Loving Leaves and Letting Go...

There are seasons where life never seems to stop.  You struggle to catch your breath, getting ahead seems impossible, and moments disappear before you realize their brevity and beauty.  In ministry, this season is frequent and often a struggle, yet God is so good.  He allows late Saturday afternoons for us all to get away, to intentionally take time to catch those moments, and to stand in awe of His creation  

He is so good in allowing us the privilege of witnessing our second daughter take a step of faith.  Our little middle, who has struggled for years to even talk to others, chose to stand in front of an entire church and profess her faith in our Lord.  We have prayed again and again the verse in Deuteronomy, "Be strong and courageous.  Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you." (31:6)  He is so good!

 

And when the leaves turn and fall, and school work calls to be done, God is good in the raking, the jumping, and even in the arguing of sisters.  Their mama needs reminding again and again to slow down...

- to "wait patiently for the Lord.  Be brave and courageous.  Yes, wait patiently for the Lord." - Psalm 27:14

- to "be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth." - Psalm 46:10

- that it is "not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit," says the Lord. - Zechariah 4:6

"When we make the choice to let go of distraction, perfection, and societal pressure to grasp what really matters, that's when our life although a bit unbalanced and imperfect - tastes sweeter than we could ever imagine." - Rachel Macy Stafford (Hands Free Mama)

Farewell October, Welcome November!

October could not have been a more jam-packed, calendar-filled, people-lovin' month!  Back in September, I knew that it would be, which is one of the main reasons why I chose not to blog everyday in October.  My unofficial goal of the month was to instead focus on praying each and every day specifically for my girls (and my husband.)  I can't promise that every single day started with my little prayer calender, but it certainly helped to remind and encourage me to take time daily to focus and pray over the gifts God has given me. 

As already mentioned, October was busy!!  From getting to spend the first weekend away in Charleston with some dear friends of mine to heading to Fort Caswell with my family and a bus load of students to the fall activities of pumpkin picking, farmer's marketing, and ferris wheel riding, life stayed full!  It was good full, yet now that November has arrived, I long for rest.

We've already embraced the joy of hot chocolate, pumpkin cookies and muffins.  Impromtu walks, trips to the library, and more time spent in the backyard are some of my goals this month.  November is the one of the months that I just long to breathe.  The cool crisp air invigorates me and the colors and crunch of the leaves pause me, reminding me of God's hand in all of this.  

November is a month of gratitude.  It holds the only holiday that has yet to be ruined by commercialism, presents, and activities.  It simply encourages us to remember the principles our country was founded on, to remember and give thanks for all God has done for us personally, and to focus on the people He has placed around us.  

Goals for November:

1.  Rest

2.  Read more

3.  Remember & give thanks

4.  Ready our home & hearts for the upcoming Christmas season

Day 15 - School Away from School

Fall!  How I adore this season!  The apples, the pumpkins, hot cocoa, PSL from Starbucks, jeans and sweatshirts, boots, the list could go on...  Once the weather begins to cool, the last thing I want to do is sit around inside.  (I really should consider doing year-round schooling, so we can do schoolwork inside when it's 100 degrees out, and enjoy more time off when the weather is actually pleasant in NC.) However, lesson plans must be checked off and the three R's still need to be covered.  But as soon as they are, off we go outside. 

Learning can be accomplished anywhere, our local community center where all three of my girls can take an art class, a field trip to the apple orchard or even the NC State Farmer's Market.  (Please note these were not all done on the same day.)

That I am...