Sunday Summer Harvest

*Pictures by Hannah

Through the woods. Even fashionistas will enjoy.

I've always loved it. Sharing it with people I love, is better.

Wanderers, trekkers, outdoorsmen, explorers, navigators.

The trail we blaze.

Run run til we drop.

"Sophie, stop! Wait for us!" x many.

Excitement building. Fishing will begin very soon. Beautiful sparkling-in-the-August-sun water is in view.

What lures will bring them in?

And they are off!

Ah. So lovely. So pretty. I could sit in the silence for a very long time.

Jake fishing.

Oops. Sorry little guy!

Ripples of water. Ben casting a line.

Seriously a beautiful hide-a-way.

Can you see the eagerness?

Summer in all its goldenrodenrod.

The end of the blooms.

The cattails.

A Prayer for Today

He has shown thee oh man what is good and what the Lord requires of thee

Father
when my heart hurts, and I want to retaliate
I trust You to take care of matters that I can't see
in my heart
and others
You see the hidden places
You are working out all things for our good
Remind me to speak words that encourage and point to You
to be honest
to express my faith through love and loving Your truths
to treat others the way I want them to treat me

to do justly

give me right vision to see when love is needed
forgiveness ready to be extended
help for those in a place of need
compassion
to not be a fault-finder
to judge not
to listen
to understand as best I can the pain in another
to turn a cheek


to love mercy


to see life as only a gift given by You
to be quick to listen and slow to speak
to let go of matters too difficult for me to even comprehend
but to yield all areas of my life
my thoughts
my heart
my possessions
right back to You
because as I delight in You, You will give me the desires of my heart
teach me to be excellent at what You say is good
and
to remember evil is overcome with good

to walk humbly with You my God

(bold referencing Micah 6:8)

Amen

Thankful.

pictures by Hannah









1 Thessalonians 5:18 Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.

I know what people think. I've heard them make fun of teachers taking summers off. But see, I live with a hard working teacher. By the time the end of the school year rolls around I notice the frayed edginess. The symptoms of a person with a wick burning hard at both ends are evident, and I recognize the need for a rest.

As a mother, I see it in myself. There gets to be a point when my time with the Lord in worship, prayer, and study is intact, and yet still...the turning wheels come to a halt. Having three voices simultaneously calling to me with equal needs, and there is no way to prioritize equal needs, turns the spigot of my mind and heart wide open. Unless by grace I am refilled, you can talk to me all you want, but I probably won't hear you. I'm not ignoring you. I just can't hear you. If I get upset or worried about something else...forget it. Factory shuts down.

Usually, late at night, when the house is quiet we talk about these things. We talk about feeling like those proverbial ships passing in the night. We talk about our needs to love more, to listen more. We know we need the Lord to refill and refresh us.

Jeremy came home yesterday relating to a Focus on the Family discussion he listened to called Leading on Empty. The author of this book stressed the importance of recognizing our need to pace ourselves, to choose wisely, to take time to be refreshed. It seems obvious, but he pointed out that we forget we are human, and we actually have chemicals in our brains that get released during stressful times. Too many of these chemicals can push a person off the edge. We are human he says.

I hear you, I thought. He knows we are dust. He is gracious and compassionate with us.

And in His kindness and goodness, He leads me beside still waters. Time to listen. Time to reflect. Time to hear His heartbeat. Time to grow. Time to cast my cares.

and then also

time to laugh, time to play, time for sharing heart to hearts, time to love those I am supposed to, more passionately.

It's sound advice. It's good advice. Practically spiritual.

But then, even Paul gave Timothy a little bit of this practical advice for his health.

^{1 Timothy 5:23} Stop drinking only water. Take a little wine to help your stomach trouble and the other illnesses you always have.

A heart's weekly appointment of health rolls along on Mondays. I sit and give thanks for His many gifts.

This week I give thanks for:

• tea parties with Maama and Maddie
• rest found in summer that is not idleness
• Holy Spirit comfort that exists outside of my boxes
• building excitement to see the distribution of the clothing that has been prepared for children
• anniversary of 18 years
• time talking in the car
• reading together
• expressions of love by words. by deed.
  
• teething baby's new teeth
• encouragement to be a builder.
  

"Where your heart is"

"there your treasure will be also" ~Jesus

Life bustles about, and moments of joy sneak in. Sometimes caught by notice...sometimes after the fact. We were supposed to have visited family and fun places to the west, but it didn't happen due to an engine failure and a very scary trip with a full suburban on the back of a tow truck. It was a small victory for my "nerves" as I by choice, laid the moments that were happening into my Father's keeping, and saw small things, that could have been much worse, taken care of, and I knew, I had a loving Father looking out for my family. One of the special things was the love I felt from my immediate family who took 2 vehicles and happy hearts to come and pick us up as we played games on a large plot of grass. I keep joking with my family every day that "this is the best day ever!" but I'm actually trying to teach my kids and my own heart to remember there is good somewhere in each day. I cringe typing this, because I certainly would rather not have that day repeat any time soon ;) ! It has slipped that those moments were *close to the worse* but somewhere, sometime they will bring perspective.

I have had to work a little harder on being thankful this week. And I admit to wasting *energy* on things God hasn't asked me to carry. I've had to notice the "thieves" and give them the boot, so I can fully, more fully, give my heart to the treasures I am to invest in. His priorities are re-listing in my head and heart yet again! Oh how a heart can wander!

SO I am thankful for:

~Grace. Grace that saves me. Grace that regenerates me when I approach the very throne of Grace moment by moment. Morning by morning. Opportunity by opportunity. Crisis by crisis. Ugh....now if I could rest in it better! "oh for grace to trust Him more..."

~the kids who LOVE the gardening that I've done imperfectly, but enjoying the fruit from.

~ beautiful butterflies and thistles that are a such an enjoyment to me as I hang out outside with busy bodies

~Big pumpkins! We aren't usually able to afford those big guys that are for sale at the stands, not to mention providing one for each of the children. this year, our garden grew and is growing one for all of them. What a treat. Not "necessary" but so much appreciated.

~Homegrown tomatoes

~2 year olds, who are so cute as much as they can be little stinkers.

~Jeremy, who loves to cook. Stuffed squash. Thank you Lord for Him and his giving heart.

~ A daughter who catches on to things quickly. Making presents for people.

~The innocent eyes of a little one who enjoys carrying and caring for her baby "Josie." We watch the Duggar show, so it's no surprise that she has named this little one by that name. :)

While the Season Passes

*All pictures by Jeremy See the stickbug???

Adventuring Jeremy (whom I call Indy) has been running about with everyone, being fun, and a little...extreme sportsy! Today they are climbing the tallest mountain in the peaks nearby, while I have stayed behind with the littlest ones. I seem to be the "sender" this summer. All the things I love to do, my family is doing while I have some things I need to do. Doctoring an injury is one of these. But I appreciate all the pictures he has brought home.

We have had family visiting, and some time with friends. The schedule picks up soon because football practices have begun.

These pictures are from the Nose :) I have left out the cliffs. and metal structure.

Bannon and Uncle Joe

*Pictures of the Lake Trip

A trip to a nearby lake was a nice treat. Sand, peaches, sunscreen, water, picnic. It was a wonderful time. Jeremy and Ben played in the water with the kids, and Keila and I sat catching rays, catching up. You know, girls need that. Chance, Cotter and Jake helped build a sand castle with the little guys. I think they had just as much as fun!