This last couple of weeks we have hit up our local(tiny!) library and August found a set of books that he loves. They are a bit longer than picture books, but not chapter books either. Each book is about a different person from History and talks about their life and some kind of character trait.
Today we read about Beethoven and giving. Many people invested in his life and music and when he felt like giving up, he persevered and gave back, with his beautiful music.
Afterward I got on youtube and found a couple songs and I said to lay down, close your eyes and dream about what the music is saying.
Well, there was no lying down, but there was plenty of imagining! Zade rushed over to me and said, "Mom, I thought of a new word! Musimovie!" They started creating a story of a man in the desert with a turban, sneaking up to a princess' window and trying to capture her. They went in and out of character and multiple characters throughout the music(about 30) minutes, and came up with a pretty good story! Princess, ballroom dancing, sword fights, poison, the antidote, good guy, bad guy, etc.
I wrote it down as they performed and they loved that even more! I read it back to them and then they chose a couple other symphonies and made up new plots and stories.
The only input I gave them was to try to think of a completely different story and characters from the one before.
It was such a fun hour! We haven't delved into Shakespeare yet, but I hope when we do, they will want to reenact the plays!
We finished our read aloud today also. Ralph Moody's, Little Britches. We all really enjoyed it. There was a lot of great lines from Father to son that I hope sunk into their heads and hearts.
For the summer we kept things really simple. We wrote out 1, 2, 3 John and the kids read 2 chapter books. Zade read Sign of the Beaver and a magic tree house book and Grace read May B. and the same magic tree house book, Dolphins at Daybreak. I wanted to challenge them to read something a little harder or longer than they have been, but in the end we made a compromise of one hard and one easy. Their reward was a date night with mama. Zade and I saw TMNT, and Grace are going bowling tonight.
Other learning happened through planting our first garden and reaping the benefits of that. Also, having a garage sale and making change, lots of life lessons and many late nights with great conversations and movie watching.
We are moving in a week so we haven't started the traditional school year yet. We will move and get settled, spend a good week with long nature walks exploring our new area and then get back to the books. I am looking forward to every part of it!
I will share more as we get into September what books we will be going through, but for now I just wanted to journal a little of what our summer has consisted of.
Enjoying the last of it, for soon enough we will be snuggled up with hot chocolate and tea and gazing at the leaves changing and the snow falling.
Showing posts with label joyful dancing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label joyful dancing. Show all posts
Thursday, August 21, 2014
Tuesday, August 12, 2014
Abiding
I can't quote lengths of scripture and if I do in fact spout off a verse from the Bible, there's a good chance I can't tell you where it's to be found. That's not something to be proud of, just a telling of the truth.
What I can do is testify of the many things that Christ has done in my life and what He speaks into my life, and oh how He speaks!
I have a simple faith but it is fierce. I like to say it's an unshakable adherence to the One who saved my soul. Nothing has shaken me so badly as to let loose of Him and I pray nothing ever will. Without God I wouldn't be the woman I am today, like me or not, agree with the way I live or not. He lives in me, and I cling to Him. It's an abiding kind of life that leads to peace and calm even when the storm rages.
I am in the midst of a mini storm now.
We are moving soon and have no place to move to. Interesting, if I do say so myself. Ever since we had our first big move across half the country, I have felt a kindred spirit to Abraham.
From the ocean to the prairie, to the desert and now up into the mountains; we keep trucking along with our Saviour who opens one way and closes another.
The house we thought we had secured for our family fell threw. The owners needed to sell it as fast as possible and we weren't able to be in that kind of hurry. I'm a slow mover with most things but I sure would have moved quick to snag that cute little cabin if I could of. But circumstances being what they are(we are waiting on our business to sell and Micheal's other job to start up), we have no choice but to be patient and wait hopeful that when things need to work out, they will.
I loved the idea of that sweet mountain cabin. So cozy and a bit of a stretch to fit us all in, but we were going to make it work and by the Lord's grace be happy about it!
After the initial shock of that house not working out, what else could we do but start praying again. I was feeling a bit overwhelmed that first evening after getting the call that the house was not to be ours and Micheal hugged me and said that we have done enough thinking and worrying for one day, we needed to rest and get up in the morning ready for another.
That's exactly what I needed to hear. Rest. In the Lord. It's the only way to get through anything, with peace that is.
So, here we are waiting to hear about another house. Hoping it will work out. Hoping for a home to live in. Hoping for the timing to be good and hoping that we will be like water off a duck's back with whatever Christ lets come our way.
Currently the house we are looking into seems to be a HUGE blessing from the Lord. Isn't that just the way it works out? He knows best. It's a lot newer and doesn't need any improving, just some adding on. In the end, it will be cheaper and bigger. About 1600 sq. feet and for us that is a perfect size. Not the cute little cabin feel like the other one, but it is in the mountains and it will be cozy in it's own way.
Today is just another day. Another day to rest and abide in God. To allow Him to do His thing and a chance to offer my life as a living sacrifice, a holy offering of trust and obedience. Today I get the joy of thinking(and sharing!) of more things the Lord has shown me and done for me and my family.
I get to breathe in the grace of my Lord and breathe out my worries. He has them all taken care of and there is no need to fret. He loves me. I must remind myself of this and I must remind you too. He loves you. Trust in His leading, even when you can't see the way. He sees it all. Trust that He knows what is best for you.
I am Yours, yes I am.
Only Yours, I will abide.
Through it all, through it all,
My eyes are on you.
Through it all, through it all,
It is well.
This is the goal of knowing You; to be Yours.
I will abide because I am Yours and You are mine.
Nothing else for me.
Hold me together Lord, I abide in You.
New mercies every morning, moment by moment.
I am Yours.
I abide in You.
- Bits of worship and thoughts from my journal mingled together
Here we are abiding in Christ, waiting with a hopeful heart that we will have another temporary home here on earth, waiting with a patient hope for our home eternal.
What I can do is testify of the many things that Christ has done in my life and what He speaks into my life, and oh how He speaks!
I have a simple faith but it is fierce. I like to say it's an unshakable adherence to the One who saved my soul. Nothing has shaken me so badly as to let loose of Him and I pray nothing ever will. Without God I wouldn't be the woman I am today, like me or not, agree with the way I live or not. He lives in me, and I cling to Him. It's an abiding kind of life that leads to peace and calm even when the storm rages.
I am in the midst of a mini storm now.
From the ocean to the prairie, to the desert and now up into the mountains; we keep trucking along with our Saviour who opens one way and closes another.
 |
| The house that almost was |
I loved the idea of that sweet mountain cabin. So cozy and a bit of a stretch to fit us all in, but we were going to make it work and by the Lord's grace be happy about it!
After the initial shock of that house not working out, what else could we do but start praying again. I was feeling a bit overwhelmed that first evening after getting the call that the house was not to be ours and Micheal hugged me and said that we have done enough thinking and worrying for one day, we needed to rest and get up in the morning ready for another.
That's exactly what I needed to hear. Rest. In the Lord. It's the only way to get through anything, with peace that is.
So, here we are waiting to hear about another house. Hoping it will work out. Hoping for a home to live in. Hoping for the timing to be good and hoping that we will be like water off a duck's back with whatever Christ lets come our way.
Currently the house we are looking into seems to be a HUGE blessing from the Lord. Isn't that just the way it works out? He knows best. It's a lot newer and doesn't need any improving, just some adding on. In the end, it will be cheaper and bigger. About 1600 sq. feet and for us that is a perfect size. Not the cute little cabin feel like the other one, but it is in the mountains and it will be cozy in it's own way.
Today is just another day. Another day to rest and abide in God. To allow Him to do His thing and a chance to offer my life as a living sacrifice, a holy offering of trust and obedience. Today I get the joy of thinking(and sharing!) of more things the Lord has shown me and done for me and my family.
I get to breathe in the grace of my Lord and breathe out my worries. He has them all taken care of and there is no need to fret. He loves me. I must remind myself of this and I must remind you too. He loves you. Trust in His leading, even when you can't see the way. He sees it all. Trust that He knows what is best for you.
I am Yours, yes I am.
Only Yours, I will abide.
Through it all, through it all,
My eyes are on you.
Through it all, through it all,
It is well.
This is the goal of knowing You; to be Yours.
I will abide because I am Yours and You are mine.
Nothing else for me.
Hold me together Lord, I abide in You.
New mercies every morning, moment by moment.
I am Yours.
I abide in You.
- Bits of worship and thoughts from my journal mingled together
Here we are abiding in Christ, waiting with a hopeful heart that we will have another temporary home here on earth, waiting with a patient hope for our home eternal.
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.
Saturday, August 2, 2014
Castles in the sand, trusting in the Rock
To start this post off, I want to share that sometimes things don't work out as you think they will. When I wrote this post, I was on cloud nine, but I had counted my chickens before they hatched. The next day, the guy came to work and said his wife had shown them their finances and they shouldn't be spending more money on a truck. So our truck is still for sale. God knows what we need and more importantly, He knows when we need it. Apparently our truck doesn't need to sell, just yet.
When we got that call a couple months ago about the job, we just knew it was God opening a door for us. It was exciting, but in all reality there is a lot that has to happen for it all to work out. I was watering our garden one morning and was talking with Jesus about it all and He convicted my heart of unbelief. Ouch!
I had asked for prayer and we have been praying for things to happen but I did in fact have a heart that kept saying quietly, "I don't think this is working out. I don't think our house will rent. I don't think anyone will buy the truck. I don't, I don't, I don't...."
So there I was in the back yard and my eyes were opened! Stop with the "I don't" and start believing the, "God can."
And He has!
Our house has renters moving in the first of September. Our business is selling. The house in the mountains is working out. The job is waiting for us. We signed Micheal up for school!
We still need to sell the truck and van but we still need them to get around, so I am praying, really believing, that God will sell them right when they need to be out of our lives.
We are doing what we can to make this all happen, but that isn't much. God is the One that really does the work. He is the One that opens doors and closes them. Gives and takes away. We are just sand in His open palm.
This whole transition has been a great time of seeking the Lord and waiting patiently, in hope.
And that is great practice for the ultimate thing we wait for, the hope of our salvation, coming in the clouds to take us to heaven, where we will forever sing His praises and talk of all the wonderful things He has done and who God is!
The next few weeks will be super busy, so will you please continue to pray that we would rest in Him, and that God would continue to work all things out. We sure would appreciate it!
When we got that call a couple months ago about the job, we just knew it was God opening a door for us. It was exciting, but in all reality there is a lot that has to happen for it all to work out. I was watering our garden one morning and was talking with Jesus about it all and He convicted my heart of unbelief. Ouch!
I had asked for prayer and we have been praying for things to happen but I did in fact have a heart that kept saying quietly, "I don't think this is working out. I don't think our house will rent. I don't think anyone will buy the truck. I don't, I don't, I don't...."
So there I was in the back yard and my eyes were opened! Stop with the "I don't" and start believing the, "God can."
And He has!
Our house has renters moving in the first of September. Our business is selling. The house in the mountains is working out. The job is waiting for us. We signed Micheal up for school!
We still need to sell the truck and van but we still need them to get around, so I am praying, really believing, that God will sell them right when they need to be out of our lives.
We are doing what we can to make this all happen, but that isn't much. God is the One that really does the work. He is the One that opens doors and closes them. Gives and takes away. We are just sand in His open palm.
This whole transition has been a great time of seeking the Lord and waiting patiently, in hope.
And that is great practice for the ultimate thing we wait for, the hope of our salvation, coming in the clouds to take us to heaven, where we will forever sing His praises and talk of all the wonderful things He has done and who God is!
The next few weeks will be super busy, so will you please continue to pray that we would rest in Him, and that God would continue to work all things out. We sure would appreciate it!
Thursday, July 31, 2014
The gift of July
It's been a full month and a surprisingly perfect balance of rest and busyness, being social and keeping to ourselves, procrastinating and actually getting stuff done.
It's been a luxurious month and when I say that I don't mean that I have flown around the world, eaten the most expensive foods, or spent a bunch of money on clothes or what have you. I mean that I fully recognize this gift of staying home with my children and I fully take pleasure in getting to do what we get to do; staying up late, waking up late, eating toast and eggs together while reading a Bible devotion or the next chapter in our read aloud, jumping on the trampoline, splashing in the water, gardening, cleaning, having a garage sale, hanging out with friends, and the list goes on and on.
My reading slowed way down this month. I have only read 1.4 books! I started a couple but couldn't get into them. I have found that July has been a month of hands on enjoyment of this beautiful earth. I didn't want to read. I have wanted to experience and explore, to get my hands dirty and get down on the floor with my kids and tickle and play. I needed to put together a garage sale in hopes of making a few bucks and getting rid of some things we no longer need. I enjoyed some much needed time with friends to just talk and live it up! We traveled just a bit to see family and celebrate freedom. Yes, July has been luxurious! And I am so very thankful for it all.
And on this last day of this wonderful month, we find out we have some people interested in renting our house. That's some exciting news for our little family but with that news comes a realization that a bunch of stuff has to happen within a very short amount of time.
So farewell my luxurious and fun July and hello to you, my adventurous August!
It's been a luxurious month and when I say that I don't mean that I have flown around the world, eaten the most expensive foods, or spent a bunch of money on clothes or what have you. I mean that I fully recognize this gift of staying home with my children and I fully take pleasure in getting to do what we get to do; staying up late, waking up late, eating toast and eggs together while reading a Bible devotion or the next chapter in our read aloud, jumping on the trampoline, splashing in the water, gardening, cleaning, having a garage sale, hanging out with friends, and the list goes on and on.
My reading slowed way down this month. I have only read 1.4 books! I started a couple but couldn't get into them. I have found that July has been a month of hands on enjoyment of this beautiful earth. I didn't want to read. I have wanted to experience and explore, to get my hands dirty and get down on the floor with my kids and tickle and play. I needed to put together a garage sale in hopes of making a few bucks and getting rid of some things we no longer need. I enjoyed some much needed time with friends to just talk and live it up! We traveled just a bit to see family and celebrate freedom. Yes, July has been luxurious! And I am so very thankful for it all.
And on this last day of this wonderful month, we find out we have some people interested in renting our house. That's some exciting news for our little family but with that news comes a realization that a bunch of stuff has to happen within a very short amount of time.
So farewell my luxurious and fun July and hello to you, my adventurous August!
Saturday, July 26, 2014
Weekend pondering - waiting for hope
Strive to be one of the few people who walk this earth with the ever present realization - every morning, noon, and night - that the unknown that people call heaven is directly behind those things that are visible.
- Streams in the Desert ~ July 26
The whole, short devotion is wonderfully encouraging.
Here's another excerpt:
"Dear Lord, You have made waiting beautiful and patience divine. You have taught us that Your will should be accepted, simply because it is Your will. You have revealed to us that a person may see nothing but sorrow in his cup yet still be willing to drink it because of a conviction that Your eyes see further than his own."
Is that not beautiful and oh so true, if we could but swallow it?
Swallow the truth of accepting His will because that's what we believe right? That He is God and a good God. That He actually has a will and we are not just going from one thing to the next for no good reason. That even though there is sorrow, there also is peace and joy walking with God, who cares for each one of us more than we are able to comprehend. That He sees it all and all at once! He is God and has not the constrictions we have!
Do you see the hope or is it hiding behind the visible?
Look up! He is there! Ready to help! Ready to give peace and comfort to your soul!
Happy Saturday. May you be dwelling upon the vastness of the Lord this last weekend of July.
- Streams in the Desert ~ July 26
The whole, short devotion is wonderfully encouraging.
Here's another excerpt:
"Dear Lord, You have made waiting beautiful and patience divine. You have taught us that Your will should be accepted, simply because it is Your will. You have revealed to us that a person may see nothing but sorrow in his cup yet still be willing to drink it because of a conviction that Your eyes see further than his own."
Is that not beautiful and oh so true, if we could but swallow it?
Swallow the truth of accepting His will because that's what we believe right? That He is God and a good God. That He actually has a will and we are not just going from one thing to the next for no good reason. That even though there is sorrow, there also is peace and joy walking with God, who cares for each one of us more than we are able to comprehend. That He sees it all and all at once! He is God and has not the constrictions we have!
Do you see the hope or is it hiding behind the visible?
Look up! He is there! Ready to help! Ready to give peace and comfort to your soul!
Happy Saturday. May you be dwelling upon the vastness of the Lord this last weekend of July.
Wednesday, July 23, 2014
Double digits.... whaaaaaa?
Our first born and only daughter Grace, AKA Katelyn, AKA Sister, has turned 10!
We had a fun swimming party last week and some friends over for pizza and cake.
I have wanted to take some pictures celebrating her big birthday (ten is a big one to me!), but hadn't made much time until I snapped these this afternoon. I bought a 20x28 inch black foam board while doing errands this morning and put it to use straight away.
Loving the black background and LOVING this girl even more!
She's silly and sweet and outdoorsy. She's a softy for her baby brother, a hard worker, and big dreamer. She's the spitting image of her Daddy, generous like her mama, and a bit ornery too! She also does not wear glasses! These have no glass in them!
This is our daughter in a nutshell of a blog post. We sure are blessed to have her in our lives!
Happy 10th birthday dear daughter! May the next 10 years be full of love, joy, growth, and more love.
We had a fun swimming party last week and some friends over for pizza and cake.
I have wanted to take some pictures celebrating her big birthday (ten is a big one to me!), but hadn't made much time until I snapped these this afternoon. I bought a 20x28 inch black foam board while doing errands this morning and put it to use straight away.
Loving the black background and LOVING this girl even more!
She's silly and sweet and outdoorsy. She's a softy for her baby brother, a hard worker, and big dreamer. She's the spitting image of her Daddy, generous like her mama, and a bit ornery too! She also does not wear glasses! These have no glass in them!
This is our daughter in a nutshell of a blog post. We sure are blessed to have her in our lives!
Happy 10th birthday dear daughter! May the next 10 years be full of love, joy, growth, and more love.
Sunday, July 20, 2014
You will be jolly
Micheal comes home happy pretty much always (one of the many reasons I love the man!), but tonight I could tell a load had been lifted.
He was at the bread depot after a long days work and one of the guys he works with told him to not even bother putting his truck up for sale, he would buy it. !!!!!!!
This has been one of the harder things we have been trying to figure out. He needs the truck until his last day of delivering, but we can't afford it after we sell the business, nor do we want a vehicle payment in general, but there won't be any more than a week to try and sell it before we move. What to do? What to do?
He came home and told us all the news and we couldn't help but send praises up to God and thank Him for this small (but really big!) miracle! With the kids looking at us with huge smiles, we shared with them the joy of praising God when He does the unexpected, the amazing, the miraculous.
"Every day you will see things and you have the choice to give praise to whom it is due, or not be moved and think it no big matter. But the more you see and realize that God is moving and working things out all the time and always making the sun rise and set, always giving us air to breathe, always making beautiful things, you will be jolly!"
We both feel completely over our heads with this life. We don't have all the answers. We don't have all the money. We don't have all the connections.
But we have life, because of Christ. We have the answers we need when we need them because of our God. We have all the money we need when we need it and not a moment before then, because of the provision of our Lord. We have all the connections we need, God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.
So we rest and know that all things will work out, in His timing and in His way.
And we rejoice when God moves in our lives!
How fun is it to live this life with Jesus?!!
It's the best kind of fun I know!
He was at the bread depot after a long days work and one of the guys he works with told him to not even bother putting his truck up for sale, he would buy it. !!!!!!!
This has been one of the harder things we have been trying to figure out. He needs the truck until his last day of delivering, but we can't afford it after we sell the business, nor do we want a vehicle payment in general, but there won't be any more than a week to try and sell it before we move. What to do? What to do?
He came home and told us all the news and we couldn't help but send praises up to God and thank Him for this small (but really big!) miracle! With the kids looking at us with huge smiles, we shared with them the joy of praising God when He does the unexpected, the amazing, the miraculous.
"Every day you will see things and you have the choice to give praise to whom it is due, or not be moved and think it no big matter. But the more you see and realize that God is moving and working things out all the time and always making the sun rise and set, always giving us air to breathe, always making beautiful things, you will be jolly!"
We both feel completely over our heads with this life. We don't have all the answers. We don't have all the money. We don't have all the connections.
But we have life, because of Christ. We have the answers we need when we need them because of our God. We have all the money we need when we need it and not a moment before then, because of the provision of our Lord. We have all the connections we need, God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.
So we rest and know that all things will work out, in His timing and in His way.
And we rejoice when God moves in our lives!
How fun is it to live this life with Jesus?!!
It's the best kind of fun I know!
Wednesday, July 16, 2014
28/52
What we have done this week is what Summer is all about;
swimming, parties, cold drinks, relaxing, sun kissed hair and eyelashes, exhaustion from too much fun.
We are thoroughly enjoying each and every day and while we may not be getting much done, we are soaking in the lazy days. Soon enough we will be back to a schedule and busy with books and chores.
Seeing my kids smile and explore, try news things and getting better at what they already know is like a blind woman getting sight.
It's all exciting!
Saturday, July 12, 2014
Plot twist!
Four years ago Micheal sent a messenger hawk up to his Uncle's house carrying his resume, asking for a job.
All these years, it has been circling up in the sky above their house and just a few weeks ago, it landed.
Just about that time I was praying and telling God that things seem to be going quite well and that there really wasn't anything as of late that had tested my faith. You know, just having an honest conversation with my Maker.
Hehe. I think God says, "Hehe." Yep, pretty sure He does.
So here we are living in the desert, totally content - but let's continue with the honesty- always open for adventure, so long as God leads the journey and BAM! God opens up a new avenue.
We started praying. Then the excitement mixed with doubt came. Then things started working out, one by one, and here we are; planning on moving to Garden Valley in September.
Micheal will be going through a 4 year apprentice program to become an electrician while working with his Uncle. We are selling the bread business, selling our vehicles and the trailer, renting our house and renting/buying a teeny, tiny cabin in the woods. 970 square feet tiny. :)
That's the short of it and we sure would appreciate your prayers for this upcoming change of pace for Team Thompson.
 |
| Our new view. So long, desert! |
The long of it, if you choose to continue reading, is this:
Over a year ago we went to a couple's retreat and it was a really nice time together. What we came away with from our weekend getaway was that we just needed more time together. You see, Micheal goes to bed early and I stay up late. Our schedules are opposite and we don't have time for just the two of us. As a family it's wonderful but date night, even a stay at home date night, is basically never happening. That is just not okay.
Add to that the amount of hours Micheal works and it just doesn't add up to a good quality of life for him. Now I know a lot of people work a lot of hours, but that is not our goal in life. We like to keep things simple and we value family over things.
So obviously Micheal will be very busy with work and school a couple nights a week, but we should still have more time together and in the long run we feel like this is a great opportunity for our family.
Bonuses are that we will be WAY closer to family, we get to live in a place that is GREEN, and we get the challenge and honor of trusting Christ with all things. Not that we technically haven't been doing that, but we were pretty comfortable if you know what I mean. This will be a lovely (and trying time) of growth, obedience and surrender to our Lord, Jesus Christ.
Down side is we love our church and the friends we have made and Micheal's Dad and Grandma live here so we will be missing all the wonderful people that make our life so grand here in southern Idaho.
Specific prayer requests:
* To find a good, long term renter for our house.
* To be able to buy the cabin in Garden Valley in a few months.
* That Micheal would do well with school and the new line of work.
* That the truck, van, trailer and random house things would sell.
* That the business would sell and not take longer than a couple of months.
God has us all in His hands and we are placing all our trust in Him. If all this doesn't work out, we take that as a hint that Christ has other plans for us and we are good with that.
If He does work this all out, then we look forward to the years ahead in a mountainous country with long winters and slow summers.
Commit your works to the LORD,
and your thoughts will be established. Proverbs 16:3
Commit your way to the LORD,
Trust also in Him,
And He shall bring it to pass. Psalm 37:5
And so we commit.
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.
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