The Importance of Reading the Instruction Manual

"Father, I ask for Your work in our friendships.  Changes will come, Father, as families move, as our children are involved in different interests and different friendships, as we go through seasons of intense busyness and stress.  First, Father, do everything in Your power (and show us where we can help) to strengthen the marriages.  

Among the friends and families that we get to share some of life with, BUILD STRONG MARRIAGES.  As a whole, convict and inspire us to show the world a large group of excellent marriages.  Where our reactions and habits are to get angry, remind us to be slow to anger, slow to speak, quick to listen.  Remind us that love is patient, kind, not envying or boasting, arrogant or rude.  Love does not demand its own way, and it isn't irritable or resentful.  Love does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but it does rejoice with the truth.  Love bears all things.  Love believes, hopes, and endures all things.  LOVE NEVER ENDS.  

Love (like You love) never ends, and yet always, always, our marriages are under attack in those particular areas, and we just take it for granted that it's OK to treat each other in these ways (because under everything, he knows I love him, right?).  But it's not OK!  

The desire of Your heart, Father, is that we would know You better because of our marriages.  It is one of Your gifts to us, and every good and perfect gift comes from You.  No gift is fully good or fully perfect, though, unless we use and enjoy it as intended, following the gift's instruction manual, so to speak.  And for our marriages, Father, You've detailed the instructions.  Humble us, no matter our personalities, to follow Your instructions in our marriages, that we might glorify You and know You more perfectly than ever before BECAUSE we are living out our marriages by You, for You, and through You--as one of our gifts to the world."

What a Gift!

 Andy and I just watched a squirrel snack on a peanut butter pine cone (there's only one left hanging from our tree, after the original nine), a robin alight on our front fence to poop, and a deer visiting the violets in the yard across the street.  

For me, it doesn't get any better than to live in a little

village with neighbors and activity all around and to still be in the woods, with creatures and plants and trees and the sound of a waterfall always rushing in the distance. 

What a gift!  Thank You, Father!

The Effects of Sunshine

 The effect of sunshine not only on all of life, but on all of our brains and emotions--the degree to which sunlight is connected to how much HOPE we perceive around us, stomping all over despair--this alone should clue us in to the grand design of the Lord of the universe: we need the sun; we need the Son. 



"For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them.  For His invisible attributes, namely, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made.  So they are without excuse." Romans 1:19-20

All Hail the Conquering Hero

Father, define my perspective today.  This tired, unshowered mommy, who's ever at-risk of being extremely grumpy with her children and who spends way too much time meditating on not only what is bad or disappointing, but what may or may not unfold into something bad or disappointing; this mommy who gets distracted so easily and gives up when she should persevere, and perseveres when she should give up--this mommy, ME, NEEDS YOU to invade and transform her perspective.  

Because, 

"NO, in all these things we are MORE THAN CONQUERORS through Him who loves us.  For I am SURE that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord!"  (Romans 8:37-39)

And because

 "I can do ALL things THROUGH CHRIST who gives me strength!" (Phil. 4:13)

Starting Over Again

Yesterday, I filled up the last page of my journal.  I ordered a new one from Amazon last night, but I decided this morning that this "in-between" couple of days would be a great time to write down my Spring Goals for myself.  I discovered last fall that written goals work for me.  I did really well with that list.  I did very poorly with my Winter Goals.  So now it's time to start over fresh.  Here they are, so you are equipped to help keep me accountable to them (but also, as you'll see at the end, to jump-start my goals immediately):

1) Remember fruit.  Explore vegetables.  

2) Get the boys some outside time every day.  You too!

3) Be consistent in planning your weeks: on Sundays (or Saturdays), have the meal plan on the stove hood; keep the calendar more vigilantly; remember to include those involved in your planning.

4) Invite the Gibsons over for dinner.  Begin meeting the neighborhood kids.  

5) Be intentional about activities and projects for the boys.  

6) When enjoying someone else's hospitality, look for ways to serve them.  

7) Try to be clear with others about your expectations, boundaries, etc.  

8) Look for ways to make Quiet Time happen in other parts of the day on weekends, holidays, and "interrupted" days.  

9) Fold and put away laundry within 24 hours of its dry cycle. 

10) Begin to organize all the Stuff for a yard sale, so it's possible to begin clearing out clutter more earnestly.  

11) Along with No. 2, let them get dirty in their play.  Bathtime should be obviously needed more than once a week!

12) Try to blog once a week.  

And there you have it.  Ready, Set, Go!  

Also, incidentally, this is what happens when I try to write three sentences for a blog post (don't be alarmed, it's magic marker.  Also, magic marker is not as washable as they say it is) :

Fooling Myself

Sometimes I say I'm trusting God to take care of things.

But some of those times, what I really mean is I'm not ready to take on the challenge of addressing the real issues, so I'll ignore them.  

Or that I'm bored or discouraged over praying about them, so I'll quit. 

Shoot.  

"Wretched man that I am!  Who will deliver me from this body of death?" Romans 7:24

First Gift

Thank You for
the first little gift of my day--
I chanced to face an eastern window
while glasses slipped into place
and I suddenly beheld a
crystal, golden thumbnail moon
glowing above the sunrise horizon
glowing itself with 
the first pale greens and azures
of the brand new day.
It took my breath away.