beyond the garden

Well, we have decided to go on an adventure.  An adventure back to Red Oak, where we will gladly see the above site on nearly every corner.   It’s been over a year since we’ve moved South and are yearning to visit the family and friends we left behind.  I am tickled to be going and the girls are having a hard time controlling themselves.  I hear little screeches and shrieks above and beneath their breath all day long, but how can I tell them to control themselves, when on the inside I am doing the same thing?  Like a child waiting to open the biggest gift sporting the large red bow.  Mighty Man will be staying behind as the Ohio trip to the farm left him with not enough hours to make a trip possible.  I will miss him terribly, but absence makes the heart grow fonder and oh how I love reunions after a time apart.

We will be leaving early Monday morning and will arrive at our destination sometime Tuesday [early?] evening.  Being born and raised in Iowa, I miss the change of seasons more than I could have ever possibly imagined and as I’m getting [a little, ahem] older and learning to appreciate the splendor and majesty of His glorious Creation, I long to see it more.  The weather, here in Texas, is great - but I miss the cold.  I know…call me crazy.  I’ve always said, for me, it is easier to be too cold than too hot.  You can always put another layer on to keep warm, but when it’s 110 degrees outside with climbing humidity - you can’t take enough OFF to get cool.  In a nutshell, I will be glad to be visiting this time of the year.  I’m packing my scarf and snow boots with a hint of hope  :o)

Regardless of the weather conditions where we are right now, the spiritual conditions are priceless.  A warm, gentle breeze engulfs me, daily, like a hug from arms of the Almighty.  He sings a sweet melody to me every morning, sitting upon the branch, outside my window.  The sun is His morning call and the moon is a lamp unto my feet in the darkness.  Where I am does not change who my God is.  He is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow.  He is Love.  And that love never fails.  I am, however, so incredibly blessed to be able to journey back toward the land and the people, to whom, I am so fond.    The land here is flowing with milk and honey, but Zion is upon the Horizon.  Look to it and see its beautiful face.

I don’t know if I will be able to post again before I leave, but know that when I return I will have, I’m sure, many musings to inform you of and pictures to share.  Each person we will be visiting, while up North, owns a computer so I shouldn’t have to wait, but rather be able to share a little bit of our great adventure with you - live.  I pray you keep Him in alive in your heart and look to Him.  He is beckoning you “come unto me, all you who are heavy laden…

I

will

give

you

rest

For

My

burden

is

light…”

Until next time, be Blessed!

In His Grace ~ Lori

The house is quiet and I am getting ready to head off to bed, but thought I would, first, stop by and type out a short note along with a few pictures of what has been going on around our place the past few days.

Fall and all of it’s crisp splendor has set it. Of course, being where we live, the days continue to be sprinkled with what most of us would call summer, but for us it is true reprieve as the temperatures are lowered by twenty degrees.  It is a time of year that is comfortable to be outside and enjoy His creation.  I was thinking it might be a good idea to take the girls [and schoolwork] to the park one day this week.  That is the true beauty of schooling our children at home - the flexibility of our day.

I’ve been blessed to find many beautiful fabrics lately.  A couple worthy of mention that I am currently working with are for a fall dress and pinafore that Sydney will be wearing soon.  Isn’t this a beautiful combination?  The flowered material is for a dress and the plaid is for the pinafore.  I have already finished the pinafore, but have only begun the cutting for the dress.  Sydney was quite excited that I made a hair scrunchy to match.

Ali has been a big help with the cutting.  She has pinned and done all the cutting for the dress.  She is such a keeper of the home - in the making. 

I’m in the process of getting rid of even more unnecessary clutter.  I had boxes in the upper corners that had no business remaining there, purses that no longer were carried, games that didn’t get played, etc.  I had the chance to give all my remaining public school teaching resources to a sweet, young gal that will be a new teacher within the next year.  She was so excited to get the material.  I remember being where she is now.  Finishing school and, in my free time, drawing ‘blueprints’ of how I would organize my classroom and the sheer giddy excitement felt to plan such things.  Oh glory!

I’m so glad the Lord gives us the desires of our hearts.  I would only mess things up if I tried to do things on my own.  Not only does He, himself place those things that He wants from us, on our hearts as [our own] desires, but likewise, He brings all of those things to fruition.  And not always, may I add, the way I would have thought it would happen.  His ways and thoughts are not our own, but far loftier.  He accomplishes those things He purposes with such a unique style; one that writes His name all over it; in glitter.

The girls surprised me with a few love notes this week.  Whether they’re sketched on a fast-food napkin or painted on a canvas, they’re special and I am cherishing each and every one.  I have started archiving each of these in a very organized manner.  I read of this idea at Jewels blog; Eyes of Wonder.  Using old-style, paper-paged scrapbooks I am archiving each picture.  At this point, each page is one month’s worth of art.  I have one for each of the girls and staple the stack to the page at the end of the month.  It’s working well and has given much, enjoyed, time for me to look through the many wonderful pages of art created especially for me.

Aren’t collections fun?  I’ve never really collected any one thing before, but I have found a unique fondness in these.  I came across a friend recently for the other wacky-faced-mug I found a while back.  The girls think it is so fun to look for these treasures at the thrift store.  I know it’s difficult to see, but the handle on this little mug is a telephone.

Imagination and creativity is something I pray my girls are engulfed with their entire lives.  It is so important to have the ability to make something out of nothing, even if you don’t need it to be that way.  Our girls don’t have many “toys”.  At one point we had an entire room dedicated to toys, but in noticing, the girls didn’t play with 95% of them.  We, over quite an extended period of time, purged the toys and replaced them with items that make those wheels in their heads turn.  Games, puzzles, marbles, dominoes, and ready for this one?  P.A.P.E.R and P.E.N.C.I.L.S. (insert gasp here).  We rid our home of TV and encouraged them to use their minds.  No video games allowed!  Creative play is always a must!  Just the other evening we walked in to their room to give hugs and kisses goodnight and they had made up a new game using marbles.  Needless to say, they were quite intrigued with it and disappointed when told to pack it up.  Here you see a couple of friends enjoying a friendly game of checkers :o)

Magnets - whether in the form of dolls or sticks are always a great idea.

Mighty Man and I have been in search of a set of encyclopedias.  Watching Craigslist we found this set for $5, but they’re not encyclopedias!  Still a great find - this is a set of great books, quite literally.  They’re called “Great Books” from the Britannica company and offer titles from Calvin, Plutarch, Aristotle, Austen, Homer, etc….  We were so excited to find this set!

Farm fresh eggs for breakfast anyone?

A bit of school.

I have so many things to be thankful for.  Not only am I thankful, but I’m secure in the possibilities of tomorrow.  Even with the hub-bub of what today brings - I’m so glad that we have Someone so great that not only has the beginning been written, but the end also.  Secure in the eternity He has provided for me.  That the Son is praying for me and cares about every little thing that happens to me.  Secure that I can ask for guidance about anything I might need.  Secure that despite all the mistakes I make on a daily basis, He, forever, loves me.  I am the apple of His eye and so are you. 

The clock is still ticking my friends and I have another day planned so I must be headed off to bed.  I hope you have a wonderful rest of the week and pray you find solace in His arms and blessing in His grip.  He loves you dear one - this be sure to never doubt.  A warm thank you for taking your time to stop by and visit.  Until next time, be Blessed.

In His Grace ~ Lori