Embracing Change

A child presses a bouquet of dandelions and grass into my hands as I watch another drive away—her car filled to capacity with belongings.  She drives up the lane with her Dad quick behind in the truck full of furniture that once filled her Great Grandmother’s home.

My heart is full.  My throat pinched to the point of choking.

I was not prepared when she joined our home. 

I am not prepared as she leaves.

Twenty minutes later I am answering the doorbell pressed by a handsome, brown-haired and brown-eyed little man.  This time I receive a wishing flower (known to most as a seeded dandelion).  I watch my next oldest drive up the lane with a wave of the hand through the open car window.  He is off to take the entrance test for acceptance to the local college education program for High Schoolers.

Excitement, pride, sadness—a tangling of emotions brim and spill.

A conversation I remember having with myself comes to mind.  As a young Mama of 3 little ones who now stand taller than my 5’8” frame, I vowed to mother in such a way that I would never look back with regret.

Today . . . I fight feelings of failure in wrappings of regret. 

Unfortunately, we not only parent in our strengths but out of our weaknesses, hurts, woundings and habitual emotional responses formed over the years to compensate for or deal with those issues that press our buttons of insecurity, rejection, fear, inadequacy and unworthiness.

Can I ask for a do-over?

I know I could do it better—maybe?

—if I could try again with what I know now . . . 

who I am now . . . 

how God has healed me . . . 

now . . .

In walks grace.  How grateful I am for grace.

I have loved & mothered the best I knew with the best & worst of me. 

I have brought them all to Jesus’ lap the only way I knew how.

I have failed to mother perfectly, but I have loved deeply, faithfully

 . . . with a forever-stuck-with-me-cheering-you-on tenacity.

A little bit of the enemy, a little bit of the flesh mingle to stir up a lot of anxiety.  I take authority over my mind and all thoughts contrary to Christ.  

Christ!  

My Savior who saves my failings.  

My Redeemer who redeems my mistakes.

  

The One the grave could not hold, holds me while resurrecting all lack.  He holds my heart, lifts my head, smiles on me wide while washing away all regret with glorious hope!

The season of parenting my older ones fades into the next.  
Will I do well? 

I will pray for them more than I ever have. 

I will fight for them in the spiritual realm. 

I will like them like crazy!

The one who has become my live-in friend and accountability partner returns for the last of her things.  While waiting for her Dad she plays my favorite song on her harp.  I sit on the floor in the dark hallway to listen.  I grieve the end of this time with her.  Nineteen years have gone fast.  Much too fast!

Mixed up thoughts mix with littles calling me to the fire-pit for roasting marshmallows.  The middle-little has a sliver in her foot.  I go to them knowing their years alongside me will also pass quickly for this mother-heart. 

Embrace the dandelions. 

Embrace the change. 

Embrace the vital. 

Embrace the moments that make the lifetime.

“I just know that the longer I parent the more I want to focus on doing a few things really well, and not get too passionate about all the rest. I want to spend time with my kids, teach them the Bible, take them to church, laugh with them, cry with them, discipline them when they disobey, say sorry when I mess up, and pray like crazy. I want them to look back and think, “I’m not sure what my parents were doing or if they even knew what they’re were doing. But I always knew my parents loved me and I knew they loved Jesus.” Maybe it’s not that complicated after all.”    Kevin DeYoung

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Learning Joy

When I think of Jesus, even in the busy-ness of His short 3 year ministry, He rested.  And when the 3 years came to an end, It. Was. Finished.  Nothing was left to be done.  All was accomplished that needed to be.  The same is true for me and for you.  That’s why enjoying the ride is so important.  The ending is good—it’s perfection!  So I want to enjoy the ride, not be fretful over it.

Joy requires that I rest with God, trusting Him.  I struggle with that one.  I don’t rest well...period!  I can do anxious, excited, and other such emotions quite well—but relaxing and waiting on Him, with Him, is not my speciality—yet!  But I’m learning...

I am learning that the path is His.  And He will show me the way to walk it.  The striving is mostly gone now and the restlessness has lessened.  He is patient, isn’t He?  He will take all the time we need to help us grow! 

I am learning that joy is the bedrock of my faith.  If there is no joy—only duty, guilt, shame, fear, failure feelings and burdensome yokes in following Christ—than I am saddened for me!  God is saddened for me!  Because there is much joy, much peace available to me through Christ.  I have access to it just as I have access to His power and authority (Eph. 1:19-22, 2:6; Col. 2:9-10).

He wants us to exercise our rights as a purchased Lamb of God!  He wants us to live in the joy that is ours through Christ Jesus.

 So is joy a mindset?  Yes and no...

I have a choice to live in joy and to actively go after what is coming against me when I recognize joylessness in me.  But joy is also one of the fruits of the Spirit.  God’s joy comes directly from the Holy Spirit.  We get to share in this divine nature of God’s by allowing His Holy Spirit to transmit and impart this divine quality right into our soul and personality!  Joy is made available to us as long as we are walking in and by the Spirit. 

Joy is our strength!  When every one else is weary, grumbling, fearful and complaining about life’s difficulties, God gives His children...joy!

I’ve done a lot of thinking about all that I’m learning after my confessions from yesterday.  There are a lot of places in my heart in need of a Jesus filling.  Today I believe I will find joy just resting and being loved on by Abba. 

May you find joy resting in His arms today as well!

~The picture is entitled "Joy" by David Bowman~

Rest At The Feet Of Jesus

God loves when we choose to come, sit, rest and listen at His feet.  He has so much to tell us—so much to share. 

Mostly, He just wants to “be” with each one of us—separately and personally.  He delights in those moments when He is all we are thinking about and all we are focused on. 

What abundance there is to receive when I rest my heart, mind, emotions and “stuff” long enough to just relax with Him!  

When I rest my heart in His Presence—He can fill it!

Kindness

It is a harsh place, the world.  Kindness is an attractive salve.

Kindness is not weak.  It is easy to be harsh, mean and selfish.  Weakness breeds those characteristics.  It takes strength, humility and selflessness to be kind.

Kindness is cheerful—it does not scowl or frown.

Kindness gives without measuring a return.

Kindness smiles on those people in those situations the rest of the world would choose to ignore.

Being kind takes an act of the will.  To give up my feeling of grumpiness, my thoughts of revenge, my demand to be treated fairly.

Kindness withholds no. good. thing!  From any one!  No matter my perception of their worthiness!

Being kind will cost me more than I want to pay sometimes.

For a gentle sounding word—it is any thing but in its agenda!

Kindness kills harsh words, hard hearts and bitter thoughts.

Kindness eliminates selfishness.

Kindness destroys individualism—separateness from others.

Kindness gives God room to work and restore.

To be kind is to allow misfortunes of others dignity.

Kindness is a salve to brokenness—a bandage to bleeding wounds.

Kindness is the epitome of beauty walked out in choice words and deliberate actions.

Kindness. pleases. God!

“Be kind one to another, tender-hearted....” Ephesians 4:32a (NAS)

“Be gentle with one another, sensitive....” (The Message)

A simple verse I’ve taught my children since they were little.  But what ingredient is missing in my home today?  Kindness towards one another.  How pleasing that must be to our adversary.

Walking in kindness myself will cultivate it.  Cultivating kindness will lead to reaping it.  And in reaping kindness, our family’s harvest will reach and feed many others hungry for God’s love!

There is a softness to kindness that this hard world needs—my own heart needs.  A soft, pliable heart is kind.  A harsh, stern heart is hard, unbending, uncaring and unmoved by the pain of others.

Join me in cultivating kindness, not hardness, in the softened heart grace has given you!

Waiting...Believing...Enjoying...

I am known to God!  You are known to God!  Fully, completely, perfectly and passionately known!!!  Does that excite you, encourage you...or does it make you a wee bit nervous? J

You are holy, chosen and dearly loved by God!  Don’t allow the evil one to rob any of your joy, any of your peace, any of your reception of those truths just because there is stuff within you needing work or in need of complete removal!

Wait on God to work!

Seek His face, sit at His feet, lean into His heart and then wait on Him for your next move.  Sometimes sitting back and waiting is being passive.  Sometimes it is being obedient.  Waiting takes discipline and self-denial! 

We want to move our own agenda along...NOW.  We want our imperfections perfected...NOW.  Waiting is much more difficult.  But the obedience to wait on God’s perfect timing will reap a harvest more abundant in due time.  It is His work, not ours.

Latch onto faith!

Believe all His capabilities are available for you! 

Believe all His goodness is zeroed in on you!

Believe His purposes for your life are grander than you imagine!

Believe God!

Believe Big!

Enjoy the ride!

Ride the twists and turns holding on tight.  Enjoy the ride because it will end all too soon.  You don’t want to have missed the experience once the ride is all over.  Unlike the roller coaster at the fair, you don’t get another turn.  Everyone gets just one.  There is no going back to enjoy what we were fearful over and unsure of.  

We know how the ride ends.  It’s good.  So enjoy the ride you’re on!

Stay faithful.

Be obedient.

Trust God.

And enjoy the ride!

Oops—I Did It Again!

As I sleepily stumbled to the bathroom during the night, a smile came across my face when I realized...yep—I did it again!  I fell asleep while talking to God.  J

What made me really almost chuckle to myself, however, was not that I had fallen asleep—but that I felt no disappointment, no condemnation because of it.  That may mean nothing to you—but there was a time when this would have greatly saddened me.  My walk with God was more wrapped up in what I did than love for who I was doing it for.

Have you ever been stuck there?  Where everything measureable in your Christian life was taken into account to see how you measured up? 

If there were more in the debit than the credit column—I was feeling pretty good about myself.  However, if the scale tilted the other way at all, I would beat myself with Bible verses and spiritual quotes until I was sufficiently chastised. 

Instead of growing in wisdom—I was completing the current Bible study.

Instead of growing in grace—I was growing in religious practices.

Instead of working out my salvation—I was working myself into a frenzy.

Instead of seeking the One who saves me—I was trying to please Him with my efforts.

Instead of laying myself at the feet of my Savior—I was trying to better myself so He’d be happy with me and leave. me. alone!  Because if I wasn’t causing any trouble for Him in His eyes, then surely He wouldn’t cause any trouble for me in mine!

And you know what...life is in the heart of any living creature—not its form.  And there was no life in this creature—only the form of a religious person who smiled and waved while wearing a mask to conceal the pain, struggle and woundedness deep within.

Until Jesus....

Until one sweet season, only by the grace of the Almighty God, He began to show Me His love!  His love for me; His love for the Body; His love for all mankind.  And I’ve never been the same since.

Now don’t get me wrong—I never thought God harsh.  But I was so focused on trying to please Him by doing well at all the things that “good” Christians did that I missed out on His heart.  I would say with my mouth that He loved us and cared, but felt deep within (without admitting it) that He didn’t really care much at all!  I felt He distanced Himself from me in the midst of my sufferings.

I studied the word fervently, but I didn’t seek His face.

I attended classes on spiritual living, but the information never penetrated my heart.

I took notes at retreats and of sermons, but they remained just ink on a page.

I went to prayer seminars and followed the steps, but never heard a response.

Formulas are rampant in the church—but there is no life in a formula!  No freedom in a list of “to do’s”.  No communicating of honest, raw emotions when a wall could go up at any time because of failure to follow the rules.

But Jesus....  What else can I say...but Jesus! 

God saw my heart aching for intimacy with Him.  He saw that the true desire of my being was to know Him and to not be afraid that He knew me all too well.  Jesus saw the poor girl running around trying to do everything “right” so she could “qualify” for life.  All while dying slowly inside because of loneliness—separated from her Creator. 

But Jesus!

I believe in a holy, unchangeable God who demands a high standard.

I believe holiness keeps to a line that He will not move, nor will He cross.

I believe God is to be reverenced AND feared by all man.

But I also know His heart towards His beloved—I’ve felt His presence, I’ve heard His voice and I’ve been drawn into such sweet communion time and again that my nakedness before Him is never shameful, only freeing!

I spend more time with Him, soaking up the word, sitting under great teaching and in prayer then I ever did before—but it’s out of love and the intense desire to draw even closer.  Not out of duty, fear, or the masquerade. No...I just. want. more!

More wisdom.

More freedom.

More intimacy.

More awe.

More understanding.

More holiness.

More contentment.

More of His likeness.

More compassion.

More joy.

More God!

To fall asleep while praying is to fall asleep in the embrace of the One who loves and desires me daily!  There is no better rest, no sweeter chamber than His arms.  And I plan to fall asleep there again and again!

Priorities Prioritized

If Satan can’t keep us active and attentive in the activities that bring death, then he often seeks to keep us inactive and inattentive to those things that bring forth life.

So. Not. Easy. For. Me!!! J  To turn from what seems pressingly important or wonderfully exciting!  My greatest struggle is with the tyranny of the urgent overshadowing all else.  I miss out on so much when that happens.  All that He planned for me to experience—especially the joy, the moments of enjoyment—while growing where He’s planted me.  I'm so tired of that!

What are my priorities?  What should they be?  Am I seeking to align my heart as well as my energy to those things which have eternal value?

“Only one life, twill soon be past. Only what’s done for Christ will last!”

God calls us to align our priorities, our callings, our giftings according to His direction.  I am so blessed—and will continue to be blessed—knowing God’s desires when making decisions in how I spend my time, my focus and my energy.

Many Believers just never ask Him.  Perhaps they don’t really desire to know God’s feelings on the matter.  For me, I didn’t realize that I could assuredly hear and be led by Him—so I simply never asked.  I just went with what seemed right in my own eyes (Judges 21:25).

What I do with my day matters to Him!  It’s important!  And I don’t want to waste my life on the unimportant!

I’ve spent time recently with God discovering His priorities for my life in this season.  Aside from spending time with Him J...He gave me 8 other “do’s before anything else gets done”.  And you know what...some of it was surprising!

Something that I had felt sure He was going to release me from...He didn’t!  Another area in which I was hoping He’d let me be more involved, He said “no—not now.” 

There are so many areas of importance.  But I need to keep what God has placed before me as most important for His plan for my life right now!  The temptation is always there to take on more—to add some of the things that look good or that I “think” I would enjoy.  But I’ll run out of steam, fruitful purpose and I will fall short in other vital areas if I take on more. 

Sometimes I envision much more responsibility in an area than God plans for me.  Some involvement, some helping may be fine.  But I struggle with bringing things from the background into the forefront and thereby leaving leftovers of myself to those who should receive firstfruits!

I am learning to take every thought; every activity; every duty/chore/responsibility; every calling; every hearts desire...captive—to Christ!  Is what I am dong and focused on aligned with Christ?  Are they aligned with my God-given priorities?  If they are not, I need to ask God what He wants me to do with them to make them fit or make them go. 

God is good!  He has such goodness in store for me—for you!  But we will never get to His good if we stay stuck in what “appears” good in our own eyes.  In yielding the desires for our life we not only find peace and rest and joy...we will find the ripe fruit of contentment—fruit unattainable by any means of striving.  Only resting under His personal yoke for our own life and our own work for the Kingdom will result in this one-of-a-kind fruit borne from and out of obedience. 

He desires obedience over sacrifice (1 Sam. 15:22).  I don’t want to sacrifice my time, my day, this season of my life to any thing not aligned with the calling of my life.  I will only bear bitter regret and remorse when my eyes fall off of His and when priorities fall short of those divinely set for me.

It’s time for different, it’s time for better...it’s time for His best!  

It’s time to stay focused on the path set before ME—for JUST me!

The day just wouldn't be complete

without losing to these two in a game!

Chess anyone????

Turn, Turn, Turn

To every thing—turn, turn, turn...

There is a season—turn, turn, turn...

And with the turning of the tassel—one side to the other—my 10 year commitment to home educate this child comes to an end.  

The end of one season for Brianne...and the beginning of another...

Thus begins another season for us as mother and daughter...as a family...

The ceremony consisted of prayers, sharing of life verses, musical performances and the commencement address...

Followed by tributes from the grad to parents and from the parents to their grad...










Finally, the presentation of diplomas...

God...I thank you for this special day!  I thank you for the honor and privilege it has been to learn alongside this special daughter of Yours! Thank you for Your grace and its covering over my shortcomings!  Thank you, Father, for your unfailing faithfulness!  Your goodness towards me is overwhelming!  Thank you for the blessing of this season!  As we turn into another, we walk confidently knowing you are already waiting to meet us there.  Thank you for your love and the assurance that your face is always turned toward us...wherever we are, whatever the season...Amen!

Mother's Day Tribute To Our Mom's

By grace alone we each received a loving mother. 

By grace alone we each received two. 

Two loving mothers—one when we were conceived and the other when we wed.

“Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.”  John 15:13

So how could this verse be applied to Mothers?

Greater love has no one than this, than a mother who lays down her life (her dreams, her aspirations, her self) for her child.

 

The love of Jesus!  His love lays down.  It doesn’t pick up and pick at, it doesn't feel picked on or picked apart.  His love gives regardless of receiving.  So does a loving mother.

I believe that when God created “the mother” it was with His creating, nurturing, compassionate nature in mind.  He loves mothers because, like no one else, they have the daily opportunity to intently reflect His son Jesus to those within their reach.  No one is more attentive than a child to his mother.  No one so desires to please another than a child his mother.  No one looks up to another like a child to his mother.

“Her children rise up and call her blessed.”  Proverbs 31:28a

This year—this day—we make our blessing public.  We want to express our sincere gratitude for all that their love meant and for all that their love cost.

They both have always, only showed us love; sometimes great and sacrificial love, sometimes wise or experiential counsel, and sometimes quiet yet stalwart support.  Differing expression, yet always love.

By grace alone have we been so blessed.

By grace alone have we received more than our due.

The family is God’s greatest earthly institution.  The man its head, the woman its heart.  The father its security, the mother its spirit.  Our mother’s, whose hearts belong to Christ, spirit their home by the Holy Spirit.  Their fruit reflect His.

 

We are grateful for their generosity, their encouragement, their smiles and their friendship!  We have always been proud to call them “mine”.

We are grateful for the grandmother each one of them is to our children.  Their unique personalities reflected in godly character!  What joy, by grace alone, our own children experience at the loving hands of these “grand mothers”.

 

Treasures are you!  Treasured you are!

We humbly, and with great short comings due to lacking words, desire to express to you both today—on this your celebrated day as Mom—our love in return.

Patricia and Juanita

Today we rise up and call you blessed.  Every day we are grateful.  Today we pause to whisper loudly in your ear...“thank you”...“you are loved”...“you are appreciated”!

Know every day the undeniable fact that is doubtlessly true—neither us nor our children would be who we are today had it not been for loving mothers like you!

By grace alone...

Love,

Chuck and Robin

Rushing Through

Anyone with a Facebook account can tell you there are lots of stories--news, political, opinions--just lots of "stuff" that makes the rounds.  Of the ones that take a turn on my news feed page, only a few get read in their entirety and then even fewer really impact me past that reading.  Never have I linked a story to my own page encouraging others to read.  Until yesterday...

THE SITUATION - In Washington , DC , at a Metro Station, on a cold January morning in 2007, this man with a violin played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. During that time, approximately 2,000 people went through the station, most of them on their way to work.

After about 3 minutes:
A middle-aged man noticed that there was a musician playing. He slowed his pace and stopped for a few seconds, and then he hurried on to meet his schedule.

About 4 minutes later:  
The violinist received his first dollar. A woman threw money in the hat and, without stopping, continued to walk.

At 6 minutes:
A young man leaned against the wall to listen to him, then looked at his watch and started to walk again.

At 10 minutes:
A 3-year old boy stopped, but his mother tugged him along hurriedly. The kid stopped to look at the violinist again, but the mother pushed hard and the child continued to walk, turning his head the whole time. This action was repeated by several other children, but every parent - without exception - forced their children to move on quickly.

At 45 minutes:
The musician played continuously. Only 6 people stopped and listened for a short while.  About 20 gave money but continued to walk at their normal pace. The man collected a total of $32.

After 1 hour:
He finished playing and silence took over. No one noticed and no one applauded. There was no recognition at all.

No one knew this, but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the greatest musicians in the world. He played one of the most intricate pieces ever written, with a violin worth $3.5 million dollars. Two days before, Joshua Bell sold-out a theater in Boston where the seats averaged $100 each to sit and listen to him play the same music.

This is a true story. Joshua Bell, playing incognito in the D.C. Metro Station, was organized by the Washington Post as part of a social experiment about perception, taste and people's priorities.

This experiment raised several questions:
*In a common-place environment, at an inappropriate hour, do we perceive beauty?
*If so, do we stop to appreciate it?
*Do we recognize talent in an unexpected context?

One possible conclusion reached from this experiment could be this:
If we do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians in the world, playing some of the finest music ever written, with one of the most beautiful instruments ever made . . .

How many other things are we missing as we rush through life?


This story grabbed my attention on several counts.  I love Bach and I love the violin.  To have been in the space and time of such a great musician and within feet of such a beloved instrument is unfathomable to me!  But...would I have stopped?  Perhaps I would have wanted to because of that love, but I doubt I would have stayed past a brief pause.  My mind can get so wrapped up in all I need to get accomplished that I admit to missing out on the joy of just living sometimes.  And...I am usually running late, so that also limits the freedom to just stop and smell the roses as I'm rushing by.

This story is not spiritual in its intent, but its resounding in my being takes me there.

Do I recognize beauty in unexpected places?  What about the giftings, the talents of those around me?  How much joy, how many "God moments", how many opportunities, how much beauty, how much loving on, HOW MUCH TREASURE GOD WOULD LIKE FOR ME TO EXPERIENCE IN MY LIFE IS MISSED AS I RUSH THROUGH my "to do" list, my responsibilities, my chores, and all those other urgent "things" that soak up a good part of my life?  

This morning I received an email asking for prayer for a man in our church.  He received news last night that his son-in-law had died leaving behind his daughter who is 7 months pregnant with twins.

Praying, I am.  
Pausing, I am.
Soaking in blessings, I am.
Being changed, I am.

Fun Family Easter Activities to Help Us Focus

There are several ways we can spend Passion Week reflecting on Jesus, the cross and the tomb that could not hold Him!

Here are just a few hands-on activities that our family has either done in the past or will be doing this year.

Resurrection Buns -- Cinnamon bun-like that is hollow in the center, like the tomb.

Resurrection Cookies -- Cookies that are left in the oven overnight and are also found to be hollow inside when they are broken into Easter morning. Differenct scriptures are read as each ingredient is added.

Resurrection Eggs -- Various items are chosen to fill 12 plastic, colored eggs that have to do with different aspects of the Holy Week--from when Jesus entered Jerusalem until He rose from the dead.

Resurrection Eggs for an Egg Hunt or for a Sunday School Class Discussion -- Same type of idea as above except there are 22 eggs with items and a verse description also included. Eggs are marked and hidden either outside or in a room. The children gather the eggs and take turns opening them up and sharing what's inside.

Create an Easter Garden -- A beautfiul, reflective touch of creation.

Make an Easter Tree -- Lovely artwork from creation through Jesus' appearance before His disciples. These are printed out and hung on a "tree" made from branches with the corresponding scripture reads and reflective thoughts also offered.

40 Minute Blink In My Day

Kari Jobe is singing over the stereo speakers. Actually, she is yelling as the volume is set a little loud from when the 15 y.o. was playing one of his CD’s earlier. I hear the words from one of my favorite songs of hers—“He is here for the broken and life to the one who is undone. Be still, my soul, be still...”

I’m singing along when...

3 y.o. boy comes in the front door crying because he fell in the rocks. I check and kiss all the owies and send him back out.

15 y.o. son asks if I read over the information on the next writing assignment on Summarizing References. “No—sorry...I forgot. Give me a minute.”

13 y.o. boy comes down. “Mom, are you done on the computer? I need to do my math.”  Well, yes—I guess I am now.

Head to the homeschool desk to find the writing curriculum.

Remind myself to go up to do the laundry first. Find 18 y.o. on my bed watching a Francis Schaffer DVD. Wish I could sit down and watch, but off I go with dirty clothes in hand.

Rotate laundry and head downstairs trying to remember what I was doing before coming upstairs.

Trip over vacuum cleaner hose that had been left out. Wind it up and put in closet.

Remember to go find writing on the homeschool desk. Desk is about 8 inches deep in books and papers. The recovering perfectionist in me cringes. I mentally make note to plan some time this week to work on this mess.

6 y.o. girl comes through the door and I hear her whiney voice before seeing her pretty face. She states that it is too cold outside to play. I tell her that it is the warmest January in years around here--she's not impressed--and “Go play!”

Find the writing curriculum notebook binders and head to chair.

3 y.o. boy is screaming outside so I ask 13 y.o. to stick his head out the window and ask him what’s wrong.

Sit down with cup of tea and writing binders.

4 y.o. girl comes in soaking wet and states that she fell in a puddle. Get her wet clothes off and usher her upstairs to put on clean clothes.

Sit down with writing material.

6 y.o. comes in asking where 4 y.o. is. “Do we get to come back in now?” “NO! Go outside and have fun!!!”

Get report from 13 y.o. on 3 y.o. yelling. Some unhappiness concerning the sharing of a Frisbee.

Walk by my kitchen desk and tidy it up quickly. Recovering perfectionist smiles and takes a deep sigh of satisfaction at the accomplishment.

6 y.o. comes in with a drawing that she completed while outside and asks can they pleeeease come in.

3 y.o. tracks mud in with his shoes. Get him changed into his boots. Send them both back outside.

Hang coats laying on hall bench up in closet and let the cat scratching at the back door in.

Sit down with writing curriculum. Tea is cold!

Hear 3 y.o. yelling outside at one of his sisters.

13 y.o. walks in the room and asks what’s for lunch? I tell him I have no idea!

6 y.o. comes back in saying she needs to help the 3 y.o. “Honey, he’s outside.” “No, he’s stuck in the garage.” Oh—that’s why he was yelling. He couldn’t get the garage door opened.

Both the 6 y.o. and 3 y.o. come up out of the garage. 6 y.o. asks once more to stay inside. 3 y.o. yells at her to go ride bikes with him. With forced smile on my face—I send them both back out the door.

I look at the clock. 40 minutes have gone by since I walked by singing along with Kari.

I sit down with a tablet of paper and take a sip of cold tea. I begin to write down all that has transpired over the past several minutes. I want proof that I actually did do something during this time.

4 y.o. comes in and asks if its lunch time yet. I can hear 3 y.o. crying.

6 y.o. comes complaining to me that 4 y.o. gave her part of a broken necklace and then took it back. I tell 4 y.o. to give it back and not be an Indian giver—explaining what that means. Wonder out loud with 13 y.o. where that phrase “Indian giver” originated and he goes off to Google it.

Kari is still singing—well, yelling. I chuckle at the timing of her words. “You sweep me away—sweep me away in your love...where nothing else matters!” No joke! :)

6 y.o. is eyeing me mournfully from the back deck.

I guess it’s time to let them inside and figure out what’s for lunch. We’ll tackle writing tomorrow. I have a muddy floor to clean up before the 15 y.o. who mopped it this morning comes down.

Tea For Three

Nate needs a little work on his "tea time" etiquette! Much to the girls horror, he drank lemonade instead of real tea, he drank his "tea" from the spout of the teapot, spilled the cream all over himself and well...just made a mess in general.

Faith's comment with hands on her hips was, "Nate sure needs a lot of practice with tea parties!"

Perhaps, but he's sure got cuteness down to a "T"!

Visiting Aslan

Visiting the Lion by way of the wardrobe...

I may try visiting our closets today in hopes of a surprise......
Actually, I probably will find plenty of surprises in the closets around here! :)


~Brianne taking the Littles on an adventure with Aslan~

Should We Celebrate?

Easter Sunday is a day of celebration!

I know that there are some who do not believe that we should celebrate the holidays celebrating our Lord. Doing so condones the mixing of the Christian religion with pagan practices. Others believe God would not want us to just focus in on one certain day decided for whatever reasons (again, some possibly pagan) as a day to celebrate His birth, His death, or His resurrection.

That’s fine. But I love these celebrations!

I love the days that are set apart from all of the others in a year so that I can focus my heart, focus the heart of my home, focus the hearts that abide in this home in a different way, in a special way, in an extraordinary—out of routine—sort of way!

We celebrate weddings, births, anniversaries, and anniversaries of births. We celebrate the Super Bowl, the World Series, the Daytona 500, Wimbledon and the Olympics. We celebrate achievements, victories, raises, learning and blue ribbons.

I want the biggest, grandest, most heart-felt celebrations of all in my home to be those celebrating Christ!

So, in that grand scale of celebratory style, we celebrate Easter--we focus in on and reflect on all of Holy Week!

Just like the Israelites in the Old Testament were to set up Monuments of Remembrance of God's faithfulness for the generations to follow, so we celebrate in our family these days.

Days in which we stop our normal routine, focus and refresh our hearts.

We are reminded of the prophetic words of Old and their fulfillment in the New.

We quiet our minds, our busy-ness, our daily life to rest in the lavish love of God.


We quiet our hearts and we remember...

The Blessing Of One Day

"Perhaps we should try to write down the blessing of one day,

We might begin: we could never end; there are not pens or paper enough in all the world.
The attempt would remind us of our vast treasure of content."

George Buttrick

Grandpa's 10 grandchildren gather for the traditional trip of 14 years to the same pumpkin patch. Then to Auntie's house for hot dogs roasted over the fire pit and working together to stabilize the shed that Great Grandpa built many years ago.

The many blessings of one day! Immeasurable...unspeakable...a vast treasure, indeed!