken in a thick Russian accent. I follow her back and so has been this wonderful relationship between me and my amazing Dental Hygenist.

The view from her chair

Born in a small coastal town in Russia and to fly home is long. She doesn't get to go home often. She, her husband and daughter, came to America and they love it here. They do not want to return to Russia even though there she had a full Dental/Oral Surgeon Practice there and to practice here she would have to attend Dental school all over again. She tells me she loves America, that we Americans are not grateful enough. I know she's correct. I know my own children take for granted the amazing freedoms they live amongst.

Her walls are full of sweet notes and drawings from her patients

Valentina is encouraging, uplifting and kind. She remembers my name, information about my family. She does her job to the best of her ability every time. She smiles, even with her eyes she smiles. I look forward to my dental visits because of this sweet, vibrant woman. I am so glad she came to America, so glad she chose to be a dental hygienist, so glad I get to sit in her chair twice a year and catch up on her and her life.

Thank you Valentina for taking the time during your daily job to invest in the folks who sit in your chair. You are a blessing to us.

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Kim

I have proven to be a faithful 'Paint Your own Pottery' patron over the last twelve years. My first piece made when I bulged with Girlie #1. I mostly gifted my art so there is little in my own abode to show for my efforts. Over the years I found the process of painting enjoyable yet the establishment owner/directors unmemorable, that is until I met Kim and her crew at Amazing Glaze.

Amazing Glaze is part of the Arts Ministry of First Presbyterian Church of Orlando. It's a quiet space in the basement. You have to buzz the school receptionist to get in the door, head down the stairs and you hear the din of voices. Round the corner and enter the little room with walls stacked high of unpainted pottery pieces. Inspiration pieces abound on every surface. It looks like any other pottery store but its ladies set it apart.

They all volunteer their time. They know each other well. They are friendly. They are welcoming. Kim leads the way.

Kim encourages

Girlie #1 gets guidance to execute her pottery vision

She hails from the United Kingdom. Her American English is thick with a British accent. She uses words like "lovely" and it sounds absolutely lovely rolling off her tongue. She gives selflessly to this ministry/art and the people partaking of it. She is an artist. Her abilities are displayed throughout the room in the form of sample pieces and the many, many completed items that will be gifted to delighted recipients. If Kim isn't assisting she is creating works of arts for others. The first thing I do when I arrive is look over the room for newly made pieces.

The Boy chatting with Kim

Kim has unbelievable patience and passion for others to express themselves on a piece of bisque ware. She will answer endless questions with a kind, thoughtful manner. She gently responds to even the littlest artists in the room. The Boy is a talker and he follows her around asking question and telling her stories. Kim listens and answers like he is a most important person. He's always trying to negotiate the prices of the pottery. She calls him her Donald Trump. He loves showing her his pieces and she gushes over every one of them. Most are pieces only a mother could love.

She has a remarkable memory. It can be weeks since we've spoken and she will ask me about something even I have to ponder on to remember. She makes everything in that room beautiful and it lacks a certain glow when she is absent.

Thank you Kim for all you give to Amazing Glaze. Thank you  for the time and energy you invest in this little corner of the world. We come to create pieces for ourselves and others and we receive love, acceptance and encouragement to explore the artist many of us don't even realize we are.

So, if you, Dear Reader, are ever in O-Town make a trip to this little spot of quiet beauty and say 'Hi' to Kim. You'll be glad you did and have a lovely piece of pottery to remember her by.

Until then link along with me today or leave a comment and you will be entered for a drawing to win this cutie piece, handmade by me, with guidance by Kim.

In Process. That's the inspiration piece at the bottom of the page.

Fired Piece This is what I imagine Kim looked like as a wee one.

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It's People We Love

Standing in line to pay our lunch bill a few weeks before Christmas and we couldn't help overhearing their conversation. Two burly construction workers directly behind us. They were loud, they were annoyed, they were hurting.

"I hate this time of year."

"Yeah, me too."

"It just makes you feel so (#@*) miserable."

"I know what you mean. Did you know it was my 50th birthday last week and I didn't get an (#@*) thing. No, I did get a card, but I never actually received it because my son left it in his glove compartment and was too (@#*) lazy to go get it."

"Really, those (@#*  @#*)  kids are so ungrateful."

 It was my turn at the register.  I paid my bill and we headed to the car. My heart felt heavy with their conversation. The car wasn't out of park before the kids began discussing the men in line.

"They were so angry."
"Can you believe they used curse words so loudly in the store?"
"Someone should teach them manners."

It's amazing how we miss it. The pain behind the words. The kids did. The men were loud and foul mouthed and they should know better. But so much more was going on behind those words and I wanted the kids to see that, to feel that.

"Did you hear what they said?"
"Not a single loved one recognized his birthday."
"His heart feels empty, lonely, unloved."

I wish I'd the guts to turn around and hug him, to offer him something as a way to celebrate him and let him know he matters. He mattered to me in that moment and I know he matters to Christ.

Our pastor often says, "There isn't a single person you lock eyes with that doesn't matter to God."

I love that saying. It clothes each interaction with humanity. It demands I take my eyes off activities, busyness, my own stuff and recognize every human interaction is with one of God's beloved.

While standing in that line, hearing his pain, my mind searched for a way to express love to him, one of God's dearly beloved. I came up blank. I have a goal to be better prepared next time. So, my preparation is here, a little cyberspace place where one by one I celebrate God's grandest creation. I'm asking for eyes to see people the way God sees them. I'm asking for words to speak truth, blessing and His love into their lives.I'm asking for courage to see it through.

So, here on Tuesday's I am going to celebrate random human interactions. I'm going to let the subject of my story know they should tune in on Tuesdays so they can read and...
Here I will share the stories of everyday encounters such as....

• People celebrating a somethin' somethin'
• Simply sharing my observation of the amazing qualities in a person I've had the pleasure of being in the company of (the baggers at my grocery store have some true servant hearts)
• Tell the courageous story of someone who can't or won't
• Offer up an encounter as a prayer for their life (I've been praying for my 50th Birthday cardless man, I know God knows his name even  if I don't)
• Here I will Lift up. Encourage. Thank. Recognize. Honor. Love.

But, It's no fun to do it alone.

Starting next Tuesday link with me here to share your encounters with God's beloved. Be prepared to stop in here to Grab the button and add it to your post so we can all find each other because, It's People We Love.

Family Stories

They love to hear the stories. They usually ask me for one as we are driving down the road and my mind is elsewhere and I am concentrating on the traffic ahead. Sometimes I'm really frustrated at their interruptions. Car time's often reflection time and a moment for quiet, unnoticed worship. Today my heart is in a worshipful place. The songs of the season bringing tears to my eyes and even the boy in the front seat is moved by the music.

In this sacred moment they asked for the story of Grammie. The way they ask, so precious, "Mom, tell us the story of OUR Grammie". She is theirs and they adore her. All her Grandchildren adore her.

Grammie is a beautiful story of God's redemption. Our Grammie, well she had an almost abandoned childhood. This most precious women was a child of divorce in that era of our country when divorce was shameful and it was a scarlet letter she wore, burning on her shoulder. The divorce was instituted by her mother and her father loved his children but felt at a loss to care for them and so he handed them over to the state. She suffered at the hands of those workers, paid good money in exchange for a child's care. But there is no substitution for a mother's love and a father's protection.

Then our Grammie, well, she met Grandfather and he loved her from the first.  He vowed to care for her all the days of his life. Grammie and Grandfather had their first baby and then they met Jesus and everything changed, they were forever changed. There was one more baby and then our Daddy was born and we are all a family. Grammie is a model of the Proverbs 31 woman. She had everything to complain about, justifiable reasons to be bitter and yet she is meek with a servants heart and together they are fierce prayer warriors in the kingdom. Grammie will tell you that God does miraculous things.

There is silence in the car. We didn't know Grammie's story started sad. We are so glad Grandfather took care of Grammie. He is like a knight. I smile because I think Grammie has said that about him too.

 

Sharing with them the stories removes the blinder. It reveal the blessings they have, earned on the back of others. As they understand Grammie and Grandfather's union and the purposeful choices of these precious folks they can truly appreciate the cornerstone that is the warm family unit they know as, The Negvesky Party of 5!

So Thankful for Grammie and Grandfather and ....

#514.
The blustery wind has ceased

#519.
Waking to piano practice of Christmas music

#520.
Finally getting to put all the rugs back (had to wait 6 weeks after the floors were refinished and the rolled rugs in the corner looked like a person standing waiting to pounce...really freaked me out)

#521.
Dad's silly antics at the Full Sail Christmas Party

#522.
Stuff your Santas in a Sack....or Santa and the eight tiny reindeer I made the kids win for me and then I had to stuff 'em all in my purse

#523.
Kids using their present of Gift Cards to shop and give gifts to others

#524.
The entire family knocking around Target and shopping for each other and trying to avoid each other so we don't see our gifts.

#525.
Actually making my Bed today

#526.
Being handed the Grocery Shopping list for our Christmas eve dinner neatly printed and organized in a Microsoft Excel Spreadsheet.