Pray and Love...

This week has been a tremendously productive week. With the exception of a full day of running on Wednesday, the girls & I have been able to be HOME EVERY DAY doing school & life. I've learned over our many years of homeschooling that HOME is where I long to be. I've learned that I function best when I am at HOME. For a long time I simply couldn't figure out why I would get cranky & irritable when I was out & about for days in a row. One day after a season of busyness i was mulling it all over in my mind when the Lord ever so gently spoke to my heart, "Mendi, I created you to be HOME. I designed your heart, your mind & your spirit to be content at home. That is where I desire you to nurture, to work, to learn, to live life." Ever since that day, I make sure that I am very prayerful & in-tune to the Lord's leading when I am committing to things & placing events on the calendar. It's been good to see MaKayla & Mal work diligently on their studies. It's been encouraging to see housework stay caught up & extra projects get accomplished. It's been refreshing to have our evenings here at home as a family. It's been a good week.

Ever since Christmas, in my few minutes of down-time here & there, I've been reading a book about Jim Bob & Michelle Duggar. It has been quite interesting & inspiring to learn about their lives, their faith & how they orchestrate such a large family. Even though our family is such a small fraction in size to theirs, many of their ideas are very neat & creative. One thing I read the other day that I have been trying to implement here at home myself is to work on projects or tasks in fifteen minute intervals. After you've worked one specific thing for fifteen minutes, move on to something else & then come back to finish the other task. It's been a motivating factor for me in an unmotivating season of life... It's helped me to stay on task, day-to-day in getting some things accomplished. It's reminded me to make "To Do" lists & work on them bit-by-bit, scratching each one off as I tackle it. :)

Yesterday afternoon/evening was a busy time in the kitchen taking on several recipes at once. Those are the times that I wish our kitchen was a shy bit larger... All four of us working on something feeling like we are on top of each other. MaKayla working on homemade dinner rolls, Kyle cutting up chicken, Mal peeling potatoes & myself making cream cheese pumpkin muffins. Mallary has been begging for fried chicken ever since the last time I made it so, I dug some hindquarters out of the freezer, thawed them in cold water throughout the day & made her one of her most favorite meals. Fried chicken, mashed potatoes & gravy, homegrown canned green beans & dinner rolls. Yum! :)

Just as we sat down for supper, one of my dearest friends sent me a text sharing some life-changing happenings of her day, saying she could really use a hug & wondered if they could stop by for a bit a little later. Of course I said, "Yes!" We finished up supper & quickly cleaned it up. Mal & Kyle went down to the music room to record some songs for another friend & MaKayla & I played a quick round of Bananagrams & Yahtzee while we waited! I love spontaneous, unexpected texts like that...especially from someone I love so much that I don't get to see near as often as I would like. Awesomeness! We had such a nice visit catching up on life while MaKayla gave her a relaxing pedicure & new paint job on her toes! :)

This morning as I was getting around for the day, I was praying for someone that I deeply love. Some concerns crossed my mind. Some questions breezed through my thoughts. I found myself a little unsettled on certain things that I simply don't understand. Just as quickly as I started to ponder those things, the Lord spoke to me & said, "Mendi, not everyone sees life the same. Not everyone perceives life in the same light. Not everyone processes situations & circumstances in the same manner. Everyone is unique. Don't question. Don't judge. Don't criticize. Don't condemn. Pray and love. Be patient and encouraging. Pray and love." I tend to be the type that wants to understand everything. I want to "fix" it all. I want to be IN CONTROL. Especially when it's someone that I love beyond measure. And when I don't understand or when I can't fix it, I feel out of control and it tends to send me into an unrighteous way of thinking, feeling & acting. It turns my unconditional love into conditional love which in no way glorifies the Lord. God says to pray and love...to encourage and be patient...to leave the rest to Him. We all do life differently... He calls me to pray and love... To be understanding even when I don't understand... To encourage and be patient... May I be more mindful...

I love when God teaches me. I love when He instructs me. I love when He corrects me. I love when He nurtures me. I love when He restores me. I love the God I serve. ♥

It looks to be a relaxing weekend here at the O'Riley home & I am glad. Lots of good family time. Lots of little tasks to work at & complete.

May your weekend be blessed as well... ♥

Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud:

and He shall hear my voice.
Psalm 55:17

A friend loveth at all times...
Proverbs 17:17