Sowing and Reaping

Encouraging thought from my friend Molly:

Sow seeds of righteousness through your words and deeds into the lives of others around you now, so that later you will not have to do the difficult and painful work of chopping down the trees of negative, sinful things that you planted and allowed to grow.

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Savannah's Poetry Blog

My daughter Savannah has an artistic mind. She loves photography and music and writing, among other creative pursuits. She has written quite a number of poems and posted them on her poetry blog, and I am always encourged to read them and take a stroll around her heart. Click here to visit her blog for yourself.

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Vacation Mode

Sometimes shifting my mind into vacation mode gets me into trouble. If I selfishly expect vacation to allow me to clock out and not serve or give or fulfill responsibilities, even though my family is still here needing love and care, then I am setting myself up to feel very frustrated!

So I have to take a step back and remind myself that on any given day that I am alive, I belong to the Lord Jesus and He says, "do nothing from selfishness." I have been given life to live for Him and to serve and love Him by serving and loving all those around me. How liberating to deny myself for Jesus' sake and give as He has given to me! After all, He died for me, so I could live for Him.

So, clocking back in now..... :-)

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Paradox

It always amazes me that when I have an opportunity to help or encourage someone, I am the one who receives the blessing. The Christian life is full of paradox. Give your life away for Jesus' sake, for that is when you will truly live!
Jesus said, (in Matthew 26:25), "For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it."

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Good Morning Summer!

Here we are with school over and the first Monday underway of our summer vacation! We took a road trip to my sister's home and are enjoying the fun of being with cousins, talking and catching up, doing fun projects together, and just breathing a huge contented sigh after a year of school work. Feels good!

I guess I'd better get back to the kitchen. The girls are making fresh orange juice from the oranges they picked from my sister's tree.

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Final Lap

Just one week of school left, and I am praying and working hard so that we finish well! God has been so gracious to us this year, and every year!

*When I think about all the spiritual conversations that the Lord allowed me to have with our children this year during the day when we were going about our school work, I am so grateful.
*When I think about the answered prayer concerning math facts and one particular child's progress, I am amazed.
*When I think about the spiritual fruit that is ripening in the lives of my children because God has chosen to change them with His word, I am so thankful.
*When I think about the fact that one child is conquering a subject that was very difficult, I am aware that God is helping her.
*When I think about how God has used my children greatly again this year to show me my need for constant dependence on Him, I am astounded by His perfect ways to make me more like Christ! *And when I think about how graciously God has forgiven and helped me in the ways that I failed this year, and still chose to let me be a light to my children, I am humbled, and filled with hope!

Well, to bed...and then on to the last Monday morning of the school year!

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Drip, Drip...

The last two days of sunshine here have been wonderful! It feels like summer, and the only downside is that there is so much pollen in the air right now that all of us here with allergies are going crazy!!! We have gone through too many tissue boxes to count, and keep running back to the store for more antihistamines.
The other day as my son was trying to manage his drippy nose, I heard him say (in a sing-songy voice) as he ran for another Kleenex, "A tissue, a tissue- my nose has an issue!"

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