6.30.2010

Mental Health Day

A Mental Health Day was in order this weekend past, so My Wonderful Husband and I spent and entire day away together. Ah, and entire day! Our MHD started in a little antiques town in Ohio. We wandered, held hands, and found some wonderful things to eat. Breakfast in a little diner...
The restroom hall had lots of little nuggets of wisdom - some that were just funny:
And some that were right up our alley:
And this one that I think may be a sign (!) for us. Any thoughts on making college a 'family policy'? The policy used to make all the sense in the world to me, but my vision is getting cloudy. Not so sure that this is a good policy...and this little saying seems to confirm that we might be on the wrong path as far as policy about higher education goes.



6.24.2010

Nymphs

This lovely lily is just outside our bedroom door. In passing, I noticed a cluster of bugs milling around on the bloom. I'm interested in bugs, only in the garden, NOT in my house. If they're found in the house, they just get some Instant Death, but it's a peek at creation in action to observe them out in the garden, where they should be. Since it's unusual to see bugs around the patio garden containers, so I stopped to look more closely.
Don't you think they look like red ants? But their antennae are too long...
And they're bristly little guys with perky body shapes and nice long legs. Aren't they cute!?
They're leaf-footed bug nymphs. Adorable as they are, I shook them off the lily and ran away before they could light on me.
:0)



6.16.2010

Just Words - Flying Objects

I've only ever been mad enough to throw something one other time. My Dear Husband was the "receiver" that time, and you might say poor soul, but he is able to hold his own with me. Thanks be to God, in yet another gift of His mercy, He matched us so that when I am overtaken by my emotions (a.k.a. flying into a rage), he is equipped to react calmly and strongly enough that ... I don't know - it's exactly the right reaction to defuse my temper. Because we are so well balanced in this area, we've really had only a very few "fights" during the entire time of our relationship - 27 years!

But I've found that one of my teens has a certain unhappy, and maybe even unconscious, ability to set off a trigger in my more rogue emotions. He certainly seems surprised when it happens, or maybe, probably, it's just perversely satisfying for him to watch the mom lose it. I try to breathe my way through these engagements ... I hear the Spirit coaching me in self-control ... but I failed that time, and what was in my hand gained wings and just flew. Not at him, of course --- not that he didn't deserve it.

***James Dobson's mom threw a girdle at her son, and he turned out just fine! Have you read your copy of "Bringing Up Boys?"***

6.08.2010

Cheerful Volunteers

Who doesn't love a cheerful volunteer? These containers were put under shelter during the fall and winter months with a light mulch. You know I only watered them very sparsely. And now look!
FREE planters, all ready finished and bursting with life! In colors I know I like, because I picked them myself last year.
Did I emphasize strongly enough that they were FREE?

6.05.2010

Boys, Battle and Hymns

Back when I was a real homeschool mom, with willing pupil-sons, we learned hymns together. They liked this one the very best because of its ... because it's about BATTLE, that's why. There, I said it - boys just love battle, and Jesus is the ultimate Warrior!

A mighty fortress is our God, a bulwark never failing;
Our helper He, amid the flood of mortal ills prevailing:
For still our ancient foe doth seek to work us woe;
His craft and power are great, and, armed with cruel hate,
On earth is not his equal.

Did we in our own strength confide, our striving would be losing;
Were not the right Man on our side, the Man of God’s own choosing:
Dost ask who that may be? Christ Jesus, it is He;
Lord Sabaoth, His Name, from age to age the same,
And He must win the battle.


"The first line of "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God" is inscribed on the tomb of Martin Luther at Wittenberg. And its powerful words and tune continue to live. The hymn was sung at the funeral of President Dwight D. Eisenhower at the National Cathedral in Washington DC, March 1969. And it was also included in the National Service of Prayer and Remembrance, held shortly after the September 11, 2001 attacks against America."

(See (and hear) more of your favorite hymns at: Church Music)

6.04.2010

Ready to Bloom

My babies - the carefully hovered over seeds finally sprouted, and just look how they've grown! Now, finished hovering, I hoard them in the greenhouse, reluctant to give them up to the Vicious Rabbit Mob. I know they're out there, sharpening their teeth. Snickering behind their whiskers and whispering about what they'll do when I put out these tender, ready-to-bloom shoots.
But it's time to let them out into the wide, green garden to fend for themselves. Fences? No. Cloches? If only. But I know it's going to be bloody. Are you thinking I'm a pessimist? With a bunny obsession?
I'll take photos of the evidence later.

6.02.2010

REMEMBER the Signs!



We've been listening to the Silver Chair by C. S. Lewis (again). In the story, Aslan gives Jill explicit directions to complete a quest, with specific signs which she must commit to memory and repeat during her waking hours. "Remember the Signs!" he commands. Of course, she remembers for a little while, then begins to neglect repeating them, finally declaring, "Bother the signs!" The good guys land in a mess then, and Aslan appears to Jill in a dream to admonish her again, "Remember!" It's a great story that I've posted on before - hope you make time to listen to this wonderful story.

Aslan's storybook urging prompts me to be more devoted to God's Word, knowing the truth: that if I remember and follow His instructions, God's that is, watching always for the signs He's laid out in His Word, then I'll be able to complete The Quest I've been given to accomplish here on Earth. Memorizing scripture has been a big part of my walk in following Christ, leading me to know Him better, but I do have to work and labor at it to accomplish anything at all. And then if I stop reviewing, it all melts away. (This is much worse than it used to be. My forty-year-old mind is a sieve. It's because of teenagers, I think...)

I made these Scripture Clingies to put around the house to help me Remember! as I work through my days. They've been a help to me, as the Silver Chair has reminded me again that I need to work at memorizing His words. I've made a bunch and put them in the Etsy shop - see more photos there if you're interested.