Is it funny that we are in the same position-almost-as last year? Moving, setting up a home, starting a new job, deciding on what to do for school.
We have moved a few times in our thirteen years of marriage. Some big moves and some small. Every time though we have learned something new. We moved into my sister and her husband's house when we were newlyweds, as we waited for our own house to close. I learned about respect and thin walls. And before you get the wrong idea, it was more along the lines of me having a early to work job(coffee shop) and the rest of the house working late nights. So movie watching in the wee hours of the morning were a no go for me as I tried to sleep through the surround sound. Hey, I was young and it didn't bother me none.
Being in our first home showed me how much I enjoy setting up a home. I loved that home but was also caught up on making it just right and realized the balance of being content, dreaming, and knowing that what I had was enough.
We then moved a few states away to Oklahoma. That was a rough move for me. I was out in the country with just about no friends and surprised to find myself pregnant in the first week we got there! I realized how I had been back in Oregon. I has all the friends and family I needed and didn't really give it a thought to reach out to families that had just moved into the area. Now, I was that new person. I wanted a good friend desperately. I have never cried so much in my life. It was rough but I learned a lot.
Fast forward two years, and now I found myself surrounded by tons of great people in Idaho. Micheal.'s job was a better fit for our family and as a whole we were a pretty happy family. We lived in the same house for three years before a hop, skip and jump to a small town just 30 minutes away. It was a great fit from the beginning! We loved our new house, Micheal's job was great, and we made friends fast!
Now, a year and a half later we are in the mountains instead of the desert of Idaho. It too is a great fit, although in different ways. I can tell that it will take a bit longer to settle as we finish our home and get to know the community. Once again, I am observing the community and church services and am amazed at how different we all are!
There are many ways to do life and I have learned a lot from many wonderful people. I don't regret all our moves although I hope this will be the last move for a long while. Micheal and I both love it here and I think the kids have transitioned well also. We still don't have close friends-heck, it's only been a couple months!- but we love the people we have met and we have absolutely wonderful family here.
So this is home. This is what we wake up to every morning and continue to search out for new places to explore and new things to be involved in and new people to meet.
It's different from all the other places before, but it's kind of the same too. It's a great place to call home!
Showing posts with label community. Show all posts
Showing posts with label community. Show all posts
Thursday, November 13, 2014
Tuesday, August 5, 2014
Cultivating beauty: seasonal bounty edition
When God created, He made all things gorgeous and perfect. When sin entered the timeline, death and ugliness came along.
We know all that, but sometimes we forget. Sometimes we are so surrounded by the current news headlines that the ugliness and brokenness overwhelms and brings us down.
But then there are the beautiful moments.
On a walk last night we noticed a neighbor's overflowing apricot tree. He said to pick to our heart's content and so this morning the girls were up early and we rode over in the early windy cloudiness and got us a basket full.
Fact: it does not take a whole day or a perfectly planned out event to cultivate beauty in our lives.
In our case, it was a mere 30 minutes of riding bikes, looking at the scenery of a small neighborhood, laughter from squishy apricots in our toes, challenging tree climbing, tasting the sweetness of orange fleshed fruit, and catching a few perfectly tree-ripened apricots tossed down from mama to child. It was a few moments of enjoying God's creation and it does a soul some good!
When we got home the kids went off to continue on with the story they have been playing out since last night, and I went about taking some pictures of our free fruit; for beauty's sake.
God saw the importance in making things beautiful. I am woman created in His image, so therefore I too am a creator -not THE Creator- but an imitator of what He is, a maker of beauty.
It doesn't take long, but it speaks volumes to our children and the people in our lives, when we cultivate beauty.
What are you doing to create a space of beauty? Are you taking the time to notice all the small things in life that we usually take for granted?
Our daily lives are the sphere for glorifying Christ in all that we do and say. It's a challenge to find the beauty in the mundane daily life sometimes, but a worthy challenge to embark on in my opinion!
In every season there is something beautiful and pleasant to be found; a gift from the Father of lights.
Go about finding those gifts and living in thankfulness for them.
Change the world, one beautiful thing at time.
But then there are the beautiful moments.
On a walk last night we noticed a neighbor's overflowing apricot tree. He said to pick to our heart's content and so this morning the girls were up early and we rode over in the early windy cloudiness and got us a basket full.
Fact: it does not take a whole day or a perfectly planned out event to cultivate beauty in our lives.
In our case, it was a mere 30 minutes of riding bikes, looking at the scenery of a small neighborhood, laughter from squishy apricots in our toes, challenging tree climbing, tasting the sweetness of orange fleshed fruit, and catching a few perfectly tree-ripened apricots tossed down from mama to child. It was a few moments of enjoying God's creation and it does a soul some good!
When we got home the kids went off to continue on with the story they have been playing out since last night, and I went about taking some pictures of our free fruit; for beauty's sake.
God saw the importance in making things beautiful. I am woman created in His image, so therefore I too am a creator -not THE Creator- but an imitator of what He is, a maker of beauty.
It doesn't take long, but it speaks volumes to our children and the people in our lives, when we cultivate beauty.
What are you doing to create a space of beauty? Are you taking the time to notice all the small things in life that we usually take for granted?
Our daily lives are the sphere for glorifying Christ in all that we do and say. It's a challenge to find the beauty in the mundane daily life sometimes, but a worthy challenge to embark on in my opinion!
In every season there is something beautiful and pleasant to be found; a gift from the Father of lights.
Go about finding those gifts and living in thankfulness for them.
Change the world, one beautiful thing at time.
Thursday, June 26, 2014
So bloggy
Micheal read my blog for the first time the other day. I know that may seem very bizarre, but he isn't much into computers. Plus I actually was nervous about showing it to him because he would tell me what he thought about it! But you wanna know what he said?
"It's good Babe. I think when people read it they will appreciate their own normal day to day life."
Whew!
Then it got me thinking......
I too hope that that is what people come away from with this little blog o' mine.
I know when I read blogs, I encounter all sorts of emotions. Intrigue, optimism, pessimism, jealousy, non-interest, enjoyment. The list really could go on and on. It is so interesting the world we live in right now. At any given moment we could look at someone's life anywhere in the world. We can peek into what others are doing and follow along if we want or click off the page and never look back.
It's bizarre really to be able to peer into the many lives of people all over the world. And wonderful too!
I tend to leave this blog wide open, meaning I can post whatever I feel like. It can be annoying because you never really know what you will get. I personally only read a few blogs consistently and they tend to stay on one or two subjects, which is probably why I keep coming back; I know what I am going to get. But I can't seem to commit to write a blog like that! Maybe you call that a lifestyle blog? I'm into lifestyle photography so that makes sense. Not too posed. Not smiling perfectly at the camera. Just a bunch of wonderful, sporadic moments that makes up one's life. Or a family of lives in this case.
I hope you enjoy what you read here. I hope you are inspired to live your own life full of joy and contentment. And I hope you know that I try to be as real as I know how to be. I tend to keep to the optimistic and encouraging side of things. There's enough trouble in the world. I want this to be a happy place. Not trying to portray my life as perfect in any way, just trying to be thankful for what I have been given.
And then there's this:
"...we may, by fixing our attention almost fiercely on the facts actually before us, force them to turn into adventures; force them to give up their meaning and fulfill their mysterious purpose. The purpose of the Kipling literature is to show how many extraordinary things a man may see if he is active and strides from continent to continent like the giant in my tale. But the object of my school is to show how many extraordinary things even a lazy and ordinary man may see if he can spur himself to the single activity of seeing. For this purpose I have taken the laziest person of my acquaintance, that is myself; and made an idle diary of such odd things as I have fallen over by accident, in walking in a very limited area at a very indolent pace. If anyone says that these are very small affairs talked about in very big language, I can only gracefully compliment him upon seeing the joke. If anyone says that I am making mountains out of molehills, I confess with pride that it is so. I can imagine no more successful and productive form of manufacture than that of making mountains out of molehills. But I would add this not unimportant fact, that molehills are mountains; one has only to become a pigmy like Peter to discover that.I have my doubts about all this real value in mountaineering, in getting to the top of everything and overlooking everything. Satan was the most celebrated of Alpine guides, when he took Jesus to the top of an exceeding high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the earth. But the joy of Satan in standing on a peak is not a joy in largeness, but a joy in beholding smallness, in the fact that all men look like insects at his feet. It is from the valley that things look large; it is from the level that things look high; I am a child of the level and have no need of that celebrated Alpine guide. I will lift up my eyes to the hills, from whence cometh my help; but I will not lift up my carcass to the hills, unless it is absolutely necessary. Everything is in an attitude of mind; and at this moment I am in a comfortable attitude. I will sit still and let the marvels and the adventures settle on me like flies. There are plenty of them, I assure you. The world will never starve for want of wonders; but only for want of wonder."
- G.K. Chesterton
I dare you to make mountains out of molehills! It's the bloggy thing to do!
"It's good Babe. I think when people read it they will appreciate their own normal day to day life."
Whew!
Then it got me thinking......
I too hope that that is what people come away from with this little blog o' mine.
I know when I read blogs, I encounter all sorts of emotions. Intrigue, optimism, pessimism, jealousy, non-interest, enjoyment. The list really could go on and on. It is so interesting the world we live in right now. At any given moment we could look at someone's life anywhere in the world. We can peek into what others are doing and follow along if we want or click off the page and never look back.
It's bizarre really to be able to peer into the many lives of people all over the world. And wonderful too!
I tend to leave this blog wide open, meaning I can post whatever I feel like. It can be annoying because you never really know what you will get. I personally only read a few blogs consistently and they tend to stay on one or two subjects, which is probably why I keep coming back; I know what I am going to get. But I can't seem to commit to write a blog like that! Maybe you call that a lifestyle blog? I'm into lifestyle photography so that makes sense. Not too posed. Not smiling perfectly at the camera. Just a bunch of wonderful, sporadic moments that makes up one's life. Or a family of lives in this case.
I hope you enjoy what you read here. I hope you are inspired to live your own life full of joy and contentment. And I hope you know that I try to be as real as I know how to be. I tend to keep to the optimistic and encouraging side of things. There's enough trouble in the world. I want this to be a happy place. Not trying to portray my life as perfect in any way, just trying to be thankful for what I have been given.
And then there's this:
"...we may, by fixing our attention almost fiercely on the facts actually before us, force them to turn into adventures; force them to give up their meaning and fulfill their mysterious purpose. The purpose of the Kipling literature is to show how many extraordinary things a man may see if he is active and strides from continent to continent like the giant in my tale. But the object of my school is to show how many extraordinary things even a lazy and ordinary man may see if he can spur himself to the single activity of seeing. For this purpose I have taken the laziest person of my acquaintance, that is myself; and made an idle diary of such odd things as I have fallen over by accident, in walking in a very limited area at a very indolent pace. If anyone says that these are very small affairs talked about in very big language, I can only gracefully compliment him upon seeing the joke. If anyone says that I am making mountains out of molehills, I confess with pride that it is so. I can imagine no more successful and productive form of manufacture than that of making mountains out of molehills. But I would add this not unimportant fact, that molehills are mountains; one has only to become a pigmy like Peter to discover that.I have my doubts about all this real value in mountaineering, in getting to the top of everything and overlooking everything. Satan was the most celebrated of Alpine guides, when he took Jesus to the top of an exceeding high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the earth. But the joy of Satan in standing on a peak is not a joy in largeness, but a joy in beholding smallness, in the fact that all men look like insects at his feet. It is from the valley that things look large; it is from the level that things look high; I am a child of the level and have no need of that celebrated Alpine guide. I will lift up my eyes to the hills, from whence cometh my help; but I will not lift up my carcass to the hills, unless it is absolutely necessary. Everything is in an attitude of mind; and at this moment I am in a comfortable attitude. I will sit still and let the marvels and the adventures settle on me like flies. There are plenty of them, I assure you. The world will never starve for want of wonders; but only for want of wonder."
- G.K. Chesterton
I dare you to make mountains out of molehills! It's the bloggy thing to do!
Monday, June 23, 2014
Share the washi tape
My older sister seems to know everything. I don't know how she does it. Maybe it's a first born thing. Maybe after you are born, God pulls you aside for just a sec and says, "Now, looky here. You are the first born of this little family and soon enough you will have sisters and brothers and they will all look up to you so you're going to need a little extra something. A bit of knowledge to pass on. So here you go," at which He supernaturally, because we are talking about God, puts some great stuff there into that firstborn's mind.
You see, awhile ago, my sister was on the phone with a friend and her friend is telling her all about this awesome stuff called washi tape. "You can use it for just about anything", she says. And at that, my sister says, who don't forget is the first born, "Oh yeah. I've been using it for years! It's great!" Her friend at hearing this, is a little disappointed. She says, "Why didn't you ever tell me about it?" Hmmm. You see, my sister, Michelle is her name, never thought to tell others because she thought others knew about it already. I find myself in conversation sometimes, feeling a bit shy when I talk of something because I think surely they have heard this all before. But that is just not the case all the time.
So I am here to share something new (to me) in hopes that if you have never heard of, in this case an author (did I lose ya?), then you can join the party!!
Does the name G.K Chesterton ring a bell?
If you are like me, you may have heard the name or seen a quote at some point and that is about as far as it went. Can I encourage you to grab one of his books? I have only read this one and it's free! This guy is a great story teller! I bet you can't read it without smiling. I hope you do read it and smile.
Next on the list, will be Orthodoxy and then The Complete Father Brown Series.
Chesterton has a bunch of books and rightly so. He is an interesting cat.
And that my friends is all I wanted to share with you today.
Share your knowledge! The world needs to know about washi tape and Chesterton.
What have you recently found out about that you want to share?
You see, awhile ago, my sister was on the phone with a friend and her friend is telling her all about this awesome stuff called washi tape. "You can use it for just about anything", she says. And at that, my sister says, who don't forget is the first born, "Oh yeah. I've been using it for years! It's great!" Her friend at hearing this, is a little disappointed. She says, "Why didn't you ever tell me about it?" Hmmm. You see, my sister, Michelle is her name, never thought to tell others because she thought others knew about it already. I find myself in conversation sometimes, feeling a bit shy when I talk of something because I think surely they have heard this all before. But that is just not the case all the time.
So I am here to share something new (to me) in hopes that if you have never heard of, in this case an author (did I lose ya?), then you can join the party!!
Does the name G.K Chesterton ring a bell?
If you are like me, you may have heard the name or seen a quote at some point and that is about as far as it went. Can I encourage you to grab one of his books? I have only read this one and it's free! This guy is a great story teller! I bet you can't read it without smiling. I hope you do read it and smile.
Next on the list, will be Orthodoxy and then The Complete Father Brown Series.
Chesterton has a bunch of books and rightly so. He is an interesting cat.
And that my friends is all I wanted to share with you today.
Share your knowledge! The world needs to know about washi tape and Chesterton.
What have you recently found out about that you want to share?
Saturday, June 21, 2014
Weekend ponderings
It was an interesting 30 minutes. First I listened to this show, then I read chapter 9 from Blue Like Jazz, titled, " Change. New starts at Ancient Faith".
I have never listened to Tom Woods' show before but sometimes, well often times on the internet, you come across something and it leads to something else and pretty soon you can't recall how you ended up where you did. But there I was and so I listened.
"Politics is downstream from culture....... if you want to change public policy, you have to change culture..." - Steve Deace
Made me think, "What am I doing to affect American culture?"
So then I opened the book and read the aforementioned chapter and it's basically about a guy who started leading a college Bible study, said all the right things, did all the right things, but lost his first love, who then needed to take a break and seek the Lord again.
Go! Do!
Rest! Be still!
Two very different commands and ideas.
I sat there in my bed thinking through the last few minutes and how it all applied to me.
I prayed and this is what God told me:
"Choose righteousness.
You know that River Run for Orphans race coming up? Run.
You know those four children in the next room? Raise them up in the Lord.
You know that husband of yours who works his hiney off to support his family? Encourage him.
Choose to be apart of the many good things that are happening all around that will change our culture, that will build up people and gently encourage them to walk with Me."
If we serve out of the overflow of love coming down from God we will continue on and this culture will be affected. The key is to not lose our first love. The key is to be all about Jesus. Not politics. Not food. Not jobs and how to school our children. When we lean fully on Christ and seek Him, all those other things will fall into place.
Happy Saturday to you all! May you be thinking big thoughts and doing small things to help bring about a beautiful culture that glorifies God.
Friday, May 30, 2014
Things learned in May
1. You have to be very careful when transplanting tomatoes. Their roots are super sensitive. Broccoli and cabbage need to go in earlier than the middle of May. It's getting hot and they don't fair so well in the heat. Potatoes are easy to grow. We do live in Idaho.
2. Kids love to do it (whatever *it* may be) themselves if at all possible. Don't step on their toes. Let them fail and learn from it. But sometimes even when they know how, they love Mom to do it for them. Like making breakfast. One day they are all empowered on knowing how to make their own food and the next morning they are wanting to sit on the couch and have their mama serve them. It's all good.
3. Yerbe Mate Chocolatte doesn't make great ICED tea. Keep that one HOT.
4. Archimedes was born in Syracuse and Paul the Apostle traveled through Syracuse during his missionary travels. Random books coming together. I love when that happens! Archimedes and the Door of Science and the book of Acts from the Bible.
5. There is a tender and important balance between taking photos to remember an experience and just letting it be experienced for the goodness of what it is and not having any hard evidence that it happened. I have not mastered this but am attempting to find that balance and enjoy the moments for what they are without having to run and get the camera.
Chatting at the Sky has a link up. I read Emily's book, Million Little Ways early this year and found it very inspiring. Her blog is just the same.
What have you learned in May?
 |
| Oh, please survive. I want to eat your fruit so bad! |
2. Kids love to do it (whatever *it* may be) themselves if at all possible. Don't step on their toes. Let them fail and learn from it. But sometimes even when they know how, they love Mom to do it for them. Like making breakfast. One day they are all empowered on knowing how to make their own food and the next morning they are wanting to sit on the couch and have their mama serve them. It's all good.
3. Yerbe Mate Chocolatte doesn't make great ICED tea. Keep that one HOT.
4. Archimedes was born in Syracuse and Paul the Apostle traveled through Syracuse during his missionary travels. Random books coming together. I love when that happens! Archimedes and the Door of Science and the book of Acts from the Bible.
5. There is a tender and important balance between taking photos to remember an experience and just letting it be experienced for the goodness of what it is and not having any hard evidence that it happened. I have not mastered this but am attempting to find that balance and enjoy the moments for what they are without having to run and get the camera.
Chatting at the Sky has a link up. I read Emily's book, Million Little Ways early this year and found it very inspiring. Her blog is just the same.
What have you learned in May?
Wednesday, May 21, 2014
People=blessings
This last week has been a full one with lots of gathering together with family and friends which naturally means an abundance of food and fellowship. Gotta love all those "F" words!
We had the joy of having some friends over on Sunday for lunch. All these children together bless me! Raising up a generation of Jesus lovers and super heroes! See all those BOYS!!
I took some family photos for a sweet friend and as much as I wanted to bless their family, they ended up blessing my family far more. How did that happen? They're amazing, that's how.
The kids and I went to Boise for a couple days to meet up with my cousin who I haven't seen in 9 years. It was such a sweet 2 hours!
There were a couple tears, happy ones of course and mostly smiles and laughter as we caught up with how life has been since high school. Can't wait to see him again and hoping and praying it isn't 9 more years. Love you cousin!
On the way up to Boise our van overheated and we found out it needed a new water pump. I called my brother in law and as I pulled into Boise, by the grace of God, I dropped off the van to have his friend fix it for us. Seriously cool guy! No picture of him though. ;)
My brother in law gave me his car to drive for the day. "What's mine is yours," he says. Seriously blown away by the thoughtfulness and generosity of others.
Then there's Gma and Auntie and cousin. They made it out to the zoo with us and made it far more fun than what it would have been with just the kids and I. Plus they fed us! Food and fellowship equals love right?
Thanks to you all for your love to my family. We love you back a million times and we "count" you as one of our many blessings!
We had the joy of having some friends over on Sunday for lunch. All these children together bless me! Raising up a generation of Jesus lovers and super heroes! See all those BOYS!!
The kids and I went to Boise for a couple days to meet up with my cousin who I haven't seen in 9 years. It was such a sweet 2 hours!
There were a couple tears, happy ones of course and mostly smiles and laughter as we caught up with how life has been since high school. Can't wait to see him again and hoping and praying it isn't 9 more years. Love you cousin!
On the way up to Boise our van overheated and we found out it needed a new water pump. I called my brother in law and as I pulled into Boise, by the grace of God, I dropped off the van to have his friend fix it for us. Seriously cool guy! No picture of him though. ;)
My brother in law gave me his car to drive for the day. "What's mine is yours," he says. Seriously blown away by the thoughtfulness and generosity of others.
Then there's Gma and Auntie and cousin. They made it out to the zoo with us and made it far more fun than what it would have been with just the kids and I. Plus they fed us! Food and fellowship equals love right?
And we will end this post with colorful pictures because that is how this week has been! Life is beautiful and crazy and sometimes both at the same time.
It's been a colorful week with lots of beautiful and lovely people who blessed me and encouraged my family in one way or another, whether they were intentionally trying to or not. This week was full and blessed and I am a thankful lady.
"Count your blessings, name them one by one.
Count your blessings, see what God has done....."
Thanks to you all for your love to my family. We love you back a million times and we "count" you as one of our many blessings!
Monday, May 12, 2014
Mama roar!
I have dinner in the oven and the husband is almost home so I have literally 2.4 minutes to write this......
Today we were at the park and some older(ish) kids were making fun of August. He has had to stand up for himself a lot more now that his hair is longer and I am fine with that, but today I stood up for him. It wasn't ugly but I basically just called the kid out and said that she wasn't being nice and she knew it. I probably could have used the moment to teach her a better lesson of "let's be nice" but I didn't. I will next time. I hope.
Mama instinct came in full force and I did what I had to to stand up for my son.
I dream of a world where we are all loved so deeply and fully that we are secure in who we are and how we fit into this big ol' world. I dream that children would not even think to put others down for being different than them, but would have the conversation skills and love in their hearts to maybe start a conversation about why the person does what he or she does.
May we as adults lead them in this! Please! May we lay down our pride and insecurities and engage with others with love and respect.
Lord, start with me.
Today we were at the park and some older(ish) kids were making fun of August. He has had to stand up for himself a lot more now that his hair is longer and I am fine with that, but today I stood up for him. It wasn't ugly but I basically just called the kid out and said that she wasn't being nice and she knew it. I probably could have used the moment to teach her a better lesson of "let's be nice" but I didn't. I will next time. I hope.
Mama instinct came in full force and I did what I had to to stand up for my son.
I dream of a world where we are all loved so deeply and fully that we are secure in who we are and how we fit into this big ol' world. I dream that children would not even think to put others down for being different than them, but would have the conversation skills and love in their hearts to maybe start a conversation about why the person does what he or she does.
May we as adults lead them in this! Please! May we lay down our pride and insecurities and engage with others with love and respect.
Lord, start with me.
Wednesday, March 26, 2014
Yes Lord, yes Lord, yes, yes Lord
I almost have no problem saying no if I don't want to do something. Or even if I do but am nervous about it. It seems for all the articles I have read and people's comments that most have the exact opposite problem. Saying yes to too much. Anyone else on board with my side of the problem?
One of my favorite verses is:
1 Thessalonians 4:11 ... that you also aspire to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business, and to work with your own hands...
A lot has changed since having children. I am quite content to stay at home most days. Adding to that is the fact that taking four children out and about is fairly difficult, even when they are well behaved! Add in another factor of a husband's hectic work schedule and it just makes sense to stay home and not overcommit.
But the flip side.....
we miss out on beauty, fun, community, learning.
We have a full day planned today and not much time planned as a complete family, let alone some one on one time with my husband. There was a field trip planned to go to a local greenhouse. I almost said no. I'm so glad we went!
It was beautiful and fun and informative. I learned of another local business to support and how it is in the fourth generation of family owners!! The kids loved it.
We have been blessed with a fantastic group of families in our lives in the last few months who we really connect with and love. And we get to do life together! I love the time we spend together, getting to know each other and letting the kids be kids.
It was just the two oldest which made it so much easier on me and this is where I still feel like saying no is alright. I have young children. A baby that still wakes up in the middle of the night and has a hard time being still when he is awake. My mind just can't handle the chaos of 4 children by myself in a new place as well as some Moms can. I realize my limits and instead of stressing out about going we just usually stay home.
All this to say, I am trying to find a balance of yes and no. Stay and go. What is really good and worth while and what we could miss and be just fine about. It was lovely taking the older ones today and leaving the littles at home. A nice change of pace.
It was lovely saying yes.
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