Seeking and Seeing

What do we do on a scorching hot end-of-summer day, when tempers are reflecting temperature? 
A 2-month string of days with 100+ on the thermometer gets to us all eventually. 
When it's too hot to garden, or play outside, or hike, or well, most any of the things we normally do when we are tired of being inside-  we head to one of our favorite places to see what beauty we can discover.


A space with fans blowing cool, moist air, lots of green ...



fountains! 



trays and trays of crazy beauty- some lovely, some beautiful by virtue of downright weirdness!



And what do my beautiful beauty-seekers choose from the myriad of offerings (for you know we must bring home a plant or two)? 



Living Stones (lithops)

Of all the plants, not only in the greenhouse but outside, my children choose these because they look like stones (another of their favorite collectible items). 

Amazing, this God of ours.
We go hunting for relief from the heat, a change of scenery, some new living thing for the home; and in our searching we find what we really need, the one thing that will bring the refreshment we are seeking, true beauty-  Him.

For there He is- right there in that tiny plant, just waiting for us to see Him:

⁴As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, ⁵ you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. ⁶For it stands in Scripture:

"Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone,
a cornerstone chosen and precious,
and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame."
1 Peter 2:4-6 (ESV)

He is there, wherever you may be today. 
Take a moment to really look ... seek and ye shall find. 


Another of our favorite places we visited yesterday- oh the loveliness of all that yarn ... so many ideas (but that's another post)! 

Love Lessons

The giving of love is an education in itself.  ~ Eleanor Roosevelt
 
Those words appeared in my Quote of the Day widget this morning and seem very fitting.
 
Loving others is an ongoing educational theme in our family.  We love others because the LORD compels us to do as He did. 
We love others even when it is hard, messy, inconvenient or costly.  Serving the homeless, the poor, the outcasts of society is seldom easy, neat, convenient or cost-free.  But it is necessary.
We love those many deem unloveable because He loves them and wants to love them through us. 
 
Recently we've had to show our children that even when those we love (and at one time appeared to love us) do not treat us with either love or respect, we must still love and respect them.  And these painful  lessons come not from reaching out, but right inside our church family, where  Love One Another should be the standard.  Sadly, we've had more conversations with our children lately about how we are to respond when others in the church don't act in a godly, loving manner, than those centered on how to reach out in love to those who don't yet know Christ.  We are open and honest about these issues because we want our children to see that just like in our own family, when issues arise they must be dealt with, but always in love.  We love because He loves us, bottom line.  Even when it is hard, messy, inconvenient, and heart-breaking.  We pray, we talk, we cry, we pray more, and we love ... and we keep on loving no matter what. 
 
How do you teach "love lessons" in your family? 
 

Great Outdoor Challenge ~ Girlies on the Grass

Girlies enjoying the soft springtime grass ...



After spending hours turning cartwheels, flips and other acrobatic acts, these 2 decided to take a break in between the tilled areas of the community garden.  We snapped photos of the wildflowers in bloom in this spot which I will post later ... for now, we should get outdoors before the rains come! 

Visit 5 Orange Potatoes for more on the Great Outdoors Challenge !

Springtime Sweetness

Is there anything sweeter, than ...

chubby baby fingers grasping the first Dandelion of the season? 

Maybe this:

Yummmm... dandelions are tasty, too. 

Happy Spring! 

A Simple Shell

Pilgrimage into Prayer...

(Girls dancing on the beach as the sun rose...3 years have passed, but they still greet each day with singing and often dancing!)

Pondering these words from Gift from the Sea...

I mean to lead a simple life, to choose a simple shell I can carry easily- like a hermit crab. But I do not. I find that my frame of life does not foster simplicity.

I find that sometimes I take on more than I can carry easily...it is not hard to do in today's world, is it? There are so many good, worthwhile things to do.

When I notice myself (and my family) struggling under the weight of my "shell" it is time to do some unloading of excess baggage and simplify life a little.

As the hermit crab seeks out a new shell when his no longer fits, I may have to remove things and rearrange my life so that it almost seems that I have a "new shell", too. A life that fits my frame (and my family's)...a frame that can only handle so much, since I am (we are), after all... "just dust"! For He Himself knows our frame; He is mindful that we are but dust. Psalm 103:14

It takes time...this soul searching and prayer that I must do in order to adjust my life to align with His Will. I may find it needful to retreat into my own shell for a little while...and just sit at His feet and listen. But, when I pray and wait, seek His counsel and His path for me...my life, my shell, becomes easy to carry...for His yoke is easy and His burden light (Matthew 11:30).

Then, there will be time for the important things...like greeting the sunrise with a dance on the beach.

I always come back to these words:

But the Lord answered and said to her, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things; but only one thing is necessary, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her." Luke 10:41-42

The ability to simplify means to eliminate the unnecessary so that the necessary may speak. ~Hans Hofmann

What is the necessary saying today?

(4 year-old Cana, offering Mommy a shell...She still collects shells for me, even though she's 7 now!)

Lord, give me ears to hear and eyes to see You today...in the little things, like a sunrise dance on the beach, or the gift of a shell from the hands of my child. As I spend time with You in prayer...sitting at Your feet; show me what is necessary this day. Help me create a shell that fits...for their sake as much as mine.

More on Courage

Courage does not always roar. It is sometimes a quiet voice at the end of the day saying, "I will try again tomorrow." ~ Mary Anne Radmacher

This quote has been on my sidebar for quite some time; not sure where I found it, but it immediately spoke to me, so I posted it there as a reminder...for myself.

I am not an outspoken, roaring-type person, in most cases...Well, unless you are "family" (which includes those dear friends who have become the "family of my heart"), then watch out! But, for the most part, I tend to be peaceful and quiet.

Roaring will only be heard on those rare days that the children have driven me to complete distraction, and made this home educating Mom just a tad bit crazy! One roar from Mom will shock us all into reality, and send me to the Father's throne for forgiveness and a new attitude.

I believe it takes courage to say, "I'm sorry, please forgive me." to those you've roared at; and then determine in your heart to try again. It takes courage, because this Mom business is hard. It is a blessing, a joy, and so many other good and wonderful things...but some days it is just hard. It is hard to guide wayward souls who are in an "independent frame of mind" at the moment, hard to keep little hands and minds occupied with worthwhile tasks and thoughts; hard to cook, and clean, and do all of the little tasks that are necessary to keep a home functioning properly...hard to even think about tackling that mountain of laundry known around here as Mt. Washmore!

On those days that I find it all simply "too hard" and end up sounding like an angry lioness, rather than a woman with the teaching of kindness on her tongue (Prov. 31:26), I find myself turning to the Bible for encouragement. One of my favorite passages of scripture is Matthew 11:28-30, and I love what it says in the Amplified version:
Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy-laden and overburdened, and I will cause you to rest. [I will ease and relieve and refresh your souls.]
Take My yoke upon you and learn of Me, for I am gentle (meek) and humble (lowly) in heart, and you will find rest (relief and ease and refreshment and recreation and blessed quiet) for your souls.
For My yoke is wholesome (useful, good--not harsh, hard, sharp, or pressing, but comfortable, gracious, and pleasant), and My burden is light and easy to be borne.

After a time of prayer and a few minutes of soaking in the refreshing, life-giving Word of Life, I am (in)couraged. I am ready to get back to the business (busyness) and blessing of being a Mom, knowing I can face the hard times without roaring, because He has given me the courage to try again!