Mid-Way

The summer break is moving all too quickly for my taste. School/work starts up on August 10. J's has spent time with friends either at our house or their house. Money is scarce so doing thing that have little or no cost has been on the agenda. Parks (Mom's Play Group), river & hanging around the house. We have seen a couple of movies & been to the local donut shop. He did karate last month & is done, his choice not to continue. Next week is Sports Camp at church. This is my first year not to direct it, but I will be one of the assistant coaches. This will give me an opportunity to spend time with kids from church & the community as well as learn what it takes to be an assistant coach. So if I ever decide to direct something of this nature again I will have learned what it is like to be on both sides.

My garden is thriving! The lemon cucumber is growing quickly. Every morning & night it is bigger. It is starting to head to the edge of the box it is in. I have one green tomato & buds on the other two plants. The watermelon plant is also growing well. I have used the lemon thyme & basil in dishes, yummy! Lavender smells lovely & the marigolds are pretty to gaze upon.

Been to the library twice now. I have about 15 books in the house to read & 4 movies to watch. One of my favorite things to do is wander up & down the library aisles.

I signed up to go back to college to take some art classes. I am rethinking it. I still want to go back, but school starts August 22 & I still need to take the assessment test & see a counselor. I could only afford one class. So what I may do is go ahead with the test & set a goal of January for going back to school. I also may take a art class at the local Parks & Recreation Center. I have an interest in drawing & art history. I also am interested in Graphic Design. I do not have a employment goal in mind. This is more of enriching my life & expanding my mind.

Also am praying about my next ministry at church. It's been almost been 6 months since I quit working as director & taking time off from ministry. Although I discovered one never really takes time off from ministry. Ministry comes in many ways. Family, hosting the Mom's Play Group, pampering a friend & prayer. Did you know that we all have a inner ministry & it is prayer. As I ponder & pray about what I can do for my church I am looking back at the last 6 months & what I have done. I will look for a pattern, what I liked or didn't like. I have an idea what I want to do. Now I need to pray about it.

Done some projects around the house. Cleaned a couple of closets. Next week is the kitchen. We rearranged J's room & he decorated it. I cleaned up my room & cleared out a messy shelf. The shelf is in the hallway & in nice & tidy. Holds books (j's & mine) & my journals. My bedroom is a enjoyable place to read, journal or practice the piano (keyboard). It 's small, but cozy. We put 2 coats of polyurethene on j's first skateboard to hang on his wall for a shelf. I helped him put together & glue a wooden dino bird to hang from his ceiling. A airplane, with a parachuter dude & a wing walker dude is hanging from the ceiling. We moved the TV into the closet (took the doors off), his idea. He is spending more time in his bedroom playing. It's important for a child to have their space & be creative with it.

Coming up this week...Ice Age 3 at the Drive-In's, park day on Wednesday, watch a friends little girl & Sports Camp meeting. Watch my garden grow & read, read, read!

Garden Photos

Watermelon plant
Garden Boxes

My morning perch overlooking my garden boxes.

Garden Boxes are Filled & Other

Despite the heat (108 on Sunday) my garden boxes are now graced with tomatoes, lemon cucumbers, lemon thyme, lavender, sweet banana peppers & yellow peppers. Marigolds planted with the assortment of plants to keep the bugs out. J picked out a watermelon plant. We sat out on a small patio we put in last year (with leftover pavers) & dreamed of what's next. From the patio is a small path that leads to the garden boxes.

The what's next is the dirt area off the bigger patio. Dh come up with the idea to pave half off the area, create a pretty path (4-5 flagstone pavers) with flowers on each side of the path. The path will lead to a small deck that will be built hopefully this fall. This will extend our living space outside & still leave the grass/weedy area for playing. We have so much yard space it's crazy.

It was so hot Sunday (this is where you shout, "How hot was it?"),I put the sprinkler by the tree swing & J & I took turns swinging through the sprinkler. Twisting, turning, leaning backwards & pushing one another.

Today I will start a new book & do early morning laundry & vacuuming to keep ahead of the heat. Nothing else on the agenda. I was up just before 6am to water the yard. Will head back out in a few minutes to plant the watermelon. I said yes to the plant without giving it much thought. Like where to put it, the two spots I have picked out need a bit of cleanup first before I pop it in the ground & I need some more good soil.

Oh, my first tomato plant put in a few weeks ago has it's very first tomato & the pepper planted I bought yesterday has 4 tweeny weeny little peppers. I am a novice gardener, any fruit being produce makes me dizzy with excitement.

If I can negotiate a deal with computer time with you know who, I will start choosing pictures to print out for cards. Sista birthday is coming up. If I lose the negotiations, then I might just make some soaps. I also have an idea for a new journal. A illustrated journal. Using a blank artist book, you create a page a day using old favorite magazines adding quotes & scriptures. I thought this sounded fun & creative.

Better get outside to finish up before it gets too hot.

Only Believe, Only Receive

Today my sister's husband & the family will lay to rest their father, the Reverend Virgil T. London. It will be a long day for the family. A day to remember the life he led. A day to celebrate this man's life. A life dedicated to the service of the Lord, his family & his country. In our grief we can celebrate & remember because of the salvation of God that lies at our feet. In our grief we can rejoice in the promise of Christ, we will see our love ones again, those who have gone before us & have received the salvation of God. We have the assurance of Christ deep within our hearts because we believe by faith that Christ will return again & gather us to Him on that great & glorious day. Only believe. believe & accept. Listen to the hope & faith that flickers at the core of our soul. Allow the Holy Spirit to fan the flame. He will enable us to believe & receive His great love. Only believe. Only Receive.
Ironically my own mother was laid to rest on this very day, many years ago. I cling to the promise of God. The promise of salvation & eternity. I know I will see mama, my mother-in-law, my aunts, grandparents (and the grandparents I never knew) & all those who have gone before me. My brother-in-law's family will lay to rest their father, their moon with the assurance of seeing him again when we are gathered around the banquet table with our Lord.

Joys in the Midst of Daily Life

Sarah Ban Breathnach in her book Simple Abundance-A Daybook of Comfort & Joy asks this question?

What triggers the feeling of delight in your daily life?


The author of Simple Abundance references Joanna Fields, author of a journal called A Life of One's Own, published in 1934. Ms. Field did not know what made her truly happy & set out on a quest by keeping a journal. The above mentioned book was published as a result of Ms. Fields personal journey. She found she delighted in red shoes, good food & laughter.

Ms. Breathnach goes on to write about simple pleasures in our daily life. II'm enjoying this book I picked at the library last week. I don't necessarily agree with everything the author writes about or know what her personal Spiritual convictions are (and that is not for me to judge anyway), but there are two things have stood out thus far: 1. the above thought & 2.keeping a gratitude journal.

I can't recall who said the following, it was from a video series at Women's Bible Study called Women of Faith

but it is so true..."The problem with life is it is so daily". The same problems, the same routines & the same work.

Where do I found joy & contentment in simple pleasures? When life is so daily?

I struggle with being content in all things. I have a restless spirit. I have learned there are things that do in fact trigger the feelings of joy. In my reflections I took a road trip back to my childhood & what trigger those happy, contented times. They have not changed all that much.


Here are a few of the things on my list:


1. My Bible, it's worn out cover, notes inside & out. A record of marriages, births & deaths. Scriptures underlined, circled & dates signifying when a verse was especially meaningful. I found my first Bible given to me the other day. My parents gave it to me on my 10th birthday. It's red with my name engraved in it & my mom's lovely handwriting on the "Presented To" page. I have several Bibles, the one I use the most is another one given to me on my 22nd birthday. My Bible is a comfort to me. I remember several years back when I had an infection in my shoulder & was in acute pain, all I could do was rock in my favorite chair & hold my Bible. The pain was to severe to do anything else. That act alone comforted me & delighted for but just a few moments, but it was enough.

2. My study/reading basket. It holds my Bible(s), journal(s), books I am currently reading, a book of writings by a friend & writing implements. It is a pretty wicker basket, sturdy with handles. I can carry it wherever I go in the house or outside. Picking up my basket & going outside to read & bask in the sunshine brings joy to me.

3. The third thing on my list is my journal. It is almost like my imaginary friend. It is filled with notes from the days weather, things to do, insights, poems, quotes, gratitude's, blessings, scriptures, long journal entries, joys, hurts, fears & the list goes on. Each page is created sometimes daily, sometimes in advance with collaging, drawings & pictures. Sometimes nothing but writing & more writing in my journal. Seeing my journal brings me delight because I can write/create anything I want to & it is another way for me to Worship the God I am endeared to. And how He designed me, to jot notes, to nuture my creative side, process through stuff & put words on paper.

4. Hard backed books, old & new. I love the feel in my hands, the artistic covers, & the engravings. I enjoy them so much I use them creatively around my house for decorations. One time I used a several Little House on the Prairies books to raise the height of a lamp. I currently have these books on my mantle. Dh was going to get rid of book by Bryon.

5. Breezes through windows gently blowing the curtains & caressing my face bring joy to me. I can wash dishes & gaze at the trees, my rose of sharon, & the neighbors honeysuckle that has grown over our fence. Many of times a bird as stop by to greet me, a hummingbird in the rose of sharon, butterfly's & clouds greeting me. A few weeks back I watched a thunderstorm outside of my window. Yesterday as I washed dishes, I prayed, shed a few tears for my mom & swayed to the music. I let God delight in me. I delighted in Him.

6. Two new recent items that brings me joy are. The wooden swing made by j hanging from our tree & the two garden boxes we made out of some old materials. They are waiting to be filled with dirt & herbs. It brings me joy to dream about what I will put in.

7. The last thing couple of things I will mention today (there are more) that brings me feelings of delight & joy is old movies. I love old movies with the sound of live orchestras playing. Last night we watch Agatha Christies Murder on the Orient Express. The orchestra & artwork at the beginning just made me happy! Good movie too! I also love old quaint towns, pretty things around my home (I enjoy decorating on a limited budget) & music.

What gives you the feelings of joy, feelings of delight? Where do you found your daily joys in the midst of life being "so daily?"

What tangible thing can you do today to break up the daily routine? Take a walk, try a new recipe, start a new book, swing, gaze outside at the birds or clouds or just sit quietly and let God delight in you as you delight in Him & His creations.

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