Thursday, January 17, 2008

The White Stuff

Finally! After a schizophrenic winter of temperatures varying wildly from 70 degrees one day to 30 degrees the next, it appears that winter has truly arrived. I am sitting at my desk watching jumbo snowflakes tumble from the sky and cover the ugly dead grass. What a beautiful sight!

I guess the girls inside out jammies, ice cube flushing, and frozen spoons under the pillows worked! Their wish came true, and it looks like we might have some hot cocoa and chili in our future. Yum! "Cause it's really all about the food!

Saturday, January 12, 2008

Taken Care Of

Whew! I managed to record all the debit transactions from the last 3 weeks (and it may or may not have been slightly more than the 20+ I had estimated!), clean out the two purses I had been juggling in December, and order my 2008 planner. I made the beds, picked up the surface clutter of the house, and washed a few more loads of laundry.

The laundry that had been waiting to be put away has diminished simply because we began wearing things from the baskets, and so they have now made their way on to the dirty laundry pile. Progress? Sure! At least they have moved from the top of the Christmas present pile to a more laundry appropriate setting.

Yesterday I began taking down the trees and piling the multitude of ornaments on the sofa, awaiting proper storage in their original boxes. Oh, I hate that job! I am a "big picture" type of person. I like to envision the beauty of Christmas, but I'm not so great with the details, like putting things in the correct boxes. A character flaw, admittedly, but it is a weakness that I am well aware of. Deciding to face my pathetic excuse for a work ethic head on, I pushed through the challenge and managed to completely dis-assemble the dining room tree. Feeling new strength from this success, I determined to finish the other, dreaded family room ornaments this afternoon.

God, in His infinite wisdom blessed me with a husband who dots the "i" in detail, and with the energy level of the energizer bunny. Rusty, bless that man's heart, managed to put all the ornaments in their tiny little boxes, and banished all remaining evidence of Christmas to the basement storage room, while I took Cassidy to a birthday party. I came home armed with a large diet coke from Sonic, ready to face my most dreaded job, and found it already done for me, by the one who had already done far too much of the putting away. I didn't ask, or even hint for him to do it. He voluntarily did it because he knew how much I dislike that task, and he wanted to help me out. Wow! What a gift.

I am so grateful that my heavenly Father also sees fit to step in and save me from myself, when I am in over my head. I'm so thankful that He sent Jesus, the One Who had already done far too much, to do even more by dying on the cross... for me. I am overwhelmed by His grace in my life, that allows Him to finish those "tasks" I start, but don't have the strength to complete on my own. I am so thankful that He only asks me to trust Him with my struggles, and that He is able and willing to fulfill His glory in my life.

I am so glad that I can rest in the shadow of His magnificence, and know that all is well.

Thursday, January 10, 2008

Rest Amidst The Mess

My house is a mess.

I still have two fully decorated Christmas trees to dis-assemble and return to the basement storage room. Between the girls bedrooms lumbers a ginormous tub holding Christmas presents which need to somehow squeeze their way into already full toy bins. The laundry room floor is covered in clothes needing washed, and baskets filled with clean clothes to be folded are perched precariously on top of the tub of Christmas toys.

My bed is unmade, and the dog could benefit from a bath. I have 20+ debit transactions to record before my husband tackles the checkbook tonight, and I just had a call from Wal*Mart letting me know they found my purse. What? I didn't even know it was missing! How embarrassing! I forgot to order my new 2008 planner until yesterday, so I am pretending it is January 10, 2007 and scribbling over last years notes.

The fact that I am calm and not stressed out means one of two things: either I am having some type of clutter denial break down , or (and I think it is this one) I am finally learning to trust that all earthly things are temporal, and my treasure is stored up for me, neat and orderly, in Heaven. God's grace is sufficient for each day, even the ones that are a little topsy turvy because of my own human frailties. Instead of rushing around worrying, I need to rest in the knowledge that He goes ahead of me, and makes the way for me to accomplish whatever is needed of me.

Exodus 14:14 The Lord fights for you; you need only be still.

Hebrews 4:10 For he who has once entered God's rest also has ceased from the weariness and pain of human labors, just as God rested from those labors peculiarly His own.

Sunday, January 06, 2008

Back In The Saddle


Even though the girls return to school Monday, vacation ended officially for me today as we ventured out of our cocoon for a day filled with girls' activities. After a late night out at bunco with my girlfriends, I had to drag myself out of bed at 6:15 to iron and pack up the girls horse show attire. Typically I would not leave this task until the morning of the show, but I take vacation to heart, and I couldn't muster the energy to prepare until the last possible moment. Shockingly we made it to the barn on time, and with a minimum of threats, to boot! The girls had a fabulous day and didn't even complain about the arctic temperatures, although they probably didn't feel them since they weren't still for the entire 6 hours that I stood shivering on the "sidelines". (OK, I realize it couldn't technically be called a sideline since it isn't a sports field, but really, what else should I call it? It's really more a metaphor for this stage of my life, perpetually standing on some "sideline" watching someone perform or practice something!).

Anyway, they had loads of fun, we took loads of pictures, and the girls managed to bring home their first ribbons. I managed to even squeeze in some catching up with mommy friends, as we coerced our husbands to make a starbucks run.



We made it home in time for Daddy to catch the last half of the Redskins game and some wardrobe changes before heading out to Cailin's Winter Voice Recital. Finally around 9:00 we made it home and are camped out watching movies. Whew! I guess we are really back in the saddle of this crazy ride we call our life!

Wednesday, January 02, 2008

Happy Inventors


So much to say and so many fun pictures of our time in the mountains, but that will have to be for another day, as I am trying to get some work done while the girls are still on their Christmas holiday.


They are absolutely delighting my spirit as they are working together in the basement, playing "inventors". They surfaced for a quick search of the house for magazines, glue, poster board, safety pins and paper clips, then quickly returned to their "studio" for some inventing. Oh, I can't even describe the pure joy that fills my heart to hear them working together (mostly- there was some debate about one c0-captain wielding a little more power than the other!) and creating. I am eager to see their inventions, especially with the recent additions of glue and glitter paint!


Hope your heart is full of peaceful joy. Mine sure is.