Nothin Special

I think my "writer" is broke! I just don't have any inspiration to write these days. Or maybe it's more I don't have any energy to put into writing. There's been so much going on for the last 2 weeks especially that I hardly know what "real" life is anymore! Chris' brother and wife left today so maybe we can find a new normal...whatever that might be :) It's only 3 weeks until school starts!! I've got some pressing sewing and shopping to do in the next 3 weeks! Isaac and Jasmine are excited that the time is getting close. They miss interaction with their friends and I'm glad they're excited. There may be a trip to AR for a wedding yet before school starts and I'm daring to get excited about that too! :) So, life won't be boring any time soon. There's going to be plenty to do on our little shack for quite a long time yet! But it will come and right now I'm just relishing every mundane task performed in MY house, using MY possessions, for MY people :) I know I'll forget soon but I'm enjoying it anyway!

We're In Our House!!!!!!!!

It's late and I am oh, so tired, but I've been silent almost longer then I can stand! It all comes of trying to surprise family members who may or may not read your blog posts... We spent the first night in our little "Shack by the Road" last night! It's not done and there's a tremendous amount of work to be done before everything's squared away...but we're in, and it's just US! Well, actually, it's not. My sister, Kristine, is here right now. Her coming pushed us to get in and many kind and thoughtful friends and family lent time and resources to make it possible! Someday maybe I can tell the whole story. It's been pretty amazing around here lately!! You know what else is amazing? Exactly 1 year ago this week is when we moved to Ohio. Sometimes I wonder if I'm the same person that climbed in that van and drove the whole way to Ohio last year?! It's been a year with many ups and a whole lot of downs and more stretching and teaching then I knew was possible...but I had better quit and enjoy some sleep! :)

That second question that makes a difference

We've all heard of acts of kindness that made a huge difference in someone's life. Have you ever been the recipient of such an act? Last week was a rough week, Chris was completely worn out and blue. This is so strangely out of the ordinary that I hardly knew which end was up anymore! Friday night the parents were invited to VBS for the final night so we went. We were soon wishing we'd have worn signs saying "No. Thanks for asking." When Eli Schrock's sat down across from us to eat and asked the familiar question "Are you in your house yet?" we had to laugh! But, Eli asked another question, "What can we do to help?" Before we knew it he was planning to come over Saturday and bring the router Chris needed and telling him where to find more glue! Saturday Chris and Eli took our counter tops to Eli's shop to work on. By the time they came back Chris was like a different person!! You never know what an act of kindness might mean to someone else. It might seem small to you, but it might do wonders for them!

This little lady discovered the fun of taking pictures with my phone recently and now she's always begging for the chance. Today i gave her my phone and you would have thought it was christmas! She scurried around, giggling with glee, capturing blurry images of the sewing machine, the baby doll, me on the couch, the shirts hanging on a hook, a picture in a book..... Every new images was dutifully shown to me and chortled over! It made me think of ann voskamp in her book "one thousand gifts". When did everything lose it's wonder? When did we grow up and everything become mundane and ordinary? If god really wants me to go around my days with glee like jennifer with my phone then i'm afraid i've been failing him miserably! *sigh* somehow i'm afraid that i have, and he does.... I also know that he forgives and his mercies are new every morning...

I've been waiting all day for inspiration to strike but it just hasn't appeared. It's been a normal day of lots of laundry, lots of dishes and lots of teasing and fusses to settle. Sprinkled amongst those were some ouchies to blow and some messes to clean up and some meals to cook. The day climaxed with the first night of vbs and 3 excited children going off to see what it's like in ohio! Jennifer nearly backed out at the last minute but her shining eyes and happy stories afterward were worth the encouragement and helping her go through with it! The little lady who snitched my glasses was left out of the vbs festivities. She went w/ chris and i to town and quietly took in our supper and a trip to walmart and our lively discussions about looking at life through the "long view" and so forth. She clutched new tablets and enjoyed her kit kat on the way home, ending up w/ chocolate all over
her face and hands! All in all a decent monday i must say :)

Why does a loving God allow hard things?

Life has taken a tail spin lately! But then, what is "normal" anyway? There was company, then a bad back, then a storm an no electricity for 4 days, then a death message... We had hoped to be moving into our house Saturday, instead we'll be attending a funeral. I wonder if God ever intended for us to live "normal" lives? Do you think His highest plan was for us to sit in comfy houses with well paying jobs and shiny vehicles to drive around? I don't think He sighs with pleasure when He sees his children living "normal" lives. What do you say when someone asks, "Why would a loving God allow such hard things?" I think the answer is easy, really. WE DON'T NEED HIM OTHERWISE! God is all about drawing mankind to Himself. Face it, the only way we'll come is if we NEED Him! From a 2 yr old's "I can do it by myself" on, that's just the way we're made. And sometimes the "hard thing" isn't just about us, sometimes it's about drawing others-God wants to draw ALL men. Maybe His highest goal is for us to live needy...

The Phone Call

Moving and not having your own house tends to get your attention and straighten up some priorities. The fourth day without electricity is pretty attention grabbing too. There's nothing quite as attention grabbing and priority straightening though as a phone call with a death message. Nothing knocks you over flat, sets you up straight, knocks the wind out of your sails and looks you straight in the eye in one fell swoop quite like that. It came this morning. Chris' cousin Linda's husband, Rojo, is singing in a Heavenly Choir. We didn't want him there, we wanted him here, hugging his babies and kissing his wife good bye as he left for work this morning! Our hearts cry and we sit around numbly with no electricity and no house knocked neatly into place in our list of priorities. Truth is, we're all longing to sing in that Heavenly Choir, it would just be nice if we could all join at the same time! So, Rojo, we rejoice at your completed Journey! And, Jesus, we're glad we can trust Linda and her babies to You.

On Power Outages and Attitudes

I've been through my share of power outages in my time. Our area in AR was known for ice storms and tornados...and power outages! When I was young I always thought it was kinda fun! Using lanterns an candles and living like the pioneers for a few days... Of course mom always had a gas stove so we didn't go hungry, which made life easier. Being a mom in that situation was a bit different, rocking children who are used to sleeping with night lights, entertaining and keeping little people warm/cool, needing to get the clothes washed eventually... Being out for nearly 2 weeks once was a little beyond "fun" to be sure! Still, with generators, meals at grandpas, games by candle light, reading books out loud... it makes great memories to look back on and talk about! In case you hadn't guessed, we're out of electric right now. I realized last night how much difference an attitude makes! Yes, it's hot, dark, unhandy, awful...but there's porch swings, games, books... and we might as well make some good memories! :)