Ahhh, another one of those great little moments! I'm working on this post and Matilda is softly swishing in the background, happily washing the dishes in her new home. I love it when you hook everything up and things work the way they're supposed to the first time. We finally figured out where poor Matilda was damaged. The threads were stripped on the screw used to level the front of the dishwasher. All she needed was a wooden leg! My hero of a husband quickly measured, cut a block of wood to fit under the leg and PRESTO, she was all better! Thank you Dear!

Another one of my thousand little moments for the day was when we were driving in town today. (No, we're not in town every day, it just seems like it!) Joelle had heard us speak of the escapades of her sleep-walking sister over breakfast this morning. She must have been mulling this over for a while because about two hours later, she looks over at the afore mentioned sister and says "You must be EXHAUSTED", and then goes on to explain "that means really, really tired." Good grief! Do other 3 year olds talk this way?


Lord, I can't even begin to express how much I need you, each moment of each and every day. Thank you for loving me, when I'm lovable as well as when I'm not. Lord, please wrap your arms around my children and hold them close to your heart. May they never cease listening for the heartbeat of their Heavenly Father.

"Do not let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith, and in purity." 1 Timothy 4:12

The $40 Dishwasher

I know... I have 4 daughters, 3 of whom are quite capable of washing dishes. The fourth one loves playing with the dishes in the water, but hasn't quite gotten the "wash" part down yet. So why do I want a dishwasher? For the simple fact that once you are used to having one, giving it up can be a little painful. Mine died. We couldn't get the water to drain out of it. (Then we forgot about the water sitting in there, left it closed up for several weeks, opened up the door over the weekend... you know where this is going, don't you?) So, we've been washing by hand which really isn't all that bad. The biggest problem is that I like to have company and throwing all the dishes in the dishwasher means more time spent with family and friends, less time washing dishes.

Since we needed a piece of trim for a project we're working on in the basement, all six of us piled in the van for a trip to Lowes tonight. My dear husband suggested that, while we were there, we should at least look at the dishwashers and see what they had. As soon as we walked in the store I could hear it calling my name. There she was, waiting for me under one of those wonderful, bright yellow signs with the magical word, CLEARANCE! The poor thing was marked as "damaged". We looked her over from top to bottom. Not a mark, scratch or dent anywhere! Just a greatly reduced price tag. Between the reduced price and the generosity of my husband (who donated a gift card he'd been given) my brand new, never been used dishwasher cost about $40.00! You can hear applause from my teenagers, can't you? We pick her up tomorrow.

On another note, the girls and I went swimming at a friend's house this afternoon. On the drive home, Joelle (who is 3) sighed happily in the back set and mused "Wasn't that a stupendous spelling bee competition?" What?! We were at the pool! She's never been to a spelling bee! And where did she pick up the word "stupendous"?

Lord, thanks for the entertainment that a 3 year old provides. Thank you for blessing me with such a wonderful husband and 4 terrific daughters. And thanks for the $40 dishwasher.

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4: 6-7

The hardest part

The hardest part is over. You see, I've been thinking about this blog for months now. Thinking about it, planning what I'd like to talk about, hoping the Lord could use my humble musings.... but nothing ever happened. Why? Because I couldn't do what was, for me, the hardest part.

Come up with a name.

Will I stick with this one? Who knows... for now I like it. It makes me pause and reflect. What will I do with the thousands of little moments I'm given each day? Will my choices bring glory to the Lord? Will they bring joy and laughter to my family? Will I recognize that each moment, each breath, is a gift from the Creator of the universe? Or will my choices show just how self-centered I can be?

Lord, help me remember that each moment is a gift from you. Help me to turn my thousands of little moments into a life worthy of wearing your name.

"May the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer." Psalm 19:14