I like this picture of my mom and Kevin. Who knows what they were grinning so big about, probably some crazy outburst by my mom (you know what I’m talking about, mom). More pictures of their trip last week coming soon. Just waiting for dad to send me some of what they got (hint, hint)

More Simple Woman Day books.

Check out the Green Smoothie Challenge.

The other day, I tried to get out of my green smoothie recipe rut and tried something a little different….frozen bananas, frozen peaches, about an inch of fresh peeled ginger, lots of romaine and water. With frozen fruit, you don’t usually need any ice. Just blend away until it’s as smooth as you can get it and add water to desired consistency.

It was delicious!

www.freepoverty.com

the desk where we all work and play and usually leave

the spot in our yard where no grass will ever grow

remnants of a busy morning of preschool

distractions from school

a gift from the heart of my sweet boy

It was then I realized it was all too perfect. Here in this fishermen’s camp, I had found the magazine and the ad. I looked over at the old sycamore log. There I had asked God to help me get two hound pups. There were the pups, rolling and playing in the warm sand. I thought of the old K.C. Baking Powder can, and the fishermen. How freely they had given their nickels and dimes.

I looked up again to the names carved in the tree. Yes, it was all there like a large puzzle. Piece by piece, each fit perfectly until the puzzle was complete. It could not have happened without the help of an unseen power. ~Billy

God’s creativity never ceases to amaze me. I love how he weaves events and lives together to create something beautiful. Sometimes, I try to get ahead of God and shove a piece of the puzzle into a spot where it doesn’t fit and the picture turns out a little distorted. When I backtrack and take out the ill fitting piece and learn to wait for God to gently place the pieces in the right spot at the right time he always, always creates something beautiful beyond my wildest imagination.

I used to think of our entire lives as a giant puzzle, but now I’m starting to see it as a bunch of smaller puzzles that are each beautiful and unique and sometimes a little sad as they stand alone, but in the end will all fit together to form the masterpiece of our lives.

then teach them the statutes and the laws, and make known to them the way in which they are to walk and the work they are to do. Exodus 18:20

This is really all that matters, isn’t it?

I know that this verse isn’t about parenting and education, but I find that quite often God uses verses slightly out of context to speak to me where I need it.

Anyway, just when I was deep in the throws of self pity, I remembered a couple of things. First, I flashed back to this video that my friend, Susan, sent me last week. If you haven’t seen this one moms, watch it. If you have, watch it again. It will put things back into perspective, especially if you have visions of Target dancing in your head.

Secondly, I remembered the point of yesterday’s sermon at church. Our purpose for remaining here is to be pleasing to God. (2 Cor. 5:9) I began to examine my own selfish, demanding, childish, things aren’t going my way so I’m going to throw a fit, behavior of the morning. Was it pleasing to God when I lost my cool (I mean really lost my cool), while talking to child #1 about salvation and baptism, because child #2 (aka my “green” child) was freaking out over the unnecessary use of a paper towel, child #3 was suddenly demanding to be released from the prison of his breakfast chair, and child #4 was obsessing about what child #3 was doing with his food? (note, in order to protect the identities of my dear ones, these numbers are in no particular order). I’m quite sure the answer is a resounding “no”. Can I go back and fix it? Again, I think it’s a “no”. Can I do better next time? I sure hope so. Because, like the lady in the clip, it may seem that I’m invisible to my family at times and all my efforts to do things right are in vain, but when I fall short, that’s when it’s abundantly clear that I’m not invisible after all. On the contrary, I’m being watched quite closely. So, even though I can’t have a re-do, I can humble myself before my children, confess my mistakes, move on and by God’s grace, do a little better next time.

Take heart moms, God sees…….keep up the good fight.

from the archives: My sweet Sammy as one of the pall bearers at his Grandpa’s Funeral. It was a moment filled with so many mixed emotions for me. I had been worried about him all through this process of watching his Grandpa die and going to the viewing and funeral. He was unusually quiet, thoughtful and reflective. When he was presented with this opportunity, he jumped at it and I knew it was a chance for closure for him. It broke and blessed my heart to see my little boy rise to this occasion.

Thanks Peggy. More day books.