Wrapping Up

Christmas Day is drawing near. The gifts are bought, and most are wrapped. For a moment I stop and breathe as I check my unending list of preparations. What must I still accomplish? What project shall I abandon?

In the hurry of the season with Christmas concerts to attend, goodies to bake, parties to plan, traditions to uphold, my adrenaline kicks in with a sudden sense of urgency. My heart pounds. My breathe shortens, and I almost forget the Reason for it all. The Prince of Peace was born over 2,000 years ago, not to bring stress, pressure, deadlines: but rather peace. Peace in the midst of chaos. Peace that exudes from the very core of my being, because He is the core of my being. Peace that understands He is in control even when my world seems spinning out of control.

I stop, I meditate, I remember the One who was born in a stable that infamous Christmas night and breathe a little deeper. Life still spins, but I no longer spin with it. I stand calm in the midst of the storm, for I know Him who calms the storm. I remove my vision from the waves of life, and focus my gaze into the eyes of my beloved Lord of all the universe. For it is He who "keeps in perfect peace the mind who is focused on Him."

I laugh, I love, I feel lighter. I go about the tasks before me renewed yet grounded, grounded in the overwhelming security of the Son of God who loves me, and paves the way before me.

Celebrating the....

ADVENTUROUS....JOYFUL...CRAZY.... GENTLE...FRIENDLY.....
HANDSOME...GENEROUS.......CARING.... SMART...KIND ....QUIRKY...FUNNY.....GIFTED......man I love on his birthday.

Reflections from the Berkshires

This morning I found myself contemplating the rhythmic melody of my life which seems to sway quite persistently from quiet moments of inspiration to draining bursts of activity, and remembered the lovely thoughts I gained from my time in the Berkshire this summer.

With rolling hills and quaint village like towns filled with ample music and art to nourish a contemplative soul such as myself, this New England haven provided days of pure enjoyment while I explored its art galleries, museums, gardens, and shops with my family. On one particular day I set off on my own to wander the lovely streets of Stockbridge, the dearly loved home of Norman Rockwell, and stumbled across a hidden cafe where I sipped chocolate infused chai and processed the sights, smells and sounds of my morning. Every part of me had been refreshed with nourishment for the road ahead. I had no idea at that time how busy life would become or how frantically I would long to be back in the Berkshires sipping chai with nothing significant to do; but rather I was inspired and hopeful for the upcoming adventures a new school year would deliver. In that moment I realized the importance of rhythm and balance in life. My cup was full and overflowing with the anticipation to give, work, create, and welcome. Yet if that cup was not poured out, the contents would become stagnant and useless. On the other hand, if I would continue to pour out without taking opportunity to refuel , I would be left drained of all resources with nothing to give. Therein, I was reminded of the many times God used quietness and solitude in the lives of His heroes to prepare them for the wearisome, stormy battles ahead. Moses had his desert, David had his pasture, and Elijah had his brook. The contemplation of such great lives enjoying moments of refreshment encouraged me to breathe in and enjoy the calm with deep contentment.

Since that day in the Berkshire, life's pace has quickened to the beat of battle for the sake of four growing souls entrusted to my care. The days of nurturing, praying, teaching, talking, listening, exemplifying find my weary body ready to collapse into bed each night for a few moments of respite before another day dawns, but I take refreshment in remembering that time where my soul was restored, and my body prepared to do the work I have before me. And I take courage, knowing that the Restorer of my soul knows my weaknesses and infirmities and gives pockets of refreshment along the way to give me strength for the wonderful journey He has placed before me.

The Doors of the Berkshire

Historic Boston

After logging several hours in the car, we finally arrived in Boston, the historical landmark of our nation's freedom. What an amazing time we had walking the Freedom Trail, riding the T-rail, eating in the North End, and visiting the New England Aquarium. We packed so many things into two and a half short days, but the memories we made will last a lifetime! Here is a list of some of our favorites:

• Riding the T-rail with hundreds of Red Sox fans into Boston from our hotel near Riverside
  
• Walking through the Boston Public Gardens and envisioning Mr. and Mrs. Duck and their happy, quacky family from the book, Make Way For Ducklings by Robert McClosky
• Winding along the Freedom Trail in the middle of downtown Boston to the Granary Burial Grounds where lie such great American patriots as Paul Revere, Crispus Attucks, Samuel Adams, and John Hancock
• Remembering a key moment of our nation's history below the balcony where first was read the Declaration of Independence
• Standing on the very ground of the Boston Massacre and contemplating its significance to the Revolutionary War
• Watching a street magician perform outside Faneuil Hall before crowds of curious people
  
• Listening to the children recite Paul Revere's Ride by the doors of the Old North Church
• Devouring mouth watering Pesto Alfredo at Little Italy's La Famiglia Giorgio's in Boston's North End followed by authentic pistachio gelato at a small quiet cafe across the street
  
• Touring USS Constitution or "Old Ironsides" and USS Cassin Young before heading to Bunker Hill Monument
• Dining at Warren's Tavern, the old pub where George Washington used to take his ale
  
• Gazing at sharks and other sea creatures at the New England Aquarium
• Waiting in a long line for world renowned cannoli from Mike's Pastry.....yum!!!!
• Collapsing into bed at the end of a very long walking day only to be awoken at 2:00am by the fire alarm at the hotel
  

We had a marvelous time exploring the wonders of Boston together as a family, yet the short days spent there didn't do justice to the historic city. Maybe some day we will return to once again haunt the streets of Little Italy in the Old North End, and take in all of it's aroma of garlic and fresh baked bread before exploring the vast treasures of the great, historic landmark we have not yet discovered......

....but until then, we say good-bye, farewell, we hope to see you sometime again fair city of Boston!

Mom's Front Porch

The winding road of my summer adventures carried me first to my mother's delightful front porch. Sipping cold iced tea while listening to happy children frolic about the large front yard situated so beautifully at the top of Whispering Oaks Lane brought great refreshment to my road weary soul. The rhythmic creaking of the swing and the wind rustling through the leaves created a subtle symphonic background for delightful conversations as well as contemplative moments of reading and thinking. New goals were set, prayers were prayed, books were read, and relationships were nourished because of the creative endeavors of my precious, hospitable mother.

As I soaked in the moments of refreshment, I contemplated the many memories of hospitality she demonstrated before me as a young girl. The doors of her home were always open, and her graciousness stretched to needy young children who came from broken homes, to lonely old men and women who often were overlooked by others, to isolated international students looking for a second family, to neighbors, to friends, to friends of her children, and most of all to her family. She could host intimate settings with simple food for a few, or create a smorgasbord of deliciousness for large gatherings.

Her legacy of hospitality created a burning desire within me to work a little harder, reach a little farther, give a little deeper of myself and my home in order to refresh the souls of others in the same manner I have seen her refresh so many. I left her home so thankful for her open door and extended arms, and so renewed for the trip I had before me.

The Winding Road

With school days lurking just around the corner, I thought I would take the next few posts to share the adventures of my summer with you.

It all began just a few short days after school dismissed with packing, planning, and organizing all of the details needed to spend one month away from home, seventy hours in the van, 4,500 miles round trip with four busy children. With many anticipated adventures before me, I embarked on this journey fully equipped with games found here, stories on CD, activity pages found here, music, and DVDs in hopes of safe and peaceful travel.

Although there were moments of whining and back seat rivalries, sweet bonding took place through laughing at silly jokes, singing crazy songs, discussing deep subjects, listening to great stories, and playing creative car games as the van wound its way through Colorado, Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Massachusetts, Canada, Michigan, and then back home again.

It was an amazing journey, and one I would take again. The memories that were made were worth all of the exhaustion, hard work, and trouble it took to go.


(Each child decorated their own binder of car games and activities and journaled their trip adventures in notebooks that I put together for them. They had a lot of fun with these, especially filling in all of the states on a US map of the liscense plates they saw.)

Books, Stories, the Ultimate Story

In my home, books are beloved possessions. They get handled, read, loved daily. They carry my children on far away adventures, or teach them some new skill. They introduce young minds to the world of art, words, architecture, geography, and so much more. They are ready companions on a quiet day to both young and old alike. The words on their pages jump out and catch the attention of even a very young mind. They make an impact on use of words, creativity, and so much more. How grateful I am for the world of books, for their ability to say something to the soul of a child better than I can.

You see, I believe we are people of story. We love stories. We love to read them, tell them, hear them. We love to imagine our lives in them. Sometimes we love to hear the same story over and over again. For this reason, I love to find books that tell stories with deeper hidden truths. But more than that I love to tell the story of God to my children. You see, His story is the ultimate truth, and we are a part of it. It began in the beginning with His marvelous creation and carries on through time to today. It is a story of how He loves us and interacts with us. It is a story of Him as Creator of our very being, Father of our child heart, Shepherd over our wayward wandering, and Lover of our soul. It is the most amazing story ever told, and it never grows old.

The amazing thing about this story is that I know the Author. I met Him as a young child, and through the years have grown to know Him more. As I have grown to know Him, I have grown to love Him, and now long for each of my children to know Him. I want them to know that He is not a dry dictator full of rules and regulations, but rather the most intimate Friend they could ever have. I want them to hear His story over and over again, not as a tale of events of long ago, but as a living active story that they are a part of today. Then they, too, may love the Author and be filled with passion to share His story with the broken world around them.



I love the idea of sorting books by color. Perhaps then they might get put back on the shelf in the right place by my children. The inspiring collage was found at OhBrooke and the photo at HGTV.

Tiny Toolboxes

With the lazy days of summer once again upon me, I am excited to blog once more. Having just returned from a month long journey East, I look forward to sharing those adventures with you in the days ahead. As for now, I have been perusing my favorite blog haunts discovering so many fabulous ideas. I thought I might share this one from Alpha Mom.




With my youngest son's birthday coming up in a month, this might a fun idea!