Chasing The Train

Olivia loves trains.

While this statement is true, it requires a bit more explanation. You see, we live only a couple of blocks and a road away from some train tracks. A couple times a day, a train will blow it's horn before crossing some nearby intersections, and being so close by, we've become accustomed to it's sound. As we've been teaching Olivia what certain animals say, we had to include the noise of the train to her bag of tricks. You should see the look on her face when she hears the horn. She stops to listen, brightens up, and proceeds to exclaim: "Choo-choo! Choo-choo!". At times we've been amazed at how adept her little hears are to pick up on the horn sounding in the distance. We have to wait for our older ears to hear it before realizing she's not just running around saying "Choo-choo" for nothing.

Since Olivia has learned about the choo-choo, Andrew and I realized that she's only ever heard it. She's never seen the train to know what it looks like, and yet there's such excitement when it comes around.

Last Tuesday our little family went out for a leisurely stroll about the neighborhood. We'd made it down the block and back when just a few houses from our own, we heard it...the train! Andrew looked at me and expressed the wild idea that if we ran, we might be able to show Olivia the train in person. My heart quickened as we started walking faster and moved into a near sprint down the street. Would we make it? Would she understand that the sound she's been hearing comes from this enormous machine?

As we passed our house, looked down the road and saw the empty tracks, we had a glimmer of hope that we might be able to make it in time. We ran a little faster (well, as fast as a Dad in flip-flops and a Mom pushing a stroller can go). We ran down our street, crossed a 4 lane road (thankfully there was not a car in sight!), jumped the curb and positioned Olivia's stroller facing the tracks. We'd made it. The sounds of the horn grew louder and louder. Olivia's eyes got wider and wider. Sincerely hoping she wouldn't be horrified, we kept saying "It's the train!", "Look baby...the train is coming!". She sat straight up in her chair saying "Choo-choo" just as the train tore in front of us. It was something to behold. The whoosh of the train as it was flying by, the horn in all of it's loudness, the squeaky wheels churning along....it was magnificent. But for all the excitement and rush of adrenaline we felt, it was nothing compared to the look of delight on Olivia's face.
THIS is a Choo-choo!

It's been a week since Olivia and her crazy parents ran to meet the train. The experience has left me with a lot more to ponder than I'd have imagined. When I think of my little girl being so excited over something she'd never seen, it refreshes my view of how we are to be before the Lord. What a thrill we should have to be in the presence of the Lord! What feelings of smallness should be ours, being the created of a great Creator. What love should be felt to be noticed and cherished by our God!

I don't know if Olivia was able to understand that something was making that incredible noise she recognized, but it was indeed the train making that sound. I'm willing to bet that seeing the actual train was something more marvelous than she could have ever pictured.

While a train is such a poor analogy to compare to an awesome God, I'm so encouraged as I learn more about the Lord, to know that He is far more majestic and brilliant than I will ever understand. To think that in my humanness, in a way, I am just a little girl who can recognize a sound of something (Someone) much greater than I can conceive. God is living and active in this world and in the lives of His people. His power is limitless. His love is immense.

We talk in terms of what we know...trains and such. If we seek Him, he promises to be found, but what we find may be beyond our wildest dreams. Like Lucy in C.S. Lewis' Narnia, we may ask about this great Lion, "Is he quite safe?, and should delight in the fact that "Course he isn't safe. But he's good. He's the King, I tell you." May His greatness change our hearts and thoughts as we chase after Him.

No-Poo

Well, it happened again. I was innocently standing at my kitchen sink attacking a pile of dishes when all of a sudden, words started coming to me and a blog post was forming. Somewhere between washing a wine glass and scrubbing a sippy cup, the thought occurred to me that some of you may get a kick out of my latest "crunchy" adventure. Yes, I figured it might scare some of you to know that I have ceased to wash my hair. No, I'm not working on dreads, or walking around with a greasy head, but I have stopped using shampoo. I've probably written about it before, but last year before Olivia was born, I gave the "no-poo" thing a try. I replaced my chemical-laden shampoo with a baking soda paste and *gasp* an apple cider vinegar conditioning rinse. Not wanting to upset his large pregnant wife, Andrew was extremely gracious with me and my experimenting.

My no-poo escapade successfully lasted for a few months...until Olivia arrived. After giving birth, I desperately needed to feel pretty, and just couldn't bear the scent of salad dressing as I scrubbed my noggin. It was back to the pretty neon shades of processed whatever-is-in-this-stuff shampoo, with occasional rounds of revisiting my baking-soda-and-vinegar-head days.

Recently, I have jumped back on the wagon. Or I have fallen off of it. I'm just not quite sure which. Whichever it is, I have once again gone no-poo, but with a different approach. I've used Dr. Bronners for a while now, and have loved it's multifarious functions (yes, I did just use that word), but haven't really loved it for my hair. Peppermint makes my head too tingly-fresh, and the other scents reminded me of my cleaning products. So, I made a brave decision...I have switched Doctors! **GASP** Yes, I did it...I ordered me some Dr. Woods! While these Dr's seem to prescribe a VERY SIMILAR medicine, I liked Dr. Wood's Black Soap with Shea scent a lot. We're talking refreshing with a side of sultry-scent good. I blame the sultry on the black soap ingredient...probably because I have no hoot of an idea what black soap is, but it's definitely sultry.

I will add that because I love the neutralizing effect of A.C.V as conditioner, on occasion I will still whip out the ole spray bottle. It's better this time though because I've added a dash of lavender oil to knock down some of the potency. Spraying and rinsing with A.C.V. works like magic, and to be honest, I've grown used to the smell. Now just to be clear, I don't love it so much that I'm going around sticking my head in people's salads, but it is pretty great stuff. ;)

Since once again going no-poo, I can testify to my normally fine hair having a lot more body, bounce, and life. Since I can't bottle this kinda feeling up for you, I'll simply encourage you to give a go with no-poo, too! Life is too short to go through it with dull hair. Oh, and for any single ladies reading this post, I'm on the fence on whether or not to encourage you to try this. Especially before you go on any dates. However, I can testify that Andrew's love for me is standing the test of time...and vinegar. He's a champ, what can I say?!

Oh, and one more thing...
Lest I've painted the picture that I have vinegar scent wafting from my head, I can assure you that once my hair is dry, I cannot smell anything but lovely, sultry black soap. Unless I'm in complete denial, in which case I humbly ask my friends for an intervention.