daybook ~ April 20

For Today...

April 20, 2015

Outside my window…

The sun is setting on a beautiful day!

It was nice to see the sunshine again.

I am thinking…

about the busy few weeks ahead … rehearsals for 2 plays, and then both performances, final preparations for Lora's dance recital, not to mention the final weeks of co-op classes! I am looking forward to our more relaxed summer schedule!

Counting my blessings…

the opportunity to allow my children to be involved in activities that they love. I've probably said that before … but it truly is a blessing to me.  Especially when I think of the number of hours that adult volunteers put in to make these opportunities possible.

I am wearing…

gray shorts and an 

Operation Christmas Child t-shirt.

I am creating…

plans for items to crochet for my friend's

first grandchild who will be making her 

appearance this fall!

I am going…

to be running all day tomorrow … yippee.

I am wondering…

what I assigned for tomorrow's lit co-op class ... and if I have actually read it yet.

I am reading…

Aesop's Fables with Daniel … he is loving it.

I am hoping…

that everything goes well with 

James' doctor's visit tomorrow.

I am learning…

that the older my kids get, the more time I have to spend prepping to teach … 

I know it makes perfect sense, 

but I'm not sure I was prepared for how much high school math I had forgotten.

In my kitchen…

by request of my middle child and with my youngest child's help, homemade pizza. One pepperoni and one hamburger, the first for my boys and the second because it is their Mama's favorite.

In the homeschool room…

just the same-old stuff.

A favorite quote for today…

The Way of the Cross Leads Home

by: Jessie B. Pounds

I must needs go home by 

the way of the cross,

There's no other way but this;

I shall ne'er get sight 

of the gates of light,

If the way of the cross I miss.

I must needs go on in the 

blood-sprinkled way,

The path that the Savior trod,

If I ever climb to the heights sublime,

Where the soul is at home with God.

Then I bid farewell to

 the way of the world,

To walk in it nevermore;

For the Lord says “Come,” 

and I seek my home

Where He waits at the open door.

The way of the cross leads home,

The way of the cross leads home,

It is sweet to know, as I onward go,

The way of the cross leads home.

One of my favorite things…

hymns!

A peek into one of my days…

James and Daniel in our tree. 

  And yes, James is reading his lit book!

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good words about words

I have recently read two blog posts about the words you speak. One written by my friend, Marie, and the other by a pastor, Joe McKeever.  Both have wonderful messages about words. Messages that I need to hear over and over again.

The messages are clear …

First, never forget that words have power – power to harm or to heal. Second, never hesitate to ask someone to forgive you and be very thankful for “short memories” and forgiving people.

My take away from these two posts. First, I pray that the words I speak are always meant to bring healing, but I know that I fail – regularly. And second, when I do fail, I pray that my friends (and anyone else I come in contact with) will extend a little grace.

I wish I could link to one of the songs from our VBS that will be coming this summer … it is all about being wise with our words.

I kind of get the feeling that God is trying to tell me something...

spring ... in pictures

Like most people, I love Spring. I mean really, what is there to not like about Spring?

Well, besides the pollen that covers everything and that pesky hour we lose to the time change. But, that is another post entirely.

20 some odd years ago, when I was choosing what to do with my life, I really, really wanted to be a photographer. Actually, my dream was to double major in English and photography and become a journalist. Now, I wish I hadn't been such a chicken. However, majoring in photography was expensive and I wasn't passionate enough, or brave enough, to take a risk. Silly me.

Formal training or not, I still indulge in one of my favorite past-times as often as I can. My dream these days is to own a really good camera … some day, maybe. Until then, my little camera (that will probably do far more than I realize), will have to suffice. And, for this post, I am going to share a little bit of what has caught my eye this Spring.

As with most anything, there is a spiritual application to be found in these pictures. For me, it is about gratitude. I cannot imagine a world without the beauty of Spring flowers, and butterflies, and the busyness of bumblebees. It would be a bit presumptuous to think that God created these beauties just for me, but on the days when I am in need of a distraction from the daily grind, I am so thankful for a world with flowers and bugs and other critters to capture through the lens of my camera.

O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good;

for his mercy endureth forever.

Psalm 107:1

daybook 4-7-15

For Today...

April 7, 2015

Outside my window…

The sun is peeking through the clouds,

and I'm looking at grass that needs to be cut.

I am thinking…

about the fact that it is already April!

How did we get here so quickly?

I am thankful…

for the blessing of friendship. I have been reminded over the last few days

that I am incredibly blessed with wonderful friends.

I am wearing…

blue jeans and one of my favorite shirts

~ black with silver, coral, and white polka dots ~ a coral tank top and

the necklace that Lora gave me for my birthday.

I am creating…

a sample page for a poetry notebook that I have assigned to my literature class … at least, I have purchased the necessary items and will be creating it later this week

I am going…

to take the older kids to their

second drama practice of the day.

I am wondering…

if we are biting off more than we can

chew with two plays at one time.

I am reading…

ummm…….

I am hoping…

that the rest of this week will be more productive – school-wise that is.

I am learning…

the ins and outs of putting on a drama.

In my kitchen…

my wonderful husband cooked pork-chops,

lima beans, green beans and garlic bread for supper tonight … super yummy!

In the homeschool room…

we haven't done much “sit down” school this week.  Tomorrow should be back to routine.

A favorite quote for today…

“But let it be the hidden man of the heart,

in that which is not corruptible,

even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit,

which is in the sight of God of great price.”

1 Peter 3:4

A peek into one of my days…

My two birthday cakes .... first an ice cream cake from my sweet husband and kids (after taking me to Cracker Barrel for dinner) and then another surprise this afternoon … 20 drama kids singing “happy birthday” and a yummy birthday cake! (Thank you, Marie, even if you did mutilate my cake!!)

One of my favorite things…

visiting with some of our “oldest” friends!

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remembrance

We had a few minutes before the service started. People were chatting all around us, but we sat quietly talking about what we were about to do. He's seen us prepare for and participate in this solemn ordinance many times, but this is only his second time to partake. I asked him if he understood what it meant to prepare our hearts, to not take of the meal “unworthily” … he was solemn and serious as he answered and we talked about confession and forgiveness. And then my little wild-child closed his eyes and leaned into me. I don't know what happened in those few moments and I don't know if he will remember that moment in years to come, but I will.

I can't help but think of the gift that Jesus gave to His disciples ~ His friends ~ this gift that has been passed down to us. An invitation to remember … to never forget … to never take for granted His broken body and shed blood.

He paid a debt He did not owe because I owed a debt I could not pay.  May I never forget.

And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me.  After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood:  this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.  For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come. 

1 Corinthians 11:24-27 

one thing off my bucket list

At this time last year, my 40^th birthday was looming large in front of me and I was looking for things to make me feel like the kid that my brain heart still thinks I should be. So, I decided that sometime during the year in which I turned 40 I really needed to complete a 5k race. Somewhere in my childish, 39 year old brain, I thought that running said race would be a good idea. But, somewhere along the way, my 40-year-old-out-of-shape body told my still-thinks-I-am-a-kid brain to hush and I decided that walking a 5k would be a more realistic goal.

But, I got busy and my daily walks got pushed to the back-burner, so I kinda gave up on the idea of actually achieving the goal I had set for myself. I'd like to play the martyr and say that I sacrificed my goals so that my kids could accomplish goals of their own, but the truth is that I allowed the busyness of life to crowd out the daily walks that I really should have made time for each day.

So, time passes and my 41^st birthday creeps closer and closer and then we go to Disney and walk an average of 10 miles per day and it doesn't hurt me as bad as I thought it would. And then a friend at church … one who is a little older than me … tells me that she has been walking in a 5k a month since she had heart surgery. And then she invites our family to join her in a walk to support missions … a walk that is scheduled before my birthday.

And that is how I came to spend a Saturday morning in March walking in the rain, up and down hills that were described as rolling when the word killer would have been a much better description. And that is why, for the next week, I couldn't stand up without groaning, and possibly moaning, with every step.

Now that I have done one 5k, I could just say … been there, done that, got the t-shirt. But, now that I have done it once, I know that I don't want it to be the last.

Finishing that race, even in the pouring rain and knowing that I would be feeling every hill we had climbed for days to come, felt good … I mean, really good.

Like a feeling that I don't know how to put into words.

Besides being able to mark this goal off of my bucket list, I also had the pleasure of sharing my first time with Lora for her first time. We had a great time talking while we walked … except for the times that I was puffing too hard trying to make it up a hill and she was having to work hard not to run off and leave me. Her 15 year old dancer's legs weren't struggling quite as hard as my 40 year old ones. Somehow, doing it together made it easier and definitely more fun.

I think it is safe to say that this won't be my last 5k. Besides the fact that I actually enjoyed it, now my boys want to get in on the action and Lora has already been looking for our next race. I never realized how many opportunities there are to get off your duff on a Saturday morning and support some cause.

I has occurred to me, that it is slightly possible that those Saturday mornings might be just a little bit easier if I'll get off my duff during the week!

I couldn't resist taking a couple of pictures of the day.  Certainly, this is something we want to remember!

This was pretty much the only sunshine we saw the entire day.

This sign was along the road on the biggest hill ...
I was not amused.

This is a terrible picture, but it does give a little
perspective on the hills.  You can see that Lora
wasn't struggling quite as much as her poor, old Mama!

We were soaking wet and looking a little ragged,
 but happy thankful to have reached the finish line!

Proof that we finished!  Lora and I both placed in our age-groups,
which explains the medals.  I think it is great to have a memento of
our first race, but it was such a small race that I don't think that
it is exactly honest to say that we "won" or anything.