I love home.
What does home mean to me? What image do I conjure up in my mind when I think of home?
I
imagine a cozy, quaint place that is warm, beautiful but simple. A
place where love flows freely. A place where words of encouragement are
spoken and life is breathed into those who enter.
I
imagine a place where the dwellers feel free to be themselves. Guards
can be dropped. Feet can be kicked back. Weary bodies can toss
themselves onto the sofa and cozy up under a well-worn quilt.
A
place where laughter is real. Where learning happens all of the time.
Where good thoughts are shared and discussed. Where life is lived fully
and where joy prevails.
This is what I strive for, this is
what I want for our home. And me, as a wife and mother, well, I have
such an awesome opportunity to influence the atmosphere of our home.
This is my office. This is my place of work. This is my opportunity to
shine as I foster an environment that encourages growth physically,
mentally, and spiritually for my family and all who visit.
What an awesome privilege that is!
So
instead of complaining about the never-ending laundry, I need to thank
God for the healthy bodies that wear all of that clothing.
Instead
of dreading washing the dishes again, I need to praise God for the food
He has so graciously and extravagantly provided. The food that fills
those plates three times a day, that fills our bellies full.
And
the messes that scatter so easily around the house? Oh those can test
me. But those little messes were made by the ones that are dearest to my
heart. I want to be thankful that I have these beautiful children who
are healthy enough to be up and making messes. And I need to be thankful
that I have the opportunity to teach my children to be responsible,
clean-up after themselves, and contribute to our home's well-being.
I
enjoy home. I enjoy keeping my home. I used to think that it was sinful
to want a beautiful home (note that I do not mean large, filled with
extravagant things, or magazine-worthy) for my family. But I now realize
that God put that creative desire within me, that love for beauty, the
attention to the aesthetics. God made me that way. And, of course, I
could use those desires in sinful ways, but I can also choose to
embrace them and make my home a dwelling that quenches the thirst of dry
souls, that replenishes the spiritual tanks of those who enter, that
inspires others to seek the beautiful and simple things of God.
I
am so thankful that God has enabled me to be a keeper of my home. I am
thankful that He has shown me the importance of making our home a
shelter to my family and others.
Lord, open my eyes up
to the great privilege You have blessed me with to be a keeper of our
home. Thank you for our home. Thank you for those that fill it. May it
be used for Your glory, and may all who enter feel surrounded by Your
love and grace.
So far, my favorite thing about spring has been my quiet time in the morning. Out on the back deck with my mug of steamy coffee. My Bible and my journal. Listening to the beautiful songs of the birds, the clucking of the hens, and the hum of the alpacas. Just taking in all of the beauty around me ~ everything green, everything bright, everything bursting with life. Oh, yes, these moments have been some of my favorite moments of spring.
I've been reading through Hebrews, and it has been such an encouraging read. This morning's reading was chapter 11 which is affectionately dubbed as "the hall of faith." I underlined "by faith" throughout that chapter. This chapter talks about men and women of God who did wonderful things through their faith in God. They were no where near perfect. Their faith was not perfect, but they believed and trusted. I want to live my life completely by faith. Not by sight. Not by my own vision. But I want to live a life that is surrendered fully to God. Oh, I just wish I could explain my excitement of all that God has been revealing to me lately as I've been earnestly seeking Him. I just love Him so much and am so thankful for Him. I honestly don't know how people walk through this life without Him. He is my source of hope and joy and peace.
I almost have all of my raised beds planted. Oh, I feel so behind this year. I just keep tucking plants and seeds in here and there as I find a few spare moments. So far I've planted green onions, sugar snap peas, cherry tomatoes, many divers of peppers, cucumbers, radishes, spinach, chard, kale, and many other greens. The herbs include dill (my favorite!), oregano, cilantro, sage, thyme, mint, parsley, and chives. I think that's all of them!
We still have to till up our big garden. Brad and my dad have attempted to do that twice, but have had problems with the tiller both times. This past weekend, they realized that the tiller is too small for my dad's new tractor so it looks like we're going to have our neighbor bring his tractor over to till the ground for time's sake. I'm getting a bit anxious. It feels like we're really pushing the planting back from when we normally do it all. I keep reminding myself to just roll with it, as with everything else in life.
I finally finished up the Canyon Shrug after working on it for the last several months. It wasn't a difficult pattern at all! My handiwork time has just been very scarce now that we've focused our efforts to outdoor tasks. I like how comfy and soft it turned out. I might have to make another one in a different color!
Speaking of making handmades, I am really hoping to make Lily a few of these skirts. They're adorable and yet practical for my little rock-collecting girl. I found this pattern on The Purl Bee after seeing several other bloggers talk about it. It looks very easy which is just what I like and need. We also picked out some fabric to make her a couple of pairs of shorts. I have so many good intentions. Now I'm just hoping to actually see at least a couple of them to fruition.
