Play It Again, Sahm. Meredith Efken
have anyone to practice it with.
I am a poet and songwriter for my husband’s band, Broken Wrench and Copper Bucket. I’ve recently joined your lovely little brigade because the Angel Child (my ten-month-old, Gabriel) and I are trying to learn our Life Dance with each other a bit better—and we’ve been stepping on each other’s toes too much.
My moment of utter honesty is thus:
I never intended to become a mother. What started as a moment of passion has become a never-ending progression of confusion. I love the Angel Child, but I don’t understand him. And the more I become his mother, the less I understand myself, as well.
I can’t share further with you right now, but I will in time. At the moment, I’m waiting for Francine to return. I was soaking up the beauty of God’s Word this morning and felt a strong urge to open the Bible to a random page. Every time that happens, it’s always a life-changing moment for me. So I did, and my finger landed on Psalm 141:2 “May my prayers be counted as incense before Thee; the lifting up of my hands as the evening offering.”
And I knew. It was clear to me that God was calling me to burn incense in our apartment so that we would no longer view prayer as something we do, but something we live. So I took the Angel Child and was on my way to a Tats ’N Wicks shop three blocks away to buy incense. But the Angel Child’s diaper sprung a leak about a block from our apartment. Just as I turned around to go home, a woman appeared and asked if she could help me. She said her name was Francine, and that she has eight children of her own and spent twenty years as a stay-at-home mother. I gave her twenty dollars and asked her to pick out something that smelled like Jesus and bring it to my apartment.
I believe God gave me that scripture verse so I would meet Francine today. She’s a treasure and blessing. She looks like a homeless prostitute—probably a meth addict. But Jesus visits us in the most unlikely disguises.
We’re going to invite her to live with us for a while.
May you live in the divine mystery of God, my friends, Iona James
| From: | Brenna L <[email protected]> |
| To: | “Green Eggs and Ham” |
| Subject: | Re: [SAHM I AM] An Honest Greeting From Iona |
What was THAT???
Brenna
| From: | The Millards <[email protected]> |
| To: | “Green Eggs and Ham” |
| Subject: | Re: [SAHM I AM] An Honest Greeting From Iona |
I have no idea, but I think it’s gone now. Do you suppose it will come back?
Jocelyn
| From: | P. Lorimer <[email protected]> |
| To: | “Green Eggs and Ham” |
| Subject: | Re: [SAHM I AM] An Honest Greeting From Iona |
It? She was beautiful, and I hope she does come back. Don’t scare her off, understand? I think I’m in love…
Phyllis
| From: | Hannah Farrell <[email protected]> |
| To: | Kristina Shaw <[email protected]> |
| Subject: | What have I gotten into? |
Hi Krissy,
U R so NOT going to believe this. I joined this loop for stay-at-home moms this week, and they’re like really bizarre. The loop moderator just got out of some sort of mental hospital, I think. I guess she crawled into a coffin because she thought her husband was having an affair with a Lesbian! Can u imagine?
And then her sister is even worse! She’s not even a Christian. And she married a divorced guy! The scariest part is…he was raised CATHOLIC! In Italy, where the pope lives! He’s trying to talk her into going to church again. But she says she’s not “the religious type.” And they actually let her post on the loop!
There’s another new girl this week, too. She’s psycho. She has a ten-month-old baby, and she’s inviting a prostitute to live with her and her husband! I would NEVER be so totally stupid! If a prostitute even looked at my Bradley, she’d be sorry! Is sharing your home with a homeless hooker even Biblical? Nobody in our church would ever do that, I’m sure. What if she tempts the husband to, you know, SIN or something? And she thinks God told her to burn incense, too! I’m pretty certain incense is new age. You can’t be new age and still believe in Jesus, can you?
So I’m hugely bummed. I thought this was going to be a loop full of Christian SAHMs like me—well, sure, I figured they’d be a little older than me. But these people are really weird. I don’t think they’re what I’d exactly call “Christian” even.
I thought about just unsubscribing from the loop. But I really am very lonely without you here. Bradley is nice and all, but it’s SO not the same as having a best girlfriend. I decided not to leave the loop just yet, because maybe it’ll be better and I’ll meet some normal moms. I don’t want to be all like judgmental or anything, you know?
Well, write me and tell me all about Hawaii. YouTube it and send me some pics, okay?
BFF,
Hannah
| From: | Kristina Shaw <[email protected]> |
| To: | Hannah Farrell <[email protected]> |
| Subject: | Re: What have I gotten into? |
Hey you! Hawaii is awesome. Check out the attached pics. Tried 2 txt them 2 u, but they were 2 big. Weird about that mom loop. U going 2 stay on loop? Lots of my new friends are kinda whacked like that 2. But they r fun. Lots better than our stuffy old high school! I told them all about South Carolina Crusading Lambs of God High School. They think it’s the best joke. LOL! I gotta run. Some of the guys in our group are taking me surfing this afternoon. We did all our research/school stuff this morning. Can you imagine— I’m going surfing with hot guys! My parents would totally freak out, but there’s nothing they can do about it. It’s great to be FREE!
LUV U!!!!
Kris
| From: | Thomas Huckleberry <[email protected]> |
| To: | SAHM I Am <[email protected]> |
| Subject: | Re: [SAHM I AM] TOTW June 1: Total Honesty |
Hi ladies,
It looks like I’m about the last one to check in this week on the TOTW. Here’s something I bet no guy up until now has confessed to in your hearing:
I’m sitting at my computer wearing a plastic jeweled princess crown on my head and strap-on fairy wings on my back. My sparkle wand is on the desk. And I’m having a great time!
MacKenzie is playing Cinderella, and I’m her Fairy Godmother. Two years ago, if you’d suggested that I’d ever make a statement like that (or be dressed like this), I probably would never have talked to you again. But since then, I’ve discovered that only a real man has the courage to play make-believe with his daughter. She tried to put dress-up heels on me, but