An afternoon of antiquing

Matt and I recently mozied down to the River Market Antique Store.  You can't miss it - it's the one with the giant mural of Lewis and Clark on the outside wall.

It's four floors of jam-packed antique/vintage/retro miscellany.  

Among the kitsch we found some definite conversation pieces and historically informative items. Here's a sampling of what we saw while ambling through.

1960's furniture

Bric-a-brac

This rubber duck

Vintage cameras

Creepy doll parts 

 And to my right, a glass container of still more creepy doll parts

Looking for a bucket of antlers?  You're in luck!

Now, if only I could find an oversized frame holding a bunch of eyeglasses....

Oh, look!

Matt found this wooden sword wall-hanging decoration.  The perfect way to say, "Welcome to our home!"

And here he is with a found schythe doing his best "Grim Reaper."  Aside from the t-shirt, shorts, aviators, and collection of John Wayne photographs in the background, I'd say the two pictures are practically indistinguishable.  What do you think?

Here is John Wayne again, advertising a neat arrangement of boots and plaid shirts.

I imagined him looking down at me from that picture and saying, "Buy this pair, ya Texas brush popper." (a little True Grit reference for my dad)

It's a given that the hodgepodge in flea markets, thrift stores, and antique shops naturally creates unexpected displays.

Still, there was just something about this combination:

WWII practice shells, antique roller skates, and a ceramic lamb

 I was also lucky enough to find this coconut pirate.  My brother had one of these growing up.  But it was a coconut gorilla piggy bank.

 And who doesn't want a crocheted likeness of JFK?

Here is a wider view to give you the full effect of the display.

On another floor, I happened upon this list of Rules for Teachers purportedly from 1872.

This Jemima Puddle Duck print brought me back to my childhood.  I had a stuffed Jemima Puddle Duck just like the one in this picture, complete with blue bonnet and pink shawl. Under one of her wings, you could wind her up to play music.

Beatrix Potter is timeless.  Her work is full of rich language, classic themes, beautiful illustrations, and flawed but rescued characters.  It's just my opinion, but I highly doubt that Captain Underpants and Diary of a Wimpy Kid will last into the next century, like Beatrix's work has.

I was also reminded about a time many years ago when one of my student's parents (with a school-wide reputation of being hard-to-please) told me that she found The Tale of Peter Rabbit offensive and couldn't believe that I had read it to my class.  ???  I tried my best to listen and be diplomatic.  But I was dumbfounded.  My family said I should have responded, "Oh, because of all the drugs and sex scenes?"

But I digress.

Speaking of books, downstairs in the basement of the antique store is a huge selection of books.

We meandered a little more on our way out.

This caught my eye, and I snapped a (blurry) picture as a tribute to my home state of Georgia.  You can't grow up in Georgia and not have read or watched Gone with the Wind.

Rhett and Scarlett

Just when we thought we couldn't be more surprised by our findings, we ran into our next door neighbors Matt and Kelsie!  Coincidently, Kelsie goes to Matt's med school (she's a year ahead of him, so it's been nice to pick her brain about what's to come).  They were kind enough to water our plants and get our mail when we were out of town.  They are easy to get along with, love Jesus, and love the outdoors.  I like them very much.

Our next door neighbors, Matt and Kelsie.  They are fantastic.

That's our odd and interesting afternoon at the antique market!

School's about to start back up - I better get going on whittling all those pen nibs. :)

One year

I rarely beat Matt up.

That came out wrong.

I mean I rarely wake up before Matt. 

But this morning, I woke up alert and excited.  I think I was eager to reflect because today marks 1 full year that we've lived in Kansas City.

July 1, 2012
Leaving Colorado Springs, our first home together.

Our moving caravan to Kansas City, one year ago today.

Our church here in Kansas City provides a Weekly Reading Guide with specifically chosen readings that coincide with our current sermon series and the upcoming sermon text.   Today's reading is Psalm 9 which fittingly begins like this:

"I will thank you, Lord, with all my heart;

I will tell of all the marvelous things you have done.

I will be filled with joy because of you.

I will sing praises to your name, O Most High."

                                                                           - Psalm 9:1-2

I am overwhelmed by the Lord's kindnesses to us and perfect guidance this year.  When we first moved out here, we requested three things of the Lord:

1. that He would help us with the details of the move
2. that He would grant Matt the capacity to succeed in med school
3. that He would lead us to a supportive community of friends

Not only did he do all three, He did much more, some of which I didn't even ask for.

• He brought Matt and I through another year of marriage with more empathy for one another than we've ever had.

• He showed me how much trust I put in "being a good teacher" and lovingly let me experience feelings of failure (I felt, for a large part of the year, like I fell short of my own standards), so that, I think, He could root me deeper still in The Good News that being "right with Him" (acceptable/valued...) has nothing to do with what I do well or perfectly but has everything to do with that I identify myself with his Perfect Son, Jesus.

• He led us to a Gospel-centered church.  I mean they focus on the Gospel every. single. week.  And it has changed my heart.  One Sunday our pastor said, "The Gospel is shallow enough for babies to wade in, but deep enough for elephants to drown in" and that, as a Christian, I will forever be growing deeper in the fundamental truths of it.

  

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I love taking communion every Sunday.  It's not a ritual or a meaningless duty.  It has become a joyful time to remember Christ and His righteousness, so that I don't have to be self-righteous or self-loathing.  I very much look forward to it at the end of every service.

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Several years ago, by contrast, I visited a church on July 4th in another city and was discouraged when I left trying to remember if I heard the name "Jesus" even mentioned.  The message focused on patriotism and God's love for America.  I'm not unpatriotic, but my gosh, Uncle Sam didn't DIE for my sins to make me right with God.  I wanted to hear about a different set of stripes that Sunday.  The ones which by I am healed.

I recently got to go to a Women's Conference, and there these realities sunk into my heart deeper in this year of newness and fumbling than perhaps in any of my other more "stellar" years:

• My desire to lay down at night and feel good about myself, to get to the end of the day and say "I'm okay" or "I really am good because I did _______today" is what the Bible calls "righteousness."  The Good News is I don't have to spend my days trying to get it for myself because I already have it in Christ.  If in my mind, my righteousness is Jesus + (anything), I must get the (anything) out of the way.

• When I lay down at night, my mind sometimes plays the game of feeling satisfied with myself (my house is clean, I disciplined my kids/students well, I looked like a good teacher in front of the other teachers, I was a good friend, I read a book AND journaled about it, I made dinner that tasted pretty good and there's enough for leftovers because I was thinking ahead, I didn't nag my husband when I could have) or disappointed with myself (my house is a wreck, my journal is gathering dust, dinner turned out gross and there's leftovers that I feel obligated not to waste, I said something I shouldn't have, and Aw Man! I forgot to follow through with a consequence for that child today!), as I replay the day over in my head, thinking of things I did well or areas where I flubbed and feel like a failure.

Now when I lay down on my pillow, I pray that God brings to my mind the righteousness of His Son, so that I can reflect on the perfect life He lived on my behalf, instead of puffing myself up or beating myself up about the day.

• All of God's wrath for all of my sin was already poured out on Jesus on the cross.  So I don't have to pile wrath on myself at the end of the day when I don't feel like I measured up.   Even on days when I go to bed a little annoyed at myself, my God sees me as righteous because Christ is righteous and I am IN Christ. There is no need to be self-righteous for the good I do, or to feel weighed down by the mistakes I make.

If He moved us to Kansas City just to position my heart to understand these things more, the move was entirely worth it.

*While there are lots of good churches in Kansas City, if you are looking for a church or are just curious, then let me know.  You are welcomed to come with me and Matt!