Just a Daisy in the Meadow

“Prayers and Peanut Butter” by Barbara Classen is one of the best “Mom” books out there!!!  I’m almost to the back cover . . .   Love it!!!  Lots of understanding\sympathy, inspiration, challenges  and good child training tips and advice.

Vision Publishers have it if you are interested.  They told us yesterday that someone will order one and then about a week later call back and order a case (10), which is what I’m contemplating about doing . . . Just want to pass it out to all young or not so young moms who are in the same stage of life as I am right now!   www.vision-publishers.com  There’s my advertising for the day!

This has been a tough week for me . . . weary and exhausted, trying to keep things under control (house work and children ) and just needing lots of rest and quiet . . .

And of course this had to be an extremely busy week for my husband ( he’s on the quilt show committee this year).  Somehow when we’re both bus and tired at the same time it is tougher . . .

But God has poured out his tender loving care on me this week also . . . Three mornings in a row I’ve had a few hours to myself, of quiet reflection  and rest.  And yesterday I actually slept a bit in the mid-morning and also a bit in the afternoon . . . now this is miracle stuff for me because I usually can’t sleep during the day no matter how exhausted I am . . . Anyway, I just want to praise His name and say that He cares . . . He really does . . . He came to me “in person” these last few days and ministered to my needs . . .

No, God doesn’t always answer my prayers this way . . .  but He’s the Lily in my Valley anyway . . . no matter what . . .

“I found a Lily in my valley – in my valley,

I found strength when I was worn- Oh, so worn

I found a place to leave my burden,

I found a refuge from the storm.

A place to trade my dark skies,

For beaming rays of sunshine – God’s sunshine

I found a Lily in my valley

And He blooms all the time . . .”

Hello there . . .  Are ya enjoying your summer?

We’re lov’in it!!!

Of course some days are sweeter than others . . .

This being one of them . . .

Loraine picks flowers every day . . .

It’s just her favorite thing to do!!! 

And of course Lynne doesn’t like being left out . . .

God bless your day with sunshine and daisies and little ones to kiss . . .

Until next time . . . See ya!

I’ve been trying to teach the boys how to memorize Scripture verses by themselves . . . Finally this morning we had some good successes!!! . . . . Why is it that there is such a difficult road leading to success? . . . I’ve been trying to get them to do this for about a year, I guess (off and on,  ya know )

And this afternoon right after lunch we had a major, major failure in remembering lessons on how to treat animals kindly . . . I mean we are not talking one or two or even three year olds, but almost seven and eight year olds!!!

Does God ever feel like it’s useless? . . . What He’s trying to teach me? . . . Does He ever wonder and think “Oh, she’ll never get it!!  Look at this . . . again . . . over and over, she’s failed at this test . . . .

I admit, I wonder sometimes . . . Will my children ever learn . . . Like HOW OFTEN DO I HAVE TO TELL\SHOW THEM?!  Whether it’s clearing off the table chores or keeping their room clean or being kind to animals or remembering to come ask “Is there anything else I can do for you, Mama?  before they run off to play. . .

“Life is easy when you’re up on the mountain” . . . but when you’re down in the valley trying to train up six children . . .ya gotta hold on to FAITH . . .

I’ve been having fun making bookbags or teddybear bags as some of my children use them to carry their bears around in .

I was gonna post pics but I can’t find the little thing to put my camera card in so that I can get it on the computer . . . oh, that seems to be the name of the game around here, Loose It!!!  Game pieces, puzzles pieces, Knex, legos, anything really . . . it’s just hard to keep track of things . . . and so here I go again, asking God to help me find this needle in the haystack .  . . It’s monday so it DOES feel like a haystack . . .

Ya know how some days go . . . Ya just don’t seem to be motivated at all or get anything done . . . Yet, I’ve often realized that “rest” is  (at least in times of my life where I need lots of rest) a prelude to getting alot done . . . hmmm . . .

So in a bigger scale, pregnancy seems to be the same way . . . lots of long, tiring, seemingly unproductive days that stretch into long tiring, seeminly unproductive months, with aches and pains and hippo status . . .  yet in the end, you gain,  Lord willing, you are crowned with a son or a daugher to grace our days and years . . .

These past few days the children and I have been learning some new songs.  We’re going through the book (and tape) “Little Ones Praise” that the children got through Sunday School.

Our church has a neat incentive program for memorizing Scripture.  Each verse can “buy” a ticket, and each ticket can be redeemed for a prize . . . So the boys have been saving and last Sunday they came home with a long saved for pitch pipe and this song book with a tape and some Styrofoam airplanes .

We are enjoying these songs . . . and practicing for when we are to have “Special” music at church . . .  No, we are’t anything special, far from it, but our song leader has everybody involved sometime throughout this year.

Anyway, all that to say that one of the songs comes from Psalm 65.  “He crowneth the year with His goodness;  the little hills rejoice . . . They shout for joy, they also sing, they shout for joy and they sing.”

And all that to say, I have to remind myself often, that this season is a “rest” season though many times it seems anything but restful . . .  I have to remind myself to REST in the Lord . . .

I love this song called,”  Fret not”

“Commit thy way unto the Lord, all you need He will afford

Never fret nor be oppressed,

Commit and trust, delight and rest . . .

Fret not, He’s watching over you,

Fret not, the Lord will see you though,

Fret not, you’re sure to stand the test.

Commit and trust, delight and rest.“

After seeing all the clean-up we need to do today, you’d think I’d never let it get that bad again . . . I think so too . . . Until I’m as tired as I was yesterday . . . And then it happens again . . . I think there was a tornado in almost every room!!!

“Yet will I rejoice . . .”

I’m not as tired as yesterday and I’m seeing progress although school has to go on the back burner right now . . .  I think we need a few more Saturdays in a week!

After Jesus was tempted and testing in the wilderness God sent angels to minister to him . . . and I’m sure He was there to, The All Present God . . . The Creator, the One who callus us by our name and says “You are Mine” . . .

And though I have not literally had to pass through waters or rivers or fire, I am being tested and tried . . . And if you have children, I think you can understand the level of wisdom and sobriety that one needs to teach and train and go on after receiving instruction and correction on one’s methods or lack of them . . .

Please pray for me as I cling to the Lord and cry out to Him and claim His promises  . . . For HE is MY GOD and I am His!

“But now, thus says the Lord, who created you, O Jacob

And He who formed you, O Israel

Fear not, for I have redeemed you

I have called you by your name

You are mine

When you pass through the waters,  I WILL BE WITH YOU

And through the rivers, THEY SHALL NOT OVERFLOW YOU

When you walk through the fire, YOU SHALL NOT BE BURNED

NOR SHALL THE FLAME SCORCH YOU

For I am the Lord you God

The Holy one of Israel, your Savior . . .” – Isaiah 43: 1-3a

Ok, somehow I can’t get my linker to work so sorry if you want to read this neat article you will have to cut and paste I guess . . . Here it is:

http://dorcassmucker.blogspot.com/2009/01/letter-from-harrisburg.html

“This is what I hope to remember in the new year: It isn’t about perfection and getting it all together, but rather about moving with the currents of grace that flow all around me. My loss may wash up on another shore as a blessing, my greatest failure rearrange another’s landscape with a wave of joy.”   – Dorcas Smucker