Don't Know Much

As is the case with most 3 year olds, Lydia loves to ask questions.
Sometimes her questions have no easy answer so I go with "I don't know."

A few days ago we were at the park and Lydia asked a question.
I believe it was, "Why did they paint the slide blue?"
I responded with my typical "I don't know" answer.

She looked up at me very seriously and said...
"Mommy, you say I don't know an awful lot. Don't you know anything?"

I looked back at her, smiled and said-
"I don't know much, but I know I love you!"

It's all just more proof that Moms are in a constant state of brain cell decline.

Homesick

We were supposed to go to Oklahoma yesterday.
We didn't go because Vince and Lydia are both sick.
It seems it's always something.
One thing or another seems to keep me away from there.
Oklahoma will always be my home and sometimes it's almost a physical ache that I'm not there.
I get so homesick.
I look around some days and everything says to me "this isn't home."

I like Michigan. I do.
There is a lot to like. Many good things.
But it's not home.
I'm content here. God has blessed us here.
But it's not home.

Really, though, not even Oklahoma is my home.
Not my real home anyway.
I was born there. My family is there. I grew up there.
But even if I were there it would not fulfill the real homesickness of my soul.

There is another Home. A greater Home.
And there the deepest part of me longs to be.

This world holds me for awhile.
But not forever.
This life is nothing more than the journey toward Home. The journey to my Father.
God has given me much to enjoy along the way. He has sprinkled the way with beauty. He has blessed me. He has even given me a Companion to walk with me.
God has given many joys.
But there is always within me a heart longing for that Home.
I get so Homesick.
I look around me and everything says "this isn't Home!"

So much pain.
So much hurt.
So much sin.
So much destruction.
So many tears.
So many heartaches.

The result of a world far away from Home.
The result of sin.

And I know.
This isn't Home.

And the longing grows.

When the trials come, I long for the eternal joy.
When the tears fall, I long for the day when all tears will be wiped away.
When I hurt, I long for the day there will be no more pain.
When I am lonely, I long for the day I will be forever in the presence of my Father.
When I don't like the way the world treats us because we name Him as our King, I long for the day that we will win the final victory.
When the world seems so dark, I long to see His light.
When there seems to be no song, I long to sing forever around His throne.

I don't want to get used to here.
I don't want to get so wrapped up in this world that I lose sight of the next.
I don't want to be entangled by the distractions and temporary pleasures of this life.
Because they are temporary. They are fleeting. Passing away.
There is nothing in this life worth keeping me from my journey toward Home because none of it will last.
Only the things at Home will. So I hold loosely to this life. I enjoy them for the moment but easily lay them down for a better and more glorious treasure.
Laying aside every weight and the things that bind me to this world and I keep going Homeward.
Someone else can have this life but it's not good enough for me!
And someday I'm going Home to the place built just for me!

But until then, still I journey on.
Whether in Oklahoma or Michigan or anywhere else God may lead.
There is work to do.
There are others who need to know how to find Home.
We must tell them!
While here I will live for Him, work for Him and give Him glory. I will be an arrow on the path to point others Home.
So that they may join me on the path and we can reach Home together. With much rejoicing.

Home is ahead and I press on.
I look forward to it. I long for it.
And some day, all who seek Him, will see the outstretched arms of our Father, standing at the gates welcoming us, finally, home.
What a glorious day!

Hebrews 13:14-  For here we have no continuing city, but we seek the one to come.

Sharing Strawberries

 

Lydia loves strawberries.
She eats them every day.
Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall.
If we can't get fresh, we get frozen.
It's just a part of the menu every day, no need to question it. It just is.
I think it must be her favorite food.
(Beside chocolate that is, but that's just a given.)

Yesterday I dutifully plopped her daily serving in front of  her.
Nice, big, juicy and sweet.
Perfect strawberry goodness.
She smiled, said "'nank you" and took a bite.
Juice dripping down her chin, she is in strawberry heaven.

Daily routine there.

I left the room to grab something and came back to her holding a strawberry up in the air, then eating it. Holding up another one, then eating that one.
I asked her what she was doing and she looked at me with this
"How can you possibly not know what I'm doing?" look on her face.

"I'm feeding Jesus strawberries. It's good to share you know."

:)

Piles of Poop

Our backyard deck has become a bird potty.
The whole deck is speckled with white. Bird art?
Usually this is just a nasty nuisance but since birds don't care where they drop it and there's not much you can do about that, it's just something you live with.
But then there are bees.
Our backyard has also become a bee haven.
Since they don't hang around the deck too much, Lydia has been playing on the deck more than the yard because she's not too fond of bees.
With the bird poop, it adds a messy level of difficulty to the play.
Literally, she's playing on a poop deck.
We've tracked in our share of poop on the bottom of our shoe so I've been telling Lydia to be careful where she steps. She's pretty good at it most of the time.
But last night I told her to bring her toys in before it got dark.
I stood at the door and she went around dropping toys in a bucket to bring them inside.
I told her "Watch that big pile of poop." But for some reason her idea of watching out for it was different than mine. It was an extra large pile and it got her attention.
She inched closer and closer. She got as close as she could while trying to maintain obedience to my request. I could tell she was playing the "How close can I get to the flame without being burned?" game in her head. It was written all over her face and actions.
She'd go look at it, then pick up some more toys, go look, then pick up toys.
Then it happened.
She got too close.
From my position I could tell that it was an accident but she managed to take one misstep and plant her foot right smack on top of the poop.
As the poop squished between her toes she let out a scream and horror filled her face.
I knew she hadn't meant to do it. But she did.
Why? Because the pull of temptation had led her closer and closer until one small slip put her right where she wasn't supposed to be.
It wouldn't have happened if she'd have just stayed away. But she didn't.
Desire and temptation won.
She thought she could look and not touch.
But she couldn't.
She ended up not just touching it, but landing full force on it and getting very messy.

Sin is like that.
It tempts us.
It calls us.
It pulls us.
We can't resist.

We can be innocently going about things as normal but then we see something that looks enticing.
Something appealing or interesting.
And we have to look.
We hear a voice saying "Watch your step!" and we try to heed. But it's such a strong pull and we can be so weak.
And we inch closer.
We play the same mind games, "How close can I get to the fire?"
But just like Lydia, far too often we end up with our feet firmly planted in the middle of mess.
Oh, we didn't mean to. But it just sorta happened. And there we are.
If only we would have just stayed away instead of danced with the flame.
We don't think the fire can get us but eventually we let our guard down just enough. And in that moment, we slip.
The flame shots out  and we get scorched.
We get careless and forget to watch what we are doing or where we are going. Just for a second. But in that second, Satan pushes us in. And we find ourselves where we shouldn't be.
Sometimes we are even shocked we are there because after all, we were just looking!
How wise the voice that tells us to just stay completely away.

Last night, I picked up my messy, poop covered, crying little girl and took her to the hose.
I calmed her down and hosed her off.
Then, I made it a teachable moment.
We talked about temptation, sin and basically all I just wrote about.
I had no idea how much she comprehended but it was too good a lesson to miss.

This morning, while Lydia was playing I swept the kitchen floor.
It was filthy.
The result of playtime outside, dinner last night, breakfast this morning and high traffic.
(Sometimes I feel like that floor is always dirty and no matter how often I sweep I am always amazed at how much dirt there is!)
I had a nice mound of dirt all piled high. Lydia saw it and started inching closer.
Closer and closer she came.
I told her "Don't touch the pile."
She stopped at some invisible line she drew in her head for a bit. And then she leeeeaaannned her body closer. She stood up again and sorta circled the pile.
Then she stopped and looked at me.
"It's really hard not to, Mom." She said.
She stayed planted in one spot and just stared. But she didn't come closer.
Then she turned and walked away.
She came back a few minutes later when I had just finished sweeping the pile into the dustpan.
I deposited the dirt in it's new home and put the dustpan away.
As Lydia turned to go back to her play I heard her say, "Phew, I did it! I didn't touch it!"

There will be many piles of temptation in Lydia's life.
There are always going to be temptations in our life.

I pray that Lydia will be stronger and stronger to stay away and that there will be more "I did it!", victory over temptation moments, than "I got too close." moments.
I pray that lessons learned now will stay with her and help her in the future, like it did today.
But I know she'll slip. I know that all of us sometimes do.
Sometimes we'll get messy.
Praise the Lord that God is there to clean us up just like I was there with hose in hand for Lydia.
Praise the Lord for mercy. For forgiveness.
But Dear Lord, give us strength to not just dodge the piles of poop in our lives, barley missing them, but help us to stay far enough away that there is no danger of falling in and getting messy and hurt from the flame.


In the book "Victory Over The Darkness" by Neil T. Anderson, he gives an example of just that concept from a "Cathy" cartoon stip.

Frame 1: I will take a drive, but I won't go near the grocery store.
Frame 2: I will drive by the grocery store, but I will not go in.
Frame 3: I will go in the grocery store, but will not walk down the aisle where the candy is on sale.
Frame 4: I will look at the candy, but not pick it up.
Frame 5: I will pick it up, but not buy it.
Frame 6: I will buy it, but not open it.
Frame 7: Open it, but not smell it.
Frame 8: Smell it, but not taste it.
Frame 9: Taste it, but not eat it.
Frame 10: Eat, eat, eat, eat, eat!
Source- Victory Over The Darkness. Neil T. Anderson. Page 163

Makin' Mud

With the birds singing in the tree above us, the slightly cool spring breeze gently blowing our hair; Lydia and I sat under the shade of the brand new leaves as they clothed the branches in their new spring clothing.
Big leaves and still growing, just bloomed out "baby" leaves surrounded us.
Beautiful.
The tree in our front yard is one of our favorite spots.
It's a place were much fun is had.
Picnics, playtime, talking, reading, singing, learning, cloud watching...it's all done there.
It's a fun place to play and in the heat of the summer it provides lots of shade.
We also like to lay on our backs or rest our backs against the trunk and just stare up into the tree.
It's a great view.
The beauty of nature in our own front yard.
Since it is so big and shady, one thing it doesn't have is grass. The area of ground underneath that tree is pretty much just dirt.


So that's what Lydia and I were doing yesterday sitting under that tree.
We played in the dirt.
We dug and played and talked and laughed and got real dirty.
We spent about an hour there in one spot.
Both of us loved it!

I found out that even as an adult, playing in the mud is great!
In fact, there is something positively relaxing and calming about it.
We had a pretty busy day yesterday morning and the time in that dirt was peaceful and fun.
When we went in for dinner I was refreshed (at least in spirit but certainly not my skin and clothes) and serene.
I told Vince I think I found a new stress reliever!
My advice to you- next time life gets crazy, go make mud pies!

Here's to lots of dirt filled days!

Signs of Spring

Perched

Saturday night is popcorn night at our house. It's becoming tradition.
Apparently, this is now the preferred seating arrangement for popcorn eating.

Looks comfy.

Good To Know

 

 

 

We just purchased a new pizza pan.

I don't usually read the instructions that come with cookware but for some reason I did this time.

Sooooo glad I did.

If I hadn't, I would never have known about the harm making a pizza could cause a poor little bird.

 

I think this goes right up there with most random instruction guide info I've seen.

And I have to admit it made me laugh that someone cared enough about bird life to feel the need to address this issue in the product care section but I learned something- so now I know.

I have been warned.

 

Who would have thought.

 

Huh.



Lost And Found

Today I lost my brain.

Not the one that rattles around in my head. You can't lose that which you do not possess.
That one doesn't always work very accurately so I don't rely on that one too much. Some would suggest that I lost at least the memory section of that brain long ago so I have learned it cannot be trusted. Others would agree.
Today, however, I lost my other brain. The one I do rely on.

I have a blue notebook with a big sticker on the front that says "My Brain".
I have it labeled so that no one accidently throws it away or places it somewhere where it can't be quickly found and utilized. It is my external memory. The contents of my brain on paper.
Scary!

Inside are the scribbles and scratches, mental notes and lists and other random markings that have had their beginnings inside Brain One and were quickly transferred to Brain Two so as not to be lost forever in the cobwebby recesses of unreliable Brain One.
There is no rhyme or reason to the contents of the book.
No organization of any kind.
On one page there may be 3 or 4 different parts with thoughts, notes or lists and none of them connect in any way. No connecting of the dots on these pages!

If anyone were to pick "My Brain" up and start reading, I'm sure they'd be confused and wonder at all the randomness.
But it is the very randomness and scattered-ness that makes it so hard for Brain One to keep up, thus making it necessary to have Brain Two.
Without Brain Two some days would be so scattered, I would be hard pressed to figure out what my next step should be.
Without the aid of Brain Two, I wouldn't remember the things that need to be remembered. Lists. I need lists. Brain Two is great at lists!

But today something went wrong.
I put my trustworthy brain down somewhere, walked away and went on about my day.
Then I needed my brain and it was no where to be found.
Brain One, being it's unreliable self, let me down. It didn't remember where Brain Two was.
It was scary being without a brain. I didn't know what to do next!

Thankfully, I did find my brain. It was in a safe place just waiting for me.
I picked it up, looked inside, found what I was supposed to be doing and went happily back to my work. Glad my reliable brain was close at hand again.

I wonder if I should take note in "My Brain" about safe and unsafe places to lay it down so I will remember where it is at all times.

Some people carry their brain in their head. I carry mine in my hand. It's handy that way, really! ;)


Some random samplings from "My Brain"-

• Blog Post Ideas
• Things To Research
• Menu For Next Week
• Prayer Lists
• Lessons From The Day and Biblical Application
• Plans For A Garage Sale
• Quotes I've heard
• Funny Things Lydia Says
• Thoughts In My Head
• Chore Lists
• Things I Absolutely Cannot Forget
• Things I've Forgotten That Really Need To Be Taken Care of Now
• Shopping Lists
• To Do's
• Ideas For Things To Do With Lydia
• Redecorating Ideas
• Random Creative Ideas

And on and on

The Birdies In The Tree Tops

Dear Birds-
Thank you for your song.
It is beautiful.
Sweet songs of praise to the One who created you.
I needed the reminder that I am to sing praises to the One who created me every day.

Let's sing!

 

Praise the Lord!
For it is good to sing praises to our God;
For it is pleasant, and praise is beautiful.
Psalm 147:1
 

 

A Pleasing Aroma

My bedroom smells like toasted (burnt?) flax.
Seems like a funny thing for a bedroom to smell like, right?
I blame my mother in law.
She got me totally and completely addicted (in a good way) to the wonderful invention of homemade flax seed stuffed heating pads. I use them every night. I have to have them now.
I put them in the microwave and nuke the life out of them every night before bed.
They give off a lovely aroma and I know it's ready.
I reach in, grab my warm and toasty bundle and wrap around it.
Ahhhhhhh.
I go upstairs, crawl into bed and sigh a great big happy sigh.
It. is. the. best!
But the smell, although wonderful, is getting strong in my room. When you walk in, you immediately think....FLAX!
Well, okay, not everybody would think that.
Okay, probably no one but me.
But it's better than air fresheners!
See, one more added benefit of the ever so wonderful, comforting, amazing flax seed bag.
If I could, I'd give every one of my friends one.
It would be a great sign of love.
My mother in law gave me mine. She most really love me!

With all the happiness that this little bag gives, there really is no downside.
Well, maybe just one. But it's very minor.
It heats the whole bed and not just me.
Apparently, or so I'm told by a certain someone, IT HALF COOKS the other person in bed.
MAKES THEM SWEAT IN WINTER!
*shake head in sympathy*
Oh well, a half cooked other person is worth it for my comfort and joy. :)
Wouldn't you agree?

Dancing in the Raindrops

It's wet and cold outside my window today.
Gloomy and soggy.
I cradle my steaming cup of coffee, look out and try not to outwardly sigh.
Rainy weather seems altogether more dreary when the trees are still barren and the ground is still void of color.
It's just not a very pretty sight.

Spring sure is taking awhile to get here.
It seems we are in a holding pattern. A nasty, tiring, waiting time.
Will Spring come?
Or will the cold, wet, lifeless world stay?

The cold rain splatters against the window and mocks the part of me that is screaming to be outside.
"It's Spring!" I think. "We should be outside." I should be in flip flops!

But then, once again, God convicts my attitude.
He whispers to me. "Be still. Be content with what I choose to bring. Find the blessing in the moment."
In other words, don't spend time waiting for what you think is the ideal, take what you are given and go with it-use it.

And so I pause and mentally switch gears.
I take a breath, look outside again and begin to pray.

"Lord, thank you for this window. It is showing me the world You created, I can stand inside my warm home, sheltered from the cold and rain, but still see it. Seeing what you create is a way to see Your hand, to see Your creativity and Your majesty. To see Your power and goodness displayed.
Help me, Lord, to see Your goodness in this rain and cold.
Help me to understand that it is only in rain, in the dreariness that the flowers grow.
And we love flowers! We love the vibrant colors. We love the new life it represents as each blossom grows and pushes it's way up through the cold, hard ground.
Help me to be like the flowers, Lord! To bloom and flourish and display your vibrant color- even when it's cold and rainy.
Thank you for today. Thank you for the rain. Thank you for the beauty that comes after the rain. In the world outside my window and in my soul."

It is the result of rain that makes the cold and gloomy sky, not just bearable, but pleasing.
Rain produces beauty. Rainbows, flowers, a green and lively world.
Without it, our world would look barren indeed. Certainly not a very pretty sight.

Thank you for the rain, Lord! It is providing what is needed for growth and sustained life.
Thank you for the times of rain in my life! It is providing what I need for growth and sustained life.
It is the only way for me to break from the cold, dead complacency of life and bloom into the beauty God desires of my soul. Without it, I too would stay tucked away in the ground and never grow to my potential in Christ.

The choice is mine. Do I sit idle and wait for the sun? Or do I lift my hands like shaky petals to the sky, ready to receive what is needful from the Father who knows what I need more than I do?
If I sit around and complain because the moment isn't what I prefer, I miss out on what God wants from me in that moment. I miss out on learning what He wants me to learn and I miss out on giving glory to Him. If I wait to live and enjoy life at a better time I miss a blessing now and not only now, but I might miss out on the glorious result that God intended the imperfect moments to produce, if I'm not willing to use the moment as it was designed for in my life.

Lord, help me to see beyond-
the raindrops to the rainbow
the bleak to the beautiful
the gloomy to the glorious

To see it all as from your hand. And that it is all good.

Doesn't that make you want to go dance in the rain?