Live Life Together

Sleeping bags, popcorn, pillows, and the whole family in the living room to watch a movie.

One of the things I absolutely love about our family is that we can all be in the same room together for extended lengths of time. We enjoy family games, shooting pool together, and romping on the trampoline. Some of our favorite memories are the simplest... counting shooting stars, sitting around a campfire, or jamming out to one of our many music collections. We take time to just be together ~ to get to know each other.

Something I have noticed about our society is that families choose to be so secluded. Many familes in our society today don't enjoy doing things together. Every member of the family does his/her own thing. A recent commercial for a cellular phone company boasted "family time" as the dad and two kids being online in the same room. Bringing the family together?

Don't get me wrong... we have our personality differences... after all, we have 8 people living in this house. We disagree a lot. We are not "perfect little angels." In fact, we spend lots of time playing computer games, video games and watching TV. All those horrible things that cause brain cells to die!

Most importantly, we also love to turn all that off and eat dinner together, play board games, throw football, go camping, play kickball in the yard, listen to music, or go hiking/skating/climbing/biking outside. We just love being together. Growing together. Learning together. Laughing together. The perfect plan for the Family is to Live Life Together.

Pillars of Grace and Stoic Plants

A thunderstorm blew through our area a while back. So, my husband and the older boys got out their power tools to trim up the damage on our property. One of our trees had to be totally cut down. The younger ones and I began to examine the rings of the stump. As we contemplated the years and storms that this mature, stalwart tree must have weathered, I remembered this poem of blessing in Psalm 144:12.

May our sons flourish in their youth like well-nurtured plants.
May our daughters be like graceful pillars, carved to beautify a palace.

I love this! No fairy-tale kinghts or princesses here! The blessing is not that our sons would be mighty warriors or that our daughters would be princesses who are swept away by their knight in shining armour. Not even a thought about kings, queens, or princes!

The prayer of blessing is not so shallow or temporal as these fading dreams. The picture is much bigger.... one of grandeur that lasts throughout the generations... one that withstands the comings and goings of years of life... a solid, hardy tree that endures...a sculpted pillar that adorns and beautifies.

May our gardens of life be planted with hedges to protect the inner sanctuary. May the trees of our gardens provide years of stoic refuge. May the sculptures of our gardens bring lasting loveliness and peace.

Wildflowers Song

As I was driving down the highway the other day, I felt all the weight of the world upon my heart. Pressures of all kinds had been mounting up, and I felt as though I was soon sure to explode. I had allowed even the simplest things to weigh heavy on my mind. The noise from the back seat was simply the chatter of little voices and sometimes even a giggle or two. But to my under-pressure mind, I only heard the ruckus.

In that moment, I looked out across the meadow we were passing. The wild flowers seemed to just dance in the breezes. The bluebonnets and sunflowers smiled toward the sun. The buttercups and Indian paintbrush looked as though God had freshly dipped them in brilliance. Indian blankets and Mexican hats spinkled the oranges and yellows around in perfect peacefulness. Then the Queen Anne's lace caught my attention as their lacy skirts swirled keeping perfect time to the melody of nature's songs. And I realize, the rushing traffic has no bearing effect on their song and dance. The chaos of people's lives does not interrupt their harmonies.

My heart is calmed at just the sight of these delicate creatures of beauty. All pressures melt away when I realize that I don't have to carry such a heavy load. My heart can truly be at peace just as these flowers are even midst the chaos of traffic.

The wild flower bouquet that I choose to pick this day allowed my heart to sing and dance. All it takes is a willing heart to bend and move with the breeze.

Cherishing the Breakfasts-in-Bed

Mother's Day. The one day of the year, besides Mom's birthday, in which Mom is pampered and showered with love and does no work.

I barely hear their whispers as the sun shines through the window blinds. And the six sweet faces peep through my sleepiness to deliver the first Happy Mother's Day wishes. Breakfast in bed. Strawberries and cream. Sausage, eggs, and toast. Coffee with vanilla caramel creamer. Lots of hugs and kisses. My husband and six children are wonderful. I am truly blessed.

Two weeks ago my sister and I were chatting on the phone. One of our rare cherished conversations in which neither of us wants to get off. We live so far away and are able to talk only so often. We encourage each other and challenging one another to be the women, the wives, and the mothers we truly want to be. Heartfelt and honest, we relate the news of our separate lives and listen to the other ~ wishing we lived closer. That day, she insisted that I begin a journal for others to read as well. A blog for other moms, women and friends to share.

After giving it much thought, I decided to begin. Thus begins my journey and my public journal of what I am learning in life. Life is truly lived one breath at a time. We must cherish the "breakfasts in bed" on Mother's Day, for tomorrow is just another Monday.