Here We Are Already

                                          via pinterest                      

Yes, time flies
Things change.                                                                         
Life can blur
Right on the page.

We're a dot
A speck in time.
Risking all
For a dime.

Keep the Faith,
Don't give up
Make great memories
From every drop.

Sing out loud
Thank God you're free
Hold loves hand
While you dance with me.

Because time flies,
Things change.
Life can blur
Right on the page.


A new week is here ready for the taking.  April will soon be no more than a dot on the page.Don't the months seem to fly by even more as we are older and children become 
replicates of us, even though we've willed them not to.
I hope you had a good weekend. The weather was beautiful here.
Sandals appeared,my girls found their flip flops....backyard trampolines were bouncing with kids high on spring fever energy.

Hope your week is off to a pleasant start.... 

the chives in my herb garden are coming along nicely...also mint and a few things that will surprise me...I tend to forget what I've planted  sometimes,so I look forward to being surprised:)










hubby picked up 25 new laying hens for me...
so I'm looking forward to an abundance of eggs....

(I hope I haven't turned you off of eating eggs)

dead things are being removed,
      empty things 
                are waiting


            to be filled.

I head out in my trusty garden shoes....

                        
                         with hope in every step...


555-chickens &eggs,556-watching Les' Miserables..(WOW and WOW)557-Grace and it's awesome power,558-a relaxing Sunday afternoon,559-baptism service at our church,560-walking with friend on Saturday,561-praying for difficult situation she is in,562-wedding invitations...563-laughing at this,,my youngest says"it smells like wet water in here:)

My Kitchens Spring Clean

These last few weeks as time permitted I've been spring cleaning my kitchen.
Such a great feeling to clean and organize cupboards,wash curtains and windows to give this busy space, some needed attention.

                                       this past winter ...

when we put in our new floor I switched the table around,I like the symmetry with the window this way...so simple! why didn't I do this long ago?Now the first thing people say is " You switched your table." (Yes, AND we changed the floor:)

Yes, the kitchen IS the heart of the home....so much happens here. Love and it's labours are poured out here. It welcomes us with it's cozy charms after a long day.
As I thought about the kitchen being the heart 
I decided the heart is like the kitchen as well. 
The heart is central to the body and all we do, see, and hear is filtered through this main corridor.
 Quiet reflections and boisterous gatherings, love and it's expressions or anxiety and strife can take up residence in this chamber which is ours to design.
                                                                   

         and this angle..I'd LIKE a stainless steel refrigerator someday, but I know there are more      important things in life than having matching appliances....RIGHT?

I take care of my kitchen, cleaning up at the end of a busy day spent  making meals to serve my family and friends.
My heart needs cleaning up too at times...it can feel cluttered with unnecessary items that don't benefit anyone. 

                             

So as I clean up my kitchen and admire it's quiet charm, I pray for a heart that matches in perfect symmetry.

                                         

   
                     http://www.adelightsomelife.com/2013/04/home-and-garden-thursday-21.html



544-clean kitchen at present,545-beautiful messes,546-daughter home again,547-rhubarb pie...so good,548-watching the Bible on DVD,549-memories always being made,550-great day shopping in Toronto on the weekend,551-riding my bike again,552-cleaning up yard,553-daughter's who encourage me,554-spring arriving ever so slow but sure....

Twenty Years Ago...Life Was Different...

in lieu of my daughter's recent birthday I had a wee stroll back to that day when she was wee, and I was a new mommy...

I looked at this rolled up bundle and knew again I had not created her.

She was herself apart from me.She had her own life to lead,her own destiny to accomplish;she just came past me to this earth. My job was to get her to adulthood and then push her off.

(excerpt from the book Kindred Hearts by Debra Evans)

Twenty years ago my life was changed irrevocably. I became a mother.

Does any other one single event change you quite like becoming a mother does?

I was ecstatic, and frightened, elated, yet paralysed with fear.

Somehow I grew into motherhood, and found it to be the most rewarding and exhausting pursuit ever.

Recently when my daughter turned twenty, I wrote her a letter.

In it, I thanked her for all she taught me; because if there is one thing I have learned from being a mother it is that you are never done learning, and for all that we teach our children, I think they teach us more than we teach them.

Virtues such as patience, compassion,grace, forgiveness,strength  are so often found most clearly through an innocent child.

                                 

 So when I came across this book on my shelf the other week, I began reading it. It was one I had never read and I find myself encouraged by the practical wisdom and thoughts.

My heart's desire is to be my daughters' mother and friend.This book is a look at achieving this in a balanced way.

She also dispels the notion of a perfect mother/daughter relationship as something that will never be this side of heaven, even though we may idealize some pairs to be. This reminded me of a conversation I had with my two oldest girls some years ago when I was tucking them into bed. We were discussing my mothering and my oldest put it this way..."well, you're not a perfect mom, but you're a good mom."

I recall not being sure if I should laugh or cry, but now it makes me smile, I'll take it...I've given up on attaining perfection here on this earth. I want my girls to know I am human that I fail and it is only by God's grace that any of us can love.

                                                                                                                               

              At each point of a child's life they leave us by degrees,and we     must learn to give them again into God's hands. (Karen Burton Mains)


                          

Rain, Radio and Rice Cakes

The rain pulses a steady rhythm as I race to my van after bringing in the groceries and putting them away.I am on my way to pick up my daughter. Somehow two, whole school years have passed and now it is time for the final voyage.
I go back through my mind over two years ago when her and I set out to the 'big city' almost a two hour drive away. She wanted to see the school and write her entrance exam. I recall the trepidation as I wrestled with all the emotions of letting go.
Now two years later....I still wrestle. Yes, it may have gotten somewhat easier but at times I feel the anxiety of all that I cannot change or control.

                            

I think a mother's heart strings are elastic. They need to expand and shrink so many times throughout the years.As time goes on and life brings change;
 the elastic stretches to accommodate the accompanying emotions. As each child strains toward independence, the heartstrings now used to stretching do so with more ease and grace. In this time of stretching the heart learns it can expand and open to possibilities once thought beyond its realm. The heart finds a new, comfortable place within this constant stretching of strings. 
A peace in all circumstances is a fine trade off for feeling in control of hopes, wishes and dreams.




rain-soothes my spirit,music -speaks to my heart,rice cakes- comfort my stomach:)

the drive I made almost weekly to pick up my daughter is a metaphor for the journey it was....beautiful,long,and stretching...

 Life is constant transit 
towards tomorrow and through today....









my oldest is finished college...she took a two year veterinary technician program...now comes the fun part of finding work!

                             

          and Happy Twentieth Birthday...as well. 
              so much to celebrate.....

A Special Brew

      recipe for a happy day...             

                         Steep fully
                           

                             in the present           

                                                                       

                             and savor,
        
                           

entwining

each sip slowly  
















                           around your heart....
                                    

           You have made us for yourself, and our heart is restless
till it rests in You. Who will grant me to rest content in You? To whom shall I turn for the gift of coming into my heart, so that I may forget all the wrong I have done, and embrace You alone,
                          my only good. Saint Augustine~

         

530-morning quiet time,531- clean windows,532-barbecuing burgers,533-music,534-piano notes,535-Sunday worship,536-learning always learning,537-cleaning up yard,538-son feeling better today,539-people who drop in to say Hi,540-peace about the unknown,541-exciting engagement announcement,542-great weather for hubs to take motor cycle to work,543-laundry flapping.

Focusing Forward

                                                                   
                                             
                                                  Help me hold on while I let go,
                                             Heart don't break the memory flow.
                                                   Help me surrender,without giving up
                                                As I hold out life's transient cup.
                                            Help me keep my weary eyes peeled
                                      To the horizons beyond,which will be revealed. 
                                                Help me breathe HOPE,over what's here;
                                            The vast unknown, and tenacious fear.
                                                    Help me hold on ,while I let go
                                            Heart don't break the memory flow. ~L`M~

           some day we will dance with the angels...
             my heart was with anyone grieving today.

Significant Sentiments

Sisters: I really can't think of anything to share that would be more appropriate for My Favorite Thing

The sister I'm sharing with you is, among other things...
- a consummate poet;Read her work here...
-a mother to four great kids...all who are within months of my own.....(we honestly did not plan that, but God is good:)
-a devoted wife to a truck driver husband,
-a  lover of the Lord.

Well recently when I had a birthday she blessed me as she has so many times in the past with a gift that is just what I like...

So I started thinking over the past birthdays and decided I'd share some of the gifts I received from her...

My prayer for you is that you too have a sister like mine or someone who is like a sister to you, they really do make life's load  lighter and the journey brighter...
                                            green vase- love the color

warm ways to make a house a home...

 books...
she knows I love
them....



poetry is a good addition to 
any library....

here is the biggest,creative card I've ever seen...

our girls...    sigh-     sorry.

                                       tin signs and pail...

a perfect 
gift is both 
B
E
A
U
T
I
F
U
L   

USEFUL 

and  a wee bit 
whimsical.....




                                                                    
                                                            mug and journal                       

and I treasure this little vintage trunk on my mantel...

I see the picture behind it is a mirror of sorts...

like my sister we are one another's mirror too at times,

our perception is our own- as it should be,

another gift we have to treasure.

and the very best gift from a sister is the gift of herself

a very special wonder.

I prepared this post earlier this week....before the ice storm hit and power was out.now I guess it'll be a surprise for my sister when she is back to her computer...tee heee:)

thanks Claudia for hosting http://mockingbirdhillcottage.com/

View From An Ice Storm

When I wake up and realize the house is dark,and that the automatic coffee perk is not bubbling its usual brew,the furnace is silent, not radiating warmth, I decide there's nothing like crawling back into a warm bed, pulling the covers high and waiting for the storm to pass.
My youngest see this as an opportunity for adventure, and I hear them scuttle back and forth as they decide to have breakfast in bed.Eventually I join the rest of my world, we snap pictures, call a few people to make sure they're okay, and hunker down for an impromptu,pioneer style day.

The world seems stunted into silence when there is no electricity.
I talk about this with the kids as we eat eggs and toast.(thanks to a gas stove)
"It seems like I can't do anything", one says.
"Yes", I say "we are hanging by a thread it seems."I think to myself it's scary how fragile that thread feels at times. How life comes to a grinding halt when there's no electricity.
"But God has promised He'll take care of us", my son says
"Yes", I respond quietly. "He has".
                       

                                  

It is good to ponder how glibly I live at times. It is good to gather round a table with my children and burn candles with conversation that seems so minuscule but ever so deep. I don't know what any of them will live to see, nor how many technological advances will be made, but for now I am grateful for time spent together during an ice storm commiserating, appeasing and appreciating.











   the clothesline, ensconced 

Today this area was hit with a huge ice storm causing wide spread power outages, ours came back on ,but some people are still out almost 24 hours later...

518- shelter from the storm,519-happy kids, 520-prayers for others still out,521-electricity every other day,522-feet running down the hall,523-the Holy Word,524-safety out tonight,525-watching an amusing play,526-reading poetry with the kids while power was out,527-cleaning my kitchen cupboards earlier this week,528-the unknown,( so good we can't see around the bend.)529-sharing our space today.

My Thoughts After Seeing The Film; Finding Kind

                                                           
                       
sobering,  heavy,  thought provoking,  heart breaking,
                           insightful, funny,
disappointing,  deep,  sad,  touching,  lonely,  grim,

These are the words that resonated in my mind today after watching the film 
Finding Kind. A brilliant documentary on the long, and far reaching consequences, of meanness and bullying among school age girls and an attempt at curing it with kindness.
My youngest, and the other girls in her grade along with the grade above her, joined about eight hundred other girls/teachers and supervisors to see the film. It was moving,especially to see the way it touched the girls, as we really could all relate at some point in our lives, to the topic. It went as far as to mention our thoughts, and how at times those can be less than kind.(guilty!)

But as I pondered the message of these two lovely girls, and I applaud their efforts, my heart knows kindness on our own strength will be flat and futile.
( I thought this especially as I talked with the teacher after, and she said she wishes their was something she could do with the kids to get the message to stick.)
Meanness is nothing new. It started back in the Bible days, and has carried on throughout generations. I thought about my Bible study I did in the book of Esther. In the one video Beth Moore talks about mean girls and the harm they inflict.
                     Meanness always has a history.  ( Beth Moore)

So as I contemplate, instead of feeling fearful and helpless; I pray we will be more, than just kind on our own, I pray we will be compassionate, and that people will see the love of the only truly perfectly kind God, radiating through me and you.

                  Watch a great video by Beth Moore here..



                           and another one here...






http://www.openbible.info/topics/being_mean

And be kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another,
even as God for Christ's sake, has forgiven you. Ephesians 4 :32

                                     

Today's Exposition

You have let me experience the joys of life and the exquisite pleasures of your own eternal presence...Psalms 16:11
isn't that a wonderful verse? I love it! Hoping your week is off to a great start and you experience what that verse is saying...

my most recent addition to my front porch, wish we could sit and chat...

and I would serve some of this egg cheese...delicious with sweet maple syrup!

hope
is 
stirring
the
earth.
new life
is
persisting
a
place....













still counting gifts...
501-a new gratitude journal,502-gifts from sisters,503-tea parties,504-egg cheese(thanks Dar.)505-trees,506-the smell of rain,507-grocery stores,508-mud that dries for easier clean up,509-robins,510-driving-I find it cathartic,511-family movie time,512-newspaper and coffee,513-lips,514-girls adding things to my list of thanks,515-safety on the road,516-being the first to arrive,(this is rare)517-the sound of the door opening when someone comes home....

Listening To The Clouds

     as I drove to pick up my daughter the other day I found myself enthralled with the clouds. so I wanted to share and hope you see every cloud in your life as a treasure.
There's something about clouds...
A sky with clouds ...
dreamy,whimsical, fluffy, feel good clouds.

Don't get me wrong,
I like the sun and it's very important role in the solar system.

          But clouds   SPEAK.   They FEEL.  They KNOW.

Clouds  move through the sky with dignity, grace and a stoic sense of who they are and what they've been created for.

True to their Creator they enhance the skies they dwell in.
So we who turn and gaze at heaven's beauty can marvel  but REMAIN MYSTIFIED.

                        and dream beyond the clouds.

Clouds floated freely

in this bedroom for a while until girls grew bigger and moved away from clouds.(too bad I don't have a picture of the charming fairy and floral wallpaper they are removing..)

also visit....

http://mockingbirdhillcottage.com/