So Worth It...

It's hard to believe that nearly three weeks have passed since I last blogged yet in the days that have passed, life has been full to overflowing. 

It's been a busy morning thus far...
I reluctantly sent Kyle off to work...
The cats have been nourished...

Zeke has been let out to run & play (after being couped up for several days)...

Chickens have been fed...
With fresh water to hydrate their growing bodies...

Harrington & his "brood" have a filled pool to splash & play in...

Shoes have been straightened...
Yesterday's dishes put away...
All before 7:00 a.m....

These sweet daisies sit at my kitchen sink...

Picked from along the roadside from MaKayla & Mal on their way home yesterday...
Thoughtful & warming to my heart...♥

Egg cartons are collecting from sweet friends...

Our favorite rooster that was supposed to be a hen...
(We are finding several of those...)

 

Back to Harrington (Harriet if "it" is a girl...) for a moment...
This is the goose that came to us lame at this size...

He/she is now this size...

He/she (we have no idea what gender "it" is) "hissed" at me for the first time this morning which will be much to MaKayla's dismay when I relay the news to her. For the real inside scoop, the friends that she works for have a goose that MaKayla isn't fond of is scared of. It chases her & hisses at her & totally unnerves her so from the very get-go when we started discussing the idea of chickens, she made it very plain, "Chickens & ducks are perfectly fine but we ARE NOT getting a goose... End of story." At least her story. :) For we now have a goose & she is the one that nurtured & helped to bring strength & healing to his/her legs. It seems to get a little more temperamental with each day that passes so...

Today marks the first day in several that the girls & I are able to be home with no major agenda besides getting the yard mowed & catching up on a few things that need attention around here. Last week was Vacation Bible School at our church which brought five days of up & out of the house a little after seven. It was a great week full of singing, dancing, teaching, helping prepare, serve & clean up meals, spending time in fellowship with cherished friends in Christ, participating in skits, chasing after kids, corralling bodies full of energy (if only I could have bottled some of that up...) & loving, nurturing & investing in precious little lives.

I would humbly & honestly admit that I wasn't "eager" for the week but God truly blessed my heart beyond measure in those five days of serving. On top of that, the reality of seeing MaKayla & Mal share, extend & implement their gifts in such a setting was a rich gift that I will tuck away & reflect on for a very long time.

You see, God had been faithfully preparing my heart for such a week...

And although I couldn't at all understand the refining, pruning & sifting He was allowing over the past three to four weeks, I now see that He had much work to do in me through that difficult month. 

It. Was. Tough.

Putting it lightly, I wanted to give up...

My family wanted to send me away (I wasn't pleasant to live with...)

(Don't ask them, they might share the gory details...)

Instead of the days of VBS being a dread, it turned out to be a beautiful blessing...

God had layers of stripping to do in order for my heart to serve in away that honored Him & now being on the other side of it, the pain & struggle was so worth it.

As I sat one morning a few weeks back desperate for wisdom, with my Bible open, my journal close & my pen in hand, He so lovingly whispered this verse to my aching heart...

     

     Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider Him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

     In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. And you have forgotten that word of encouragement that addresses you as sons:

"My son, do not make light of the Lord's discipline, 

and do lose heart when He rebukes you, 

because the Lord disciplines those He loves, 

and He punishes everyone He accepts as a son."

     Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by His father? If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons. Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live! Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in His holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.

     Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. "Make level paths for your feet," so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed.

~Hebrews 12:1-13

I needed discipline & God was faithful...

It promises to be a beautiful day in the country...

No matter where you are or what you're doing, may your day be filled with joy, peace & the love of Jesus...

Warm hugs from our home to yours...♥

So Undeserving...

With a good cup of coffee near my reach & a quiet house I am finally able to sit at the computer for awhile & share "life". In one sense, summer vacation has started. Both of the Bible studies that I have been leading came to a bittersweet close this week leaving an ample, unused amount of time on my hands. This is bitter because I will tremendously miss the women with which I shared these studies for the past several months and for the fact that I won't be "firmly challenged" to dig deep knowing others are looking to me for sound teaching from God's Word. The sweet side is that this ample, unused time will now be directly geared to the intimate nurturing of my family...something I LOVE to do. ♥ I have been intently praying about hosting a morning summer study here in our home, a study that MaKayla & Mal could take part in & glean from, yet I am still awaiting confirmation from the Lord. I'm learning to pray...and wait.

Mal isn't overly excited for school to come to a close for the summer therefore we are just going to continue on in her studies, taking a break here & there when other opportunities arise. This year has truly be a year of growth & maturity for her in so many areas & I am greatly inspired & blessed by her love for learning & through her desire to complete tasks at hand without stopping short. MaKayla has been a great example of such a trait in character for her & for that I am thankful. ♥

I had a beautiful Mother's Day with Kyle & the girls... So much thought, love, time & care went into making the day extra special, just for me... ♥

After we came home from church, we took a minute to snap a few pictures before fixing lunch...

I am humbled by their grace, love & mercy on my life...♥

Besides Christ, my richest gift in this life...♥

Since I'm typically the one behind the camera,

both girls wanted pictures of just me & them...♥

My oldest...so much grace has she lavished on me...♥

My baby...her love over me is unspeakable...♥

Kyle giving instructions as we put up the pool...

Up & ready to fill...

VERY BAD allergy day...

Simply the only way he could keep the spigot of his nose stopped...

Garden was planted...

Gifts were thoughtfully chosen...♥

A new Willow Tree to add to my collection...♥

Straight from MaKayla's heart to mine...♥

Chicken decor that has been influential in the season of life I am currently in...

It is in the breezeway where I see it each &every morning...

A new devotional that Kyle found...just for me...♥

A ceramic rooster that I have been eyeing for over a year now...♥

Flowers just from Mal...♥

Daisies...my fave! ♥

For breakfast they fixed a big bowl of fresh fruit...♥

They also gave me a new FFH CD, some much needed clothing & a super delicious lunch...

Bacon wrapped shrimp...

Asparagus with peppers & onions...

(All grilled by the master chef...♥)

Tossed salad...

Before bed, each of them gave me homemade cards/letters that still adorn our piano...♥

My heart is humbled over the goodness of God to my life as I am so undeserving of a family who loves me beyond measure, chooses to look beyond my uncountable faults & desires to do life with me day in & day out. ♥

"Everyday, not just today, I see what a wonderful gift you are to me and thank God for your beautiful life..." ♥

"You are the best Momma anyone could ever ask for! There is not one day that I don't thank God for your life..." ♥

"You have won my heart to the deepest of depths & I am a man that is completely enthralled with you! You have given me the most precious of gifts with my girls...MaKayla & Mallary..." ♥

The Lord has done great things for me...

I am filled with joy...

What Remains/Survives...

Believe it or not, I'm sitting here on the floor typing up this blogpost while Harrington stands beside me pecking at the keys. Since it's cool & windy today, I brought his blanket & towel out to the living room so he could have some "play time" away from his cage box. MaKayla & Mal are attending to a close friend who needed help this morning so while working on my Bible study, writing in my journal & putting some thoughts/memories/pictures on the blog, I decided to give Harrington some recreational time... He misses MaKayla but for now, it's me or the cage box...

Since Mal knew they would be leaving before she is even typically up for the day & would be gone the majority of the morning, she wanted to be awakened e-a-r-l-y...(by her dad none-the-less before he left for work) in order for her to get some of her school assignments done. She was thrilled with the idea...MaKayla not so much. :)

After a straight week of being ill & feeling less than human, I've enjoyed a morning of study, prayer & quiet reflection.

Kyle called on his morning break which is nothing out of the ordinary yet today his heart was burdened for a co-worker/acquaintance just diagnosed with cancer... This is the second friend who has received the "C" diagnosis this week...
And the news today really hit home...
nearly the same age...
schoolmate...
a young family...

Humbling...

It's been heavy on on my mind/heart ever since he called...
Praying for the family...
Praying for protection over ours...

Situations like this always compel me to take a step back... 

To be reminded of the things I take for granted...
To be ever grateful for the blessing of health...
To think back & savor the moments of the day...week...month...year(s)...

Without Christ in my life it would have a tendency to put a streak of fear through my veins yet with Him ever present, there is nothing in this life to fear...
Even when the storms assail, He is for me...
I remember learning that lesson well five years ago this past month...
Even in the uncertainties of life, Christ is certain...

I daily try to live with no regrets but many times I fall so very short...
A friend posted this to facebook this morning:
At the end of the day, the only questions I will ask myself are:
♥ Did I love enough?
♥ Did I laugh enough?
♥ Did I make a difference?

I penned it in the front of my journal as a reminder...
I want to make each day count...
♥ For Christ...
♥ For Kyle...
♥ For MaKayla & Mal...
♥ For those God places in my path...
I may not be a public figure & to be honest, that really makes no difference at all to me...
I am not seeking man's approval...
Or the applause of those watching...
I am not looking for affirmation from others...
Or recognition from those of seeming importance...
I just want to be faithful with/to those God has entrusted into my care...
For when this temporal life is over & I enter into eternity, my life will be unfolded before Christ...
My works will be tested by fire...
And what remains will be all that matters...
It won't matter what money I did/didn't make...
It won't make a difference what awards I did/didn't win...
Accomplishments by worldly standards will be ash...
And recompense already given here on earth will have no need for recompense in Heaven...

I simply want to live a life of daily obedience/surrender/submission...
For God's glory...
For the good of those He has asked me to nurture...

All of this reminds me of a text I received from Kyle this week...
"I so pray God never chooses to separate us til He comes! I love my beautiful bride!"♥

I have today with no guarantee for tomorrow...
May I live it well...
May I love abundantly...
May I laugh inexhaustibly...
May I make an eternal difference...

For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, 

which is Jesus Christ. 

If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, 

his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. 

It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man's work. 

If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. 

If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; 

he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames.

1 Corinthians 3:11-14

Even Though...

It's a Wednesday & I'm home alone for a bit this evening. Typically I would be at church with the rest of my family but Monday night I went to bed with a hint of a sore throat & subsequently woke yesterday morning feeling right down rotten. Today has been much the same. I've literally had to PUSH myself throughout the past two days & in turn, I've been productive even in the midst of illness.

Lately I've been in one of those lonely places of life.
A place where no one around seems to be.
A place of isolation & peculiar dwelling.

It's a grassroots place.
Yet a place where others are watching, observing, taking notice.
A place where I often wish there were a female kindred spirit...here. with. me.

Kyle is here.
The girls are here.
God is here.
But just someone, a friend, who's there as well.
One who understands.

The place where I am has not even a dim flicker of light.
Human understanding is nonexistent.
And the only map is found in trusting...
Trusting the One & Only.
Knowing He knows.
Knowing He sees.
Knowing He understands.
Knowing He has it all figured out.

My insecurity says, "Compare the situation to the situations of others."
My default says, "Think it through. Think it through again. And again and again and again."
My doubt says, "Since you can't see, just knock down some doors."
My restlessness says, "Figure it out."

And then I open the Word & it says,

Who among you fears the Lord and obeys the word of his servant? Let him who walks in the dark, who has no light, trust in the name of the Lord and rely on his God. But now, all you who light fires and provide yourselves with flaming torches, go, walk in the light of your fires and of the torches you have set ablaze. This is what you shall receive from my hand: You will lie down in torment.

I shared with both Kyle & MaKayla that I in NO WAY want to light my own fire.
I in NO WAY want to provide myself with flaming torches.
When it's all said & done & those who are watching/observing/taking notice see provision, I in NO WAY want to be able to take any part of the glory.
I in NO WAY want to be able to say that I had even an ounce of influence.
I want those who see, to see Christ & Christ alone.

Even though walk in the dark...
Even though I have no light...
I will trust in the name of the Lord & I will rely on my God.

Simple Joy...

Sitting here with my cup of coffee, thanking God for a new day...
A day already sprinkled with sunshine...
Reflecting on the goodness, graciousness & provision of a faithful Savior...

#999 ~ the inexhaustible hope of Christ

Life has been abundantly full the past several weeks, thus the reason for lagging blog posts. With teaching two separate studies (covering totally different subjects yet all centered around God's Word), being a wife, mom, homeschool teacher...doing laundry, dishes & housework...fixing meals, mending hearts, nurturing lives...time goes. The days pass. The weeks disappear. The months dissipate. It's called life. ♥

Our good friend, Julie came for a visit a few weeks back & we were very excited to see her. She & her husband, Brian will be welcoming their first "arrow" in the very near future. MaKayla was ecstatic to be able to see/touch/pat Julie's baby bump (us girls in this family love baby bumps :) & it was so much fun to be able to catch up on life with her. Julie has been a "mainstay" in our family for several years now; mentoring MaKayla in quizzing, helping to care for our girls during Kyle's illness & simply being a tried-and-true friend. We love, love, love her. ♥

The chicken coop is coming right along & most everything is done with the exception of hanging "siding" on the outside of the structure. The butcher/broiler chickens will soon be meeting their demise :), our layers are growing, growing, growing & our ducks have finally found the outside world as their permanent residence. (We were never so glad to get the dears out the door...) Along the way we've added to our brood & now have 50 plus laying hens. As we were doing research people commented on how addicting this type of thing could be & although I simply couldn't fathom it, I now completely understand  the concept. :) We have several different varieties & are truly enjoying their presence here on our home front.

When we went in to Orschlen's a week or so ago to get chicken feed, we of course had to go back & see what "new stock" they had received as far as poultry & ended up bringing this precious little guy home (along with 12 more layers...)

A baby gosling that had arrived injured/handicapped... One of the managers on duty asked if we would be interested in taking him & MaKayla immediately responded, "No. We don't want/need a goose (she has one that incessantly chases/hisses at her at Jon & Jane's) & it will probably die. I DO NOT want to take home another animal that I am just going to get attached to that will eventually not make it..." I called Kyle & he said, "Aww... Yeah, bring it home." I'm all about submission so we boxed him up & brought him to his new residence (much to MaKayla's dismay). He simply could not walk. at. all. We tried putting him in with the ducks (that was before they got booted out the door) & they just trampled him, ate his food & emptied his water dish repeatedly. After one night of that, we constructed him his own little home in our living/dining room.

We did a great deal of research on what his problem might be & alternative ways to correct it but nothing worked. We made splints for his feet & tied his legs together... That only seemed to make things worse. MaKayla called the vet but they were out of the office & way behind so it would be Monday before they could get back to her. We cuddled him, played with him, named him, gave him baths & just loved him. By the time Monday rolled around MaKayla had worked with him enough that he was actually walking but he wasn't eating at all & drinking very little. His strength was gone & he was pretty much lethargic. MaKayla talked to Dr. Joe on the phone & he mentioned a few possibilities to her. We attempted to find the supplements he recommended but to no avail no one had it. We hashed around the idea of taking him to see Dr. Joe on Tuesday but weren't overly keen on paying an office visit (I mean really, who takes a baby goose to the vet) as well as spending out a significant amount of money on shots (antibiotics were mentioned) or other medications. As we tucked him in for bed Monday night, MaKayla was in tears & I simply just prayed that if there was no hope for his little life, that God would allow him to go to sleep & pass away therein. Neither Kyle nor myself slept much that night wondering... He got up & checked on him a few times & both times 'Harrington' was still hanging on, which to me meant that God had a plan... By 5:00 Tuesday morning, he was more lively but still not "thriving" & at 10:30 we were sitting in the vet clinic waiting... Mal HATES going to there as every time we do go, the news is bad & we end up saying good-bye to someone we love... Dr. Joe looked him over good, looked up at MaKayla & said, "I think he's gonna be just fine..." ♥

#987 ~ Dr. Joe's affirmation on Harrington's health/life

Simple joy...

I was still skeptical as the little guy still wasn't eating or drinking but I chose to trust... You see, when MaKayla brought Winston home & we cared for him, we didn't exercise our faith like we could have/should have. We fell short & just resolved that there was no hope...no options...no chance for Divine healing... I'm a firm believer that God CAN & WILL use anything we allow Him to, to build our children's faith. With Winston, I fell short, gave in & defaulted to hopelessness rather than FAITH. A building block. A learning lesson. A life/spirit-changing experience. I wasn't going to make the same mistake again...

As the days have progressed, through God's touch, MaKayla's nurturing & lots of TLC from the rest of us, he is thriving, active & changing every day. He is held a bunch, doted on constantly, worked with frequently & loved in unending measures. To be honest, he's completely spoiled.... ♥

Once this Bible study season comes to a close, I hope to be back to blogging more regularly. I truly miss it...sharing how God is speaking as well as the events taking place in our lives/family however I remind myself daily (many times a day) that my focus must be on what is most important...my family & what God has entrusted to me. It's a fine line...a distinct balance.

Thanks for stopping by... ♥

"Ah, Sovereign LORD, 

You have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. 

Nothing is too hard for you."

Jeremiah 32:17