...this is the life

Cheri Keaggy did a concert at our church some 15 years ago, and something she said will ever remain in my SAHMama brain -"laundry is like God's love ... never-ending." No matter how many times I say it as I fold the 2 or 3 loads a day, I can't help but think what kind of Heavenly Father would never complain when I give Him a heap load of my dirties? What kind of Savior removes the stains so that they are never to be seen again? What kind of Holy Spirit softens my heart each AM with His new tender mercies? So when it seems that I've been doing laundry for some 30 plus years... dear friends, carefully build yourselves up in this most holy faith by praying in the Holy Spirit, staying right at the center of God's love, keeping your arms open and outstretched, ready for the mercy of our Master, Jesus Christ. This is the unending life, the real life! Jude 1:20 21

My favorite part of our homeschool day...

I love reading to our children. It is amazing how a book brings in a 'presence' that calms a PMSing mama or an upset child. Here are some great quotes about reading I enjoyed this AM.

"Today a reader,
Tomorrow a leader."
~ Margaret Fuller ~

When I was about eight, I decided that the most wonderful thing, next to a human being, was a book. ~ Margaret Walker ~

I would be most content if my children grew up to be the kind of people who think decorating consists mostly of building enough bookshelves. ~Anna Quindlen ~

No entertainment is so cheap as reading, nor any pleasure so lasting.

~ Lady Mary Wortley Montagu ~

There is no substitute for books in the life of a child. ~ Mary Ellen Chase ~

A room without books is like a body without a soul. ~ Marcus T. Cicero ~

Never judge a book by its movie. ~ J. W. Eagan ~

Books are not men and yet they stay alive.~ Stephen Vincent Benet ~

Books are not made for furniture,but there is nothing else

that so beautifully furnishes a house.~ Henry Ward Beecher ~

What are you reading to your children?

Toppling Hats...

...daughter... sister... friend... worshipper... bookkeeper... wife... lover... house-keeper... mama... teacher... mama-in-law... gramama... and feeling like there just couldn't be another hat to wear - but when it arrives - I will declare: My flesh and my heart may fail, but God IS the Strength of my heart and my portion forever. Psalm 73: 26

Out of control...

and not liking it! Internal dread is what overtakes my spirit for too many months in the rainy, gray Pacific Northwest Corner. (and why I took great joy in the snow days we just had!) This is the worst we've ever experienced living on the Ten Mile Creek for the past 14 years. Bringing serious case of the "crankies" to the homeowners, when all you can do is think about your 'investment.'
Word spoken to me this AM by the Holy Spirit was Matthew 6:19-21 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where MOLD & MILDEW (my paraphrase) do not destroy... for where your treasure is, there your will your heart be.

I've imagined we would sell a home well cared for....that 100 years from now (if Jesus doesn't return,) our place would be a future homestead some family would take delight in. (Especially the Nooksack River rock fireplace.) Because I love old houses and building this 14 years ago, went against my nature.
There are parts of the flooding that are very 'awesome!' I guess, realizing there is NOTHING you can do about it! Powerless! Before an All-Powerful God - THE Creator of weather!
I am mindful that God said in Genesis 9:11 never again will there be a flood to destroy the earth. But I guess I kinda took that outta' context.
So when our dreams of home & hearth... heart & home... feels too hopeless... I must say:
Guard my life and rescue me; let me not be put to shame, for I take refuge in you. May integrity and uprightness protect me, because my Hope is in You. Ps. 25:20-21

Beatrix & JOY!

Yesterday as many of us began our homeschool 'schedules,' some of us just weren't ready to go at it with all our hearts. Great joyfulness each AM, is how I wish to start each day, so looking for new ways to inspire my weary hands and old 'homeschool' mom mind, God does give small incentives - if I open my heart to them.
Over the holidays, I "re-fell" in love with Beatrix Potter as I watched the movie, Miss Potter. (Oh, she was a grand woman!) Then yesterday our local homeschool newsletter came and had her following quote below.
Thank goodness I was never sent to school;
it would have rubbed off some of the originality. Beatrix Potter

- I will face today with joy in each one of my originals God created!

Resolutions, intentions, a new year...

No new resolutions: Having a new month with a new year change just doesn't prompt me to make them. Goals can be a good motivation but when we don't meet them, do we beat ourselves up with our failings?

Daily, and maybe it's why I love mornings, I recall the scripture and love the verses in Lamentations 3:22-24:

Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness. I say to myself, "The LORD is my portion; therefore I will wait for Him."

LIFE Verses...

How I love the Living Word of God! So over the years I've taken scripture and called certain ones MINE. I love to give scripture in different ways to family and friends in small and big ways. I've found and purchased or created wall signs, T-shirts, mugs, embroidered, made up great posters from Costco like this one with pictures of my kids and Grands taking Ephesians 2:10 we're God's workmanship, created in Jesus to do good works that God prepared in advance for us to do. It's a super and inexpensive gift for the person (parents) who have everything.

My life verse that I want to live out is found in Micah 6:8 where NIV says: He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. I love that His Word tells me just what He expects me to do in this life! Have I wrestled with living it out? You betcha! But I can sing it (as it's been put to at least 3 tunes that I know) and remind myself how He calls me to live. This is a "primitive" sign that I made and hangs in our reading room.

When I began to homeschool 20 years ago, I placed this scripture in a few different places and we memorized it, quoting it as a heart check often. We call it our family verse: Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these. Mark 12:29-31

What a challenge to just live it out among the immediate family of 4 then adding more children, kids spouses, plus extended family... WOW - who is our neighbor? Can we love God even more than we do? It's been stenciled and moved it and last year I found a vinyl cutter to order "my" words, sayings and verses on Etsy at

http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5746922

Some would say that a life verse should be something you're living out, not something that you try to walk out. I'm just thankful that these verses make us mindful how ALIVE His Living Word truly is!

So for our marriage, I tried to figure out the one that did speak our relationship. It feels one-sided, and that wouldn't be MY side. Dan has lived this one out in a HUGE way over our 28.5 years of marriage. We had a lovely sign made up by Nestlings on Etsy. http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=23140 I ordered one of these as a gift for my parents' 50th anniversary with their "marriage verse" on it too. (It says the year established thru the name in a lighter font if you can't see it here.)
It is taken from Ephesians 5: 1 & 2 Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children 2and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
Dan has been the sweet aroma when I've been absolutely foul rotten stench!

For years I have loved Colossians 1:9-12 for my sweetest of friends and Eugene Peterson in The Message put it into the perfect words:
Be assured that from the first day we heard of you, we haven't stopped praying for you, asking God to give you wise minds and spirits attuned to his will, and so acquire a thorough understanding of the ways in which God works. We pray that you'll live well for the Master, making him proud of you as you work hard in his orchard. As you learn more and more how God works, you will learn how to do your work. We pray that you'll have the strength to stick it out over the long haul—not the grim strength of gritting your teeth but the glory-strength God gives. It is strength that endures the unendurable and spills over into joy, thanking the Father who makes us strong enough to take part in everything bright and beautiful that he has for us.

To find the verses that you hope and pray to speak "your life" are a great way to begin 2009. I want to walk in the Living Word. I want to speak the Living Word. I want to live out the Living Word! It is LIFE!