It's a Good Thing

It's a good thing I don't suffer from allergies because the kids have been thrilled to pick "wild flowers" for me the past couple of weeks. A pretty vase of yellow pollen-laden beauties have adorned the island, along with the not-so-wild irises picked from the flower garden next to them in another vase. One of the priveleged joys of motherhood: fresh flowers all summer long.

The days are busy around here. I feel like I am just trying to fill them in until Jesus returns.

Another season to plant the garden has begun, most of the seeds are in and the weeds have already threatened to overtake. The rote task of digging in the soil and anticipating new growth stirs some excitement, but my soul is still dull to this world. The hours spent in our plot of sandy earth have already started to show results: the potatoes burst through the other day just when I started to panic that maybe they wouldn't. The beans and pickles are starting sparsely although I am sure we will be overwhelmed in fifty-eight days with their bounty. No signs of zucchini yet, which has me worried because I enjoy the never ending harvest of them, and so do the chickens, and then there's the largest squash Fair entries to anticipate.

A new raspberry bed was started with extra's from Traci's plot, an endeavor she assures me will bring me close to cursing the fertile, prickly bushes in just a matter of time. My rose colored glasses are only seeing jams and jellies and red smeared, smiling kid faces. Some new fruit trees were added to the orchard: an apple and a pear to join the others. Another hundred-or-so transplanted trees went along the roadside. A Wisconsin winter and a big tractor did little to help my unending endeavor to add some privacy to our open road view, but never-the-less, I continue to force the kids into the woods every spring to dig up yet more scragglers and tell them that this really will be the last year we have to do this.

Raining today; God's blessings to many prayers asked for moisture to establish our work. I love the lazy feel of dark rainy mornings. The young ones are sleeping in late, much needed rest from the abundance of sunshine and play lately. A renewed hope of the rest to come.

Most everybody has taken a break from the books to live life for a little while. Most of the kids have only a couple of books left to finish anyway, but all needed a mental vacation; especially mom:) I foresee math and reading throughout the summer months for a couple of them, plus some Bible and history reading together for all, but I have a feeling that they'll get much more out of it come June.

Farm chores are easy now with only twenty-or-so chickens to feed and water, baby calves are weaned, big steers and horses on pasture and automatic waterers, and milking and kidding season nearly over. Twin goats were born on Monday~ a boy and a girl~ yay! One last straggler doe to go any moment now ... really ... any moment ... yes, I know I said that two weeks ago. Alexis and I actually rode horse the other day. None of us have had any gumption to ride this spring, not even Grace.

Galatians 4:15~ "What has happened to all your joy?"

Thanks for asking Paul;I've been lacking in the joy department lately. We are the victors in Christ, right? We are reminded to be bold and courageous, right (Joshua 1:9)? Not whiny and pouty, right?

I will delight in my weaknesses, then, I will eagerly await through the Spirit the righteousness for which I hope (2 Cor 12:10; Gal 5:5), I will get out of bed in the morning, I will trust God for where He has me, I will fight the fight, I will stay the course, I will walk where God calls, I will remember that this life is but a shadow, I will long for God's glory to shine through me even if it comes with intense pain, I will remember to cook breakfast and lunch and dinner for my family, I will remember that it is by grace alone that we are saved, I will count it joy to suffer for the Savior who suffered for me, I will set my eyes on the joy before me- on the cross before me- as I grope to grasp God's hand in the dark pit as He leads me on (Isaiah 41:13), I will remember that my meager efforts to live a life worthy of the calling does make a difference because our King does not give trifles to His children for rewards, therefore I will share the gospel and the good news of salvation with the bank guy and the McDonalds gal and the random souls that God puts in my path, I will rest in God's sufficient grace and let it be enough to sustain me until I see Jesus face to face.