"It's Sarah!"

No photo for this one...

just a quick interaction with some folks earlier today.  

It seems we're "home for the holidays", 

although Abilene no longer feels like home.  

It's four days of work for Rob, so Abilene is where we find ourselves, 

knowing we'll be home on Monday to celebrate Christmas 

with our immediate Lubbock family. 

All of this explanation is just prelude to the SFH moment I had 

when I dropped in to a local printing establishment 

for a quick visit with some friends earlier today. 

The whole employee team was gathered 

on the upstairs landing having their Christmas dinner, 

and when one of them spotted me coming in the front door, 

I heard her say, "It's Sarah!"  

All I did was show up, totally unannounced, 

and for the first time in a really long time I remembered 

what it felt like to be known, not for anything I'd done, 

but simply because I'd shown up.  

I think I'm ready to start creating places in my new "home" 

where the possibility of hearing, "It's Sarah!" is more likely.  

After a year of cocooning, I think I'm starting to push out a bit more...

hmmm...imagine what could happen by spring!  

God, thank you for unsuspecting folks who simply speak their hearts, 

not knowing what a gift they've delivered.  

Make me aware of those in my circle 

who are longing to be seen, recognized and acknowledged 

simply for showing up in my life.