tickled

Recently, our student pastor Norm asked the rest of the church staff for pictures of themselves when they were in junior high/middle school. You know, sort of a reassuring photo collage that Awkwardness Happens, that you do eventually grow out of it, and hey, compare the photos to the hip and handsome staff group of today!

Jason unearthed a whole bunch of photos to find one to give to Norm (Norm! Yes, I can't resist saying it a la Cheers), and eventually chose a pretty straightforward shot: no funny poses, no bizarre what-were-you-doing-THERE backgrounds, no tell-tale clothes reminiscent of Bad Fashion Days Past. He's just looking at the camera with these clear blue eyes, smiling as much as a middle schooler will let himself smile. It's a nice picture.

There is a picture I like better. He's not in middle school, so it doesn't qualify for Norm's (Norm!) Wall of Hormonal Angst. But I think it's my favorite of all:



That's Jason to the right, his younger brother Josh to the left. I don't know how old he is in this photo. I don't remember which state he was living in when this was taken, though I know this was the backyard where he used to raise chickens, and where those chickens would squawk and run around madly after being decapitated, terrorizing the neighborhood children. But I love the way he's holding himself because this is the EXACT pose he still takes today when he thinks I am about to launch into a major ticklefest with him.

Mostly, I love this photo because it reminds me how God knew that I like to settle into some major funks sometimes, and He knew that the one person who knows how to make me laugh harder than anyone else? The guy in the photo to the right, using a major ticklefest. This photo reminds me so much of his willingness to be goofy with me, to connect with me on a silly level that really extends so much deeper into the heart than just surface humor. I love how much I laugh with him, and how very easily I laugh with him, over silly things, every day things, random things. Just a few days ago, we were laughing hysterically together only a short time after one of my random pregnant life-is-too-overwhelming cry-fests, joking about naming our son Forceps. (Just say it out loud: Forceps Vermeulen. You can't help but smile.)

I love you, Jason. I can't wait for fifty more years of goofy smiles and laughter just when I need it most.

(And yes, you have permission to post a photo of me when I was young, too.)