2011/10/28

Learning as we Go.

When did we start this race? I remember being pregnant for the first time and being stunned and amazed at the life that was growing in my womb. If I had known then what I know now I would have said way back when that we will have lots of kids instead of the timid response of maybe 1 or 2 but definitely no more than 4. To think I actually used to think that way. I didn't know then what beauty God had in store for us if we would but trust Him. We love having so many little faces to kiss and big hearts to nurture. The stretch of our family and responsibility has been nothing short of hard and nothing short of the best days ever. I remember being that young timid girl afraid of the future and living for the moment. Never an ounce of thought about next week, much less next year. How God has has flipped my backwards heart around and shown me a glimpse of the future in light of eternity! It is humbling.

As Jake and I have bore children, disciplined children, and loved children, we marvel at what a beautiful gift it is of the Lord to have the privilege. Never in our wildest dreams did we imagine what fun and what a humbling experience it would be. We have learned so much along the way. Still each day brings struggles and joys of its own. As our bigs (Colby and Jackie) grow older we are learning that each day takes a different face. Parenting is more fun and completely exhausting!

From spanking the bottoms of the littles (Samuel, Silas, Libby and sometimes others) to late night counseling with our bigs we are learning a new definition of what tired is and a more excellent definition of what fun is.

We are loving each day and are thankful. We are so glad that we have friends, you all, who are along for the ride of this God-given life with us. Bless the Lord oh my soul. Let all that is within me bless His hold name!

The news is frightful and the economy worse. Occupy Wall Street, really? How about occupy your home and recreate the messes that have been ignored there. My mind marvels at why our God has us here on this wild earth and then I'm reminded that it is good. Dominate it, rule it, make it glorify the living God.

Happy weekend dear ones.

"Our marriage shall be a yes to God's earth; it shall strengthen our courage to act and accomplish something on the earth." Dietrich Bonhoeffer 

2011/10/21

Two Subject Post

To begin with, the little lady pictured below is 4 months old. She is an absolute delight. She has some crazy, crazy hair. The girl has a poof of blackness that stands on end every day of the week. After the bath, after brushing, even after oiling, it stands up. What's funny is that Jake thinks it's a sign. If you were to look closely at her hair from a certain angle, you can see that it forms a "perfectly peeling wave." Those are Jake's exact words. He thinks it has something to do with the fact that he's being drawn back to Santa Cruz for a surf session. Hmmm.
Sweet little lady.

Jake's perfect peeler.
The second subject I want to mention are the beautiful sunrises that God's been delighting us with here. The photographs below are from my front door on a clear morning. The leaves have started to turn and the skies resemble something of a Carolina sky. It's just so magnificent. It's so kind of the Lord to show us a glimpse of such splendor. I feel so refreshed when I step out the front door and the chill of fall cools my face and the light of the sun causes my eyes to adjust to the bright beauty of it. So wonderful!
Tips of trees bowing to fall.

Down the grassy meadow out front. 

Feathery drifty skies.
Okay, maybe this is 3 subjects. If you haven't checked out Josh Garrels you must. We are all hooked here. We bought the album Jacaranda from iTunes and can't get enough. Dare you to listen!

2011/10/20

So Convicting!

I just read a short, powerful little article over at Femina. Click here to check it out if you want.

2011/10/18

Moments in Homeschooling.

I've been doing a bit better with using the recording feature on my iphone. At least my parents will appreciate the contents and perhaps a couple friends. 

2011/10/07

Hospitable Hospitality.

Now that we've settled in to our home and now that the baby has been born, the days have slowed down just a touch and the normalcy of life has taken over. The house has its own ebb and flow and Jake, the children, and I have established our routines. Jake comes home sometime after 6:30 in the evenings and that's just how it's going to be. He puts in twelve and half hour days and if I think for a moment that I'm putting the kids to bed early then I need to think again. I really can't plan to have the meal on the table at 6:30. For one thing, Jake may not be home yet, for another, the man really needs to unwind, kick off his boots and don his poppa clothes. This has us eating between 7 and 7:30 depending on how organized I am..

As a wife and a friend I'm realizing that hospitality is a day to day thing, not just a once in a while ordeal. Being hospitable should be woven in the fabric of my everyday life. Particularly if I call myself a Christian. How I keep the house, fold the clothes, set the table, prepare the meals, put the pillows on the couch, hang the pictures on the wall, treat the guests, love my children, respect my husband... is hospitality.  It's a sweet thing.

Our Lord in heaven is the most hospitable of all. He designed hospitality. In creating the earth and all that fills it up was the first notion of hospitality. Take a look around. Have you ever had your breath taken away by the wonders of creation, the leaves of fall, the chill of winter, the cool of the evening, the warmth of the first sunlight? The Lord has created all things for his glory and our enjoyment. What a blessing to his creatures.

I could never be just like the Lord, but he has given me the ability to see what is beauty, to recreate and decorate.  Making the home the best that it can be is a little bit to that end. Having friends over and blessing them with good food and fun is more of the same. Having dinner flow around my husbands schedule is what I am called to do. I won't always have these times to be busy cleaning, cooking, and warming the home for all the souls that abide here. Now is my time, not tomorrow, not next week, not in a year when friends come again, but here and now, in this moment. I will enjoy it now even though the days are long and my eyes are dark. Even though my body is tired and my head pounds. Yesterday won't come again.

True hospitality is sharing your life and dying to self. This should happen inside and outside of our dear family circles.