weekending

john went to the snow with 30 students and homemade cookies in hand.

delia sported new skater shoes...showing everyone who may or may not be interested.

preview a swim meet and cheer on a cousin.

said cousin.
the event was combined with a long weekend sleepover.

embracing the camera.

turning the compost, tidying the yard, preparing for the return of the hens.

tending the garden (literally), tending the marriage (date night and no kids!!), tending my soul (church),
tending the family (lunch out with cousins and uncles oh my!) and tending the hearth (roasted a chicken).

Not documented: play dates with cousins, coffee dates, moneyball and tree of life watched and a last minute sushi run that ended with burgers!

Give me Jesus

In the morning, when I rise
In the morning, when I rise
In the morning, when I rise, give me Jesus

Give me Jesus,
Give me Jesus,
You can have all this world,
But give me Jesus

When I am alone
When I am alone
When I am alone, give me Jesus

Give me Jesus,
Give me Jesus,
You can have all this world,
But give me Jesus

When I come to die
When I come to die
When I come to die, give me Jesus

Give me Jesus,
Give me Jesus,
You can have all this world,
You can have all this world,
You can have all this world,
But give me Jesus

Go watch the video.

happy weekend!

is it spring or winter?
blossoms in february!
happy weekend friends.

a photo

it has come to my attention that perhaps the photo accompanying yesterdays post might not be appropriate as it looks like the trash of carrot peelings in the sink and an open compost bucket next to it.
which is exactly what the photo is depicting.
there is no trash reference in my heart or mind.
i simply took the photo ( a week or so ago) to remind myself that there is beauty in tasks of daily life.
though the more i think about it, the more i pause to reflect on the fact that sometimes carrot peelings are like the dirt being scratch away in our heart and in our lives.
the peelings go into the compost pile, where the worms turn the leftovers into rich fragrant dirt.
so.
perhaps our life is like a compost pile.
first, the ends and ugly parts are cut off,
the leftovers discarded.
we have a bright shiny surface that soon will decay.
the scraps and bits land in the compost bucket.
the bucket gets emptied into the compost pile.
where over time, with heat, and decomposition,
our lives become a fragrant fresh soil ready to fertilize the earth.
a newness.
a purpose.
like a refiners fire i suppose.
i also suppose i have taken the compost analogy a bit far.


sometimes the photos in this blog do not accurately depict the post they are matched with.
sometimes they do.
it is very hard for me to post without a photo
and i do not have time to stage a photo to match the topic.
y'all i am not that organized.
plus i home-school my wee ones and that is a huge time suck.
that and scramble with friends.

speaking the truth

why is it so difficult to speak the truth into the lives of those we love?
why do we fear the truth?
do we fear the loss of relationship?
what paralyzes those words of truth and love?
what hinders our words?
why do we hide behind niceties and metaphors?
if i love you, am i not free to speak in love to you?
if you love me, if you care for me, if you want the best for me,
why then can you not speak truth into my life?
***
if my lifestyle causes you pain, if my child has a struggle i don't seem aware of, if my loved one is hurting me, why can't you look me in the eye and speak to me in love?
why do the words of love need to be only encouragement and compliments?
there is need for encouragement, gentleness and overwhelming kindness,
but what about the cold hard truths...
the words that cut to the heart of the matter?
if i say to you, "i think your child might have a social delay issue",
or if i say, "when you stand me up, i feel like you do not value me.",
or if i say, "i think you are depressed, here is the name of a good counselor.",
or if i say, " your husband is engaging in inappropriate behaviors that are harming your marriage.",
can you accept my words as love?
***
i want to turn the tide.
speak to me in love.
but in truth.
tell me the hard things.
tell me when i am off my rocker.
tell me when i have forgotten to seek God first.
tell me when i offend you.
tell me the pieces i am missing about my children
tell me what my careless words are.
love me in truth.
be gentle.
be kind.
but speak to me.
use the spirit of God in you to speak to me.
chose words that are kind, true and necessary.
***
don't you want the people who love you to speak to you in truth?
not just telling the truth but speaking truths into your life?
if God uses you to speak a truth into my life...a hard truth,
i hope that i would have the grace to hear and accept those words of love.