{Sabbath Rest}

Revisiting these thoughts as we enjoy our Sabbath rest this week.

Okay, so it's not that restful. I'm tackling the garage. Gack! But it sure is nice to take a break from the normal routine.

Have a lovely week, my friends.

And on the Seventh Week Mama Rested

{Day 30} :: What Makes Me Happy

"Does it make you happy to hear children running around having fun?
Is it one of the things you're thankful for?"
{Avery Kate}

Enjoying this peaceful Sabbath afternoon, thankful to be surrounded by little ones who are really starting to get it: That true happiness finds its roots in a spirit of gratitude. Blessings on your Sunday, my friends. May you open your eyes and hearts to the abundant gifts that have been poured out by our generous Heavenly Father.

{Day 28} :: What I See

What do I see as I sit and watch and love? Thought I'd share a little visual tour of our week with you this afternoon:

(Along with proof that I do sit.)

The gardens at Fort Vancouver . . . .

Teaching the children to sit, too. The girls are very happy about this.



(I love the way he's cradling his notebook while reaching for a cannon ball. Very realistic.)

"Let's pretend like we're running!"

Grammar with a tatted, tea-guzzling cowgirl who writes "toot" and "poop" on as many assignments as possible.

Kids with huge smiles, checking every other second to make sure Mama's watching. "Did you see that, Mom?!"

Paint is like a magnet to these children. I pull out the supplies and they come a-runnin'. They asked me to join them this afternoon. I did.

Because I know the days of Q-tip art and swim lessons and field trips are numbered. And I don't want to miss a single one.


Read about the thirty-one day challenge over here.

{Day 23} :: Wonder

What a natural wellspring -- cooling and refreshing the years -- is the gift of wonder!
It removes the dryness from life and keeps our days fresh and expanding.
Edwin Way Teale

Seeking to keep my Sunday "fresh and expanding." Once again declaring a cyber-Sabbath, that I might focus on and sincerely dwell with the little ones who surround me. After all, children are the true experts when it comes to wonder.

Have a blessed Sunday, my friends.

Read about the thirty-one day challenge over here.

Day 16: Sabbath Rest

Hello, friends! Just popping in briefly to wish you all a blessed Sabbath. My desire this afternoon is to truly sit and rest in the abundance of the Lord's goodness, to look deeply into my children's eyes, and to soak in my husband's presence. Since this is hard to do in front of a computer, I'm declaring it a cyber-Sabbath, too. Until tomorrow . . .

The Lord bless you, and keep you;
The Lord make His face shine on you, and be gracious to you;
The Lord lift up His countenance on you, and give you peace.
Numbers 6:24-26

Day 12: Unexpected

Sometimes we end up sitting and waiting when we previously had absolutely no intention of doing so. Or, at least, no intention of doing so in that particular way.

Let me explain. I knew I'd be doing some sort of sitting today, since that's what I've set out to do this month. What I did not expect was to find myself sitting in a Burger King off of SR-500 at 4:00 p.m. helping a distraught Miss Kate finish off her chocolate sundae.

It started on our way home from piano lessons. That strange clunking sound. I put two and two together and figured it was most likely indicative of trouble. Though my knowledge of cars is definitely limited, I do know that they're not supposed to emit steam and make strange clunking sounds.

It was at this moment that I began to pray. I also suggested that the children do likewise. I do not do well under pressure. Thankfully, we made it to the end of the exit before the van came to a very determined halt. It was done.

The poor children were convinced that the van was about to explode. I told everyone to get out. Perhaps I was a tad dramatic. Weeping ensued. A kind gentleman was immediately at our side. He helped me push the van toward the curb and made sure the children were safe. I turned on the hazard lights (hooray for at least some presence of mind), and we walked toward the nearest business. Burger King.

Drew was the man of the hour. His presence of mind was admirable. He whipped out his iPod and sent Jamie an SOS. I assured the children that it was only a matter of time before Daddy arrived. In the mean time, why not have a sundae?

There we sat, waiting for Daddy. I thought the sundaes would be a pleasant diversion, but the younger children were still quite distraught. So I decided to try and shift our focus a bit.

Hadn't the Lord been good to us? Just think! It could have been dark and cold and rainy. But it was a pleasant afternoon. We didn't even need our coats! We weren't stranded on a freeway or stuck in traffic. We had sailed right on down that exit and just kind of stopped. If you have to stop, that's the way to do it. And a kind man was right there to help us!

The mood began to turn around as we looked at the blessings. Funny how that works.

And then Daddy walked in. Boy, did he look good. He had been at a job only a few minutes away. Another blessing. The children jumped into his arms, each one eager to tell his version of the story.

We finally got ourselves and our vehicles safely home. The littlest ones were still a bit shaken up. In those moments of fear, we reminded each other of God's goodness. We focused on the blessings.

* * * * * * * *

Tonight I slipped into bed beside a drowsy yet anxious Miss Kate. "Mommy?" she whispered. "Can you pray?"

Yes, and yes, I can, my dear, sweet child. In fact it's the very best thing I can do.

We prayed, we praised, we rested. She drifted off in thanksgiving. And I plan to do the same. Won't you?

Day 11: Twenty Minutes

There are few hours in life more agreeable

than the hour dedicated to the ceremony known as afternoon tea.

Amen.

While I didn't quite have an hour, I did sneak away for a whole twenty minutes this afternoon. It's important for Mama to quiet herself in the middle of the day.

It usually hits me around 3:30 or 4:00. We've finished school and I'm aware that dinner preparations must soon be under way. If I could just sit down for a minute or two . . . .

I pop a load in the dryer, set the fluff cycle for twenty minutes. I know exactly what to do for that twenty minutes.

Tea in hand, I creep up to my room and close the door. Armed with these and this, I enjoy a bit of solitude.

Of course it isn't long before the children and the dryer are buzzing for my attention. But it's just the respite I needed. I swallow the last sweet drop, emerge from my cocoon, and drift back down, renewed and refreshed.

Sometimes twenty minutes (and some serious chocolate) is all it takes.


Read about my thirty-one day challenge over here.

Quote: Henry James, The Portrait of a Lady
Painting: Edmund C. Tarbell, "Afternoon Tea"

Day 10: Choosing Rest

I was again faced with a decision. Rush or rest?

It seems so obvious when printed out. Who would choose to rush when they could choose to find rest? Well, to be honest, I would. It feels productive. Efficient. It means that there are more checks on the list. It looks . . . impressive.

But it's also exhausting.

This morning, as I rushed the children through their school work and prodded them to follow their checklists, I glanced at the empty boxes on Little Miss Avery Kate's "to-do" list. She still needed to do a reading lesson. I could call Drew over to sit with her. I could ask Bethie to do the job. Even Aidan would gladly set his math aside for time with Miss Kate. It would free up some time for me to get in some serious rushing. And then I'd feel really productive. Efficient. Exhausted.



I called my pixie over and set a few books out on the table. "Why don't you come sit on my lap, Sweetie?" I not only knew it would be cozy, but I also figured that having a child on my lap would keep me grounded. I'm not tempted to jump up and fold laundry when weighted down by a six-year-old. (This is perhaps a poor illustration. I'm never tempted to jump up and fold laundry.)

She gladly climbed up and snuggled in. "Which book would you like to read to me?" I questioned.

She cocked her head and said, "Read me a story."

I smiled. "Well, sweetie, I'll read to you in a minute. But right now it's your turn to read to me."

She erupted in giggles. "No! I want to read, Read Me a Story!" When I finally figured out that it was a book title, I too, joined in the belly laughing.

But we kept going for the fun of it. "No, sweetie, it's your turn to read . . . " More belly laughs. It was good, good laughter. The kind I almost missed out on in order to rush away.

We finally stopped giggling and settled in with our book. She read and read as I kept my arms wrapped 'round her waist. I kissed her head, felt her toes curl around my legs. I savored the moment. And I chose rest. It was the right decision.

It usually is.


Read about my thirty-one day challenge over here.

Day 2: A Day of Rest

Over the years, our family has worked to create meaningful traditions and rhythms in order to make Sundays particularly special. One such tradition, modeled after a friend's suggestion, is afternoon tea.

Each week following morning worship, we swing by the local farm for a few cartons of fresh eggs. Then we head home and dive into meal preparation. Our Sunday afternoon meal usually includes bacon and eggs, chocolate chip scones, a fruit or potato/veggie side dish (depending on the season) and, of course, tea.

Everyone has a job to do. Jamie is on bacon and potato detail while the girls set the table. Bethie also enjoys getting the eggs started and usually asks to roll out the scones that I've mixed. Drew empties the dishwasher and starts the tea, while Aidan happily does his part by fetching various odds and ends. Oh -- and by entertaining the dog.

When we finally gather 'round the table, we join hands in prayer or song. Today we did both, ending our meal with my favorite mealtime hymn, "For the Beauty of the Earth."



For the beauty of the earth,
For the glory of the skies,
For the love which from our birth,
Over and around us lies,
Lord of all to Thee we raise
This our hymn of grateful praise!

We linger over the food, savoring both the flavors and the conversation. This is the kind of sitting that comes naturally to me. This day of rest sitting is essential and beautiful.

Following the meal and dish-washing, Jamie usually heads up for a nap, the kids scatter to read, color or play games ("Quietly, please! Daddy's sleeping!"), and I go right back to that tea table with a book in hand. There's a pot of tea to finish and a chapter or two to enjoy.


Read more about the 31 Day Challenge.

Sitting. For Thirty-One Days.

"Mommy, I just have one question, and then I'll go away."

Yikes. Ouch. And oh, dear.

Have I really been that bad? Yes, it appears so. She was being very sweet and matter-of-fact. Not acting neglected or whiny. Just calling it like it was. I obviously didn't have time for her, and she didn't want to intrude. Just one little question? Please?

Lately I've been thinking about sitting. Remember how I mentioned a couple of posts back about teaching my Miss Kate to tie her shoes? We've worked on that like, maybe . . . twice. Now, it's true that her delicious new brown boots may have something to do with that. They don't require tying.

But laces or not, children do require sitting. With their mother.



That said, I've been mulling over a post challenge recently. It's a challenge suggested by Emily Freeman over here. The idea is to post every day for the month of October about something that makes us come alive. The topic I've selected? Sitting. That's right. Sitting. Very lively, huh? Sitting for one month.

Now, lest you picture me in a non-stop yoga pose for 31 days, I'll quickly explain myself. We are in high gear now with school and various activities vying for our attention. I often eat breakfast and lunch standing up. I sit down only to throw some math and grammar at the kids, and then I'm up and running again. This is not ideal.



Last weekend, I had Miss Kate all to myself. We enjoyed our time together immensely. One thing I noticed, however, was how hard it was for me to sit still with her.

During lunch, she took her time. She'd take a small bite, and talk. Then she'd take another really small bite. And talk some more. If her brothers and sister had been around, I'd have left the table and started in on the dishes. But I couldn't leave Little Miss all by her lonesome. So I sat. And sat. And sat. She chewed and talked. And chewed and talked. My legs did the impatient dance under the table, but I made it through the whole meal.

And I thought, "This shouldn't be so difficult. Something is wrong."

Hence my desire to learn the art of sitting. And sitting not only with my children, but also with my husband and with the Lord. I'm not sure exactly what my October posts will look like. But I like the challenge of reporting how and with whom I chose to sit each day. Some posts will likely be very brief; it would be wiser to spend blog-writing time with my family instead. Other posts may speak of regrets or failure. I hope they are few.



However it all comes out, my desire is to learn a little bit about the art of sitting. God's word has so much to say about waiting and resting and listening and quieting. I can't ignore it. And I have a feeling that a bit of sitting will show me how to really live.

So I'll take a small step this week, starting on the first of the month. If you're game, join the challenge with me. Perhaps you don't have sitting issues and you'd like to create your own challenge. Either way, I'd love to have your company.

Just imagine what can be accomplished in thirty-one days. It's enough time to start a pretty good habit.


Illustrations by Jessie Willcox Smith

The Pursuit of Health

Today we're focusing on the pursuit of health as we seek to strengthen our minds, bodies and spirits during the summer months.

(To catch up, check out my posts here and here. And if you're in, drop me a line -- I'd love to hear from you!)

I'll be brief today because . . . I'm pooped. You see, Vacation Bible Camp started this week . . . .

Three areas come to mind when I think of health: eating, sleeping, and exercising. I'm sure we can all think of ways to strengthen our bodies, and having a checklist each day might help you reach a personal goal.

I'm not fond of exercising. Not at all. (Unless it's in the form of dancing. That's fun. My sister and I could share a routine or two with you. For a small fee.) But I do like to walk. So I've tried to create a regular routine that takes me around the park for a thirty minute jaunt. I always notice an increase in energy on the days that I choose to do this. Definitely a worthwhile pursuit!


Doesn't this look like Jamie and me?

Sometimes the best thing I can do for my body is to get enough rest. I find that if I write it on my checklist: "Bedtime no later than 11:00!" I'm more likely to do it. At other times I need to focus on my waking up. (I frequently tell my husband that if I could instantly change one thing about myself, I would wish to suddenly have the ability to merrily hop out of bed as soon as the alarm goes off. This hasn't happened yet.)


Adequate rest is not always easy to come by . . . .

Now food, food I do like. Sometimes too much. Especially when it's chocolate. Or ice cream. Or both. So I appreciate my father's sage advice: "Moderation in everything." Sometimes my checklist encourages me to skip the sugar. (My sister has an excellent blog featuring tons of yummy recipes without refined sugar.) Other times I try to make sure I'm getting enough water throughout the day, or I plan to increase my intake of fruits and veggies. You know what your own body needs. Try to do a little something each day to nurture it!


I know just how this girl feels . . . .

So that's it! A little something each day to reach toward the goal of healthy living. How will you pursue health this summer?


Illustrations: Pierre Auguste Renoir, Mary Cassatt, Jessie Willcox Smith

My Faith Rests

My faith rests not upon what I am, or shall be, or feel,
or know, but in what Christ is, in what He has done,
and in what He is now doing for me.
~C.H. Spurgeon~

Winslow Homer's 1873 "Girl in a Hammock"