The story behind the picture

I think I must be a visual person. There are several blogs with content that really speaks to me, but I tend to find myself frustrated when I'm reading them. I read old posts, click lots of links, always looking for something... It finally hit me, I really want to know what these people look like and they don't have any photos of themselves. I'm not the best with names, but I usually don't forget a face. After contemplating this for a few minutes, I had a DUH moment. Aren't I the pot calling the kettle black? I tend to run from cameras, duck behind other people, and generally avoid having my picture taken. I think I learned it from my mom. She was always hiding from the camera. When she passed away suddenly, I decided to make a picture collage for the memorial service. I had to search high and low to find a handful of prints that I could use. Anyway, I decided to start smiling and stop running. I don't want my children to someday regret that there aren't any photos of their mother, and even more so, I don't want them to pick up the habit from me. So, today, the camera and I had an appointment. I found a beautiful tree outside in the courtyard, turned the camera on myself, and smiled. Some looked fake, some only caught half of my face, and some of them were absolutely hilarious, just ask Emily. Finally, one popped up on the screen and Emily said "That's it." When I asked her why she said, "It just looks like you." So, there you have it. It was easy, painless, and even a little fun. And for any visual people out there, this is me:

I have succombed...

Well, it's finally happened... I have a facebook. Kate decided I needed one today so she set up an account for me. It's been very interesting finding classmates from 20 years ago, friends that I've lost touch with. I can see how it could become a great time-waster.
I told myself that once the garden was done I would begin blogging. Well, the garden is empty, the canning shelves and freezer are full, and I have no more excuses. We'll see if I can do a better job of keeping up with this.
What I'd really like to do is use this space to keep up with what I've been studying in Scripture. Right now I'm in the book of Colossians. It's so easy to just read over a passage, letting my mind wander (wonder?) the whole time, get to the end and be no better enlightened than I was when I began. But, lately, it seems like Colossians has me by the throat. I'm not nearly as grammatically minded as my eldest, however, I've been struck by all the "God/verb" combinations. It's truly amazing what the Lord has done for us. He rescued, brought, created, is, reconciled, has chosen, gave, raised, made you alive, forgave, canceled, nailed, disarmed, triumphed... on and on it goes.

Oops... need to go, two kids calling for mom.

This is harder than I thought

I really didn't think it would be this hard to keep up with a blog! Maybe it's because I put too much pressure on myself to be witty and entertaining, thinking that each blog post must be inspirational. My daughter Emily stated a blog of her own at the same time I did and is far better at it than I am. She was so excited when her blog had a button to "see older posts". She's my blogging inspiration. So, here you go Emily! I've finally posted again.
Hopefully when all the green beans, tomatoes, corn, apples...etc. are put away for the winter, it will be easier to blog more.

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