Westwoods

This week one day, I went to the river with my sister and her littles and my two girls. We splashed with the frogs and collected rocks and driftwood. We were sisters and talked about all things sister.

Sometimes we want to know more information than we are given. We want to know, just to be sure.  We say things like the children of Israel said, "Let us send men ahead to spy out the land for us and bring back a report about the route we are to take and the towns we will come to." That seems logical, so we do things like that and then we see OBSTACLES and get scared, nervous, discouraged, and even rebellious. We feel like grumbling in our tents and decide that God doesn't care about us. Then, we say, "What should we do? The obstacles have made us lose heart, and there are giants in the land, we will not be safe." Then God says, "Do not be terrified; do not be afraid of them. I, the Lord God, who is GOING BEFORE you, will fight for you as I did that other time,  (the times no one else knows about but you do, because God was powerful for you personally in that particular moment)  right before your very eyes. And in the desert, the Lord God carried you, as ...

I am discombobulated. In winter, I long for summer days, for longer day time hours, for that lazy, sleep till whenever, feeling. And then summer comes and those things DO happen, just not how I dreamed they would. In winter, I forget the long hours of gardening, the constant coming and going of children and their schedules of summer.  In winter, I imagine everyday will be a sunny day, the gardens and flower pots will naturally have all the water they need and the flowers always vibrant and flourishing, not to mention the garden that is always free of weeds.  I imagine the children happily adjusting to a work schedule and knowing when it's the right time for a Popsicle or a swim in the pool. I imagine them reading the library books, we have thoughtfully picked out at our local library, for hours while I write or read more on my reading list. I will have hours to study and work on that book, while the making of meals and cleaning of the house will somehow always be done. Do ...

It seems sometimes in life you find yourself bumping along, going through the motions; then, you are awakened to the fact that you are going nowhere. I can be busy while going through the motions and  not be too concerned about my whereabouts spiritually; it can feel kinda good to be at a neutral spot when naturally, you are already an over feeler. However, there are a few soapboxes I have been up on, in my mind at least. They aren't even the same subject matter, but after thinking about it awhile it seems they are a little connected. So, here goes nothing... Worthy Causes: Every one has a different one. For some it is working in the ER, for others it is sitting on there bum and writing down thoughts, and then for more, it is fostering children, adopting children, or going to a far off country to share Jesus. These are ALL good causes, NEEDED causes, commands actually, straight from the word of God. BUT, its not the main thing. It is important to remember, in all our worthy cau...

 Just a quick picture post to share a special evening at our church with you.  Twelve young people were baptized tonight. They all shared their testimony of proclaiming Jesus as Lord of their lives straight into the mic... Toria was the youngest. She's the one at the end on the right. Oh, and she's our daughter... Very blessed to call her ours...   A lot of grandparents came for this event from far and wide. This is for you, Grandma June... Toria missed you tonight but understands. She sends her love!  We had a sweet little get together in the basement afterward... This is Toria with her brother and cousins... What a bunch of cute kids if I do say so myself! Ornery, but cute...

 We had two weeks of rain followed by two weeks of hot. Things are growing and greening by leaps and bounds. Summer vacation has started out perfect.  One hot afternoon, we packed a picnic and walked around the corner to this semi-public spot. Shaunti's plan was to roll down the nearby hill, to picnic, and to run through the sprinklers. After doing all three, I asked her if her dreams were fulfilled? She wrinkled her nose and said, "No, too many cars."

Conversation in my dad's pickup this morning while hauling sand from the dump to our house for the pool we have been dreaming about for a long time... In which Shaunti asks: Why things have to cost anything , and why can't everyone just give and take what's needed? I mentioned greed as a possibility, something she seemed to understand being nine and having been to numerous birthday parties and candy drops. Yes, she knows what greed is and how it works. She remembers herself being greedy a time or two.  Next question: Why are there poor and rich people? Why can't the rich people just give to the poor and make it all work? Should she enter politics or what? I tried to explain that some people are really good at managing what they are given while others are good at something else. And that sometimes life just happens and people get sick and lose their job. I sorta fumbled with that answer. I mentioned that the rain falls on the just and the unjust, but we weren't t...

 It is a new week and bound to be a better one.  It cannot be denied; some weeks are HARD.  No matter how many bravery buttons a person tries to push, sometimes that train of hard won't stop.  There will always be the positive, loud person shouting out the goodness that is going on in their lives, and I will usually be in direct contact with this person while I am going through hard.  And it will feel like salt in a wound. They are right to shout out their good stuff. I do it too when I can. I hold on to faith, like the handle of a merry-go-round, and close my eyes with dizziness. When the ride of hard is over, I open my eyes to see God's majesty. It comes to me, in the middle of the night. I am called out of sleep. I lay in the darkness and wait and hear. "When it is hard, it's time to focus on Me, Your God of Majesty, Might, and Power. When you think about My greatness, My Complete Everything, My OK, you are no longer thinking of your hard. Think on M...