Homemade Fun

One thing about going to grandparents' homes is that kids always have fun! What is it that makes their place way more appealing than anywhere else? Well, it's all that homemade fun!

Grandma and Grandpa have a thrilling and steep hill for tobogganing and Mama and Papa have a Papa-made sleigh attached to an ATV that still pulls nicely through dirt fields when the snow has melted.

Besides the toys and the recreation, my children have a godly heritage to be thankful for. We are very blessed to have parents who continue to instill that holy living is important for the next generation as well. What a comfort to know that as our children are visiting these homes, that they are being surrounded by God's love. Of course, that's where we learned it ourselves!

The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places;

Yes, I have a good inheritance.

Psalm 16:6

When little things are big...

Ever notice how children appreciate the simple things in life? They are amazed by the height of a building, taken by the way an egg cracks, mesmerized by water, and as I'm typing this, my son takes me by the hand to show me a very interesting hole in a screw that holds our coffee table together! My children are saddened by a fly buzzing around a window because it needs to be set free, they are moved by another child crying, and a hug can usually melt away the worst of moods.

Lord, the whole earth is Yours and everything in it (Psalm 24:1). Help me to enjoy every intricate detail, to stop and feel a warm breeze, to relish in the smell of Your magnolia tree in my garden, to be still and know that You are God (Psalm 46:10). Let me be melted by a hug instead of stiffening and claiming my "right" to be angry. Let me stop my work and be led by the hand of my child. Let me set aside my desire to spill out all the details of my harried day and listen to my husband's description of his. Let me notice when little things are big.

Goodbye, Little Flower

My dear friend, Linette, lost her sister last week in a terrible accident. My heart broke as she, through tears, relayed the details of what happened. I remember her sister well since we had all known each other as little girls. Tammy was a sweet and loving girl with a tender heart. I didn't get to know her as an adult and for that, I am sorry. Although we don't understand why tragedies happen, we know we have a Creator who holds our hands through these dark times. I know this comfort well and have experienced His arms embracing me when I've wept over tough situations. I pray this deep love for Tammy's family.

Goodbye, Little Flower. You will be missed.

In Mommy's Footsteps

All of my children enjoy taking my little Kodak camera around and shooting a few photos, and they get really excited when I let them hold my "good" camera. But the Elmo brand gets more mileage than anything. I have to admit that I get tired of hearing that little red monster's voice saying, "Smile for Elmo!" when the shutter button is pressed over and over, but I grin obediently and remember that I want them to smile for me when I'm the one on the other side of the lens. It's very precious to watch them following in Mommy's footsteps by noticing details around them and relishing in capturing memories.

My prayer is that they follow in my footsteps in ways that truly matter to their lives. Am I being the kind of mom God has designed me to be? Am I being a gentle guide, leading them through the mountains and valleys of life? Am I loving each one of them as they need to be loved? In their love language? I wrestle with these questions daily. I realize that it's only when I'm following in my Father's footsteps, that I am able to be one they should emulate. I'm reminded of Galatians 5:22: "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control..." It all begins at home.

Father, help me to follow in Your footsteps so that my children may follow in mine.

Waiting...

We love to visit the nursery. We are so blessed to live adjacent to this place of hopeful plants, waiting to be taken home and nurtured. I love to see the neatly lined rows of annuals, perennials, shrubs, and trees sitting in anticipation, seemingly straightening and saturating themselves in brighter colour as passers-by scope them, just waiting to be noticed. It reminds me of the Giving Tree, one of our favourite books. The tree waited and waited to be remembered by the boy she loved. And when he remembered her, he would come and swing from her branches and realize how much she had to give him. How could he have forgotten her? Then he would take the gifts she had to offer and go away for a long time again, forgetting her sacrifice for him.

God waits for us. He whispers during the day that He loves us. He tells us through our children's laughter, through the sunlight on our faces, through the majesty of a storm. And then He waits. Do we enter into His presence and take all we can from His mercy and then quickly forget His sacrifice? I don't want Him to have to wait for me. I want prayer to be like breathing. To be ever in His presence because He's as close as the mention of His name. I want to always be in awe of my Mighty Creator. And as songwriter, Nichole Nordeman writes, "Let me not forget to tremble..."

EARTH DAY

Yesterday was Earth Day. What does that mean to you? To our little family, it means loving our earth and caring for it. We picked up neighbourhood garbage (my kids' idea). We observed God's amazing creation which begins to tease us in the Spring. We went for a nature walk and looked long and hard at different kinds of buds, peeking out of their winter cocoons just enough for us to believe they're actually going to be leaves one day. We noticed the first crocus and daffodils. Much to our delight, our scruffy little robin, who has graced our yard with a nest for about seven years, has returned. We marveled at how she had built her nest so strong and thick and had added some plastic twine she found. We talked about how she only has a beak to design and construct her home. What a miracle of God.

As for caring for our earth, we're learning all about recycling and composting. I, personally have a long way to go in this department. But, my kids are teaching me how to be a good steward of our Father's world. Another example of how the tables can turn in education.

Happy Spring!

Great Expectations...

Pencils in hand, my children and my sister's children began scratching down words, ideas, and thoughts for the creation of stories that will be (as promised) published. We had the great idea of rewarding our little writers with hard-cover books for their hard work and editing. I knew the response would be positive but the excitement was inspiring. Setting out on the journey is always exhilarating but the editing process is tedious and often discouraging.

So it is with our walk with God. Our mountain-top experiences in His presence are necessary and comforting. They are strengthening and a preparation for the valley. But the time in the valley is often long and daunting, leaving us defeated if we haven't experienced sufficient basking on the mountain.

So, I'll watch as the writing process unfolds, and I'll encourage, and I'll remind them of the finish line. The growth is in the process, the pain, the valley. The prize is important but the journey is what they'll remember. And that's what I'm here for. To make that process, their education, a sweet memory, where the "pain" was something they smiled at because they began to envision the reward from the outset.

As I spur them on, I remind myself to bask in God's presence each morning, keep my eye on the prize, and to be cognisant of the growth while in the valley. I have great expectations for all of us.

And so it begins...

So, here I am journaling (which is normal for me) in a format that is new to me. Who would have thought I would enter the contemporary world of blogging? At this point in my life, it may be the quickest way to preserve memories and publish thoughts and share them with others --if they have the grace to read them :) And so my blogging journey begins amidst diapers, homeschooling, laundry, photography, and doing my best to live for my Heavenly Father. Thanks for joining me along the way.