The last few weeks have been peppered with a few little fun things and a few little not-so-fun things. But, I'm going to tell you about the fun stuff because that will make you happy!
We(well, mostly me) enjoy visiting orchards, pumpkin farms, and farm stands. I would much rather do that than be stuck in a movie theater, shopping mall, or the like. I'm an outdoorsy kinda chick. It's really where it's at, you know what I mean? I hope you do!
We headed up to close up the family cottage up north a few weeks ago. It was a beautiful warm fall day and the lake was gorgeous. The fall colors were surrounding the lake and reflecting on the water. We even saw an eagle fly over. Norman Rockwell, eat your heart out! And the peace and quiet...just can't beat it!
The apple trees were just loaded this year. We set to work picking all of those apples, and I've gotta tell you, I don't think I've had that much fun in way too long. My parents met us up there, so it was the 6 of us, shaking trees, laughing over getting hit in the head with apples, and some of us climbing the trees to reach the unreachable ones! We filled baskets, boxes, huge bags, shopping bags, sweatshirt pockets! In other words, we have enough apples to feed us and the deer for a long time! I have to say, the best apple sauce I ever made came from one of the lakeside trees. It is just luscious!
Natalie said something about the day we spent up north and it warmed the very cockles of my fall-loving heart. "Mom, that was the best day I've ever had. I felt like a kid. I climbed trees all day and had so much fun. i didn't have to think about anything."
"I felt like a kid". Where did that come from, I wondered. And then I remembered being 13. I was halfway between being a kid and an adult. I knew it was time to choose one or the other. Who wants to grow up? I still don't sometimes! It warmed and cracked my heart a bit, knowing my little girl is becoming a young woman right before my eyes. I hope she has many more "tree-climbing" days ahead!
We made a trip to Frankenmuth the weekend after that. It's one of our favorite places to go as a family. We went with the intention of just enjoying the atmosphere, not spending a bunch of money. It's amazing how making that intentional statement changes the outcome of the day. The girls don't normally ask us for stuff anyway, but the expectations were set. They knew we weren't going for the $100 chicken dinner this time. We were going for a yummy cookie, an inch of fudge, and a nice walk around a fun place. I am proud that the girls know how to just enjoy a beautiful day in a beautiful place. Simple as that.
Last weekend we picked our own apples from our "vintage" apple trees. I call them that because they are soooo old that we can't even identify the apples. This time I got clubbed in the head and the back with super hard apples! It was still a blast, spending time with my family, doing something simple. We are so blessed to have built a home so close to all of these apple trees. God must have planned that, knowing how much I love orchards! I like to think that anyway.
We took the girls to probably our last trip to Uncle John's Cider Mill. I enjoy it, but the girls have outgrown all the fun kiddy stuff they have. We took a hayride, a carriage ride, watched the cider press, listened to the band, ate cider and donuts, and that was that. The girls were kind of bored. So much for enjoying beauty on a pretty day. As they grow up, we are finding it harder to find things they enjoy. We just have to work a bit harder to incorporate the things they like to do. It's a challenge we knew would come one day. I for one, am not giving up on pumpkin farms. i still love them and I'm old!! (sort of old)
Last night we attended Natalie's volleyball tournament. It was a nail-biting, heart-pounding, pant-peeing game!! Those girls just blew us away. They started out a bit rattled and lost the first one, but then came back and amazed us. And yes, my dear Natalie got to play, and she served like a champ! She has really worked hard to earn her play time and we are so proud of her! Basketball practice starts today...no breaks for the wicked!! I can't wait for more games. Guess I'd better take my heart medication and maybe wear a diaper. I'm too young for Depends. :)
Thursday, October 27, 2011
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Until You Read Again
"Joy is a net of love by which you can catch souls."
Mother Theresa
"Never regret. If it's good, it's wonderful. If it's bad, it's experience." Victoria Holt.
"Win as if you're used to it. Lose as if you enjoyed it for a change." Erick Golnick
"I'm taking a break from my blog."
Jami
Mother Theresa
"Never regret. If it's good, it's wonderful. If it's bad, it's experience." Victoria Holt.
"Win as if you're used to it. Lose as if you enjoyed it for a change." Erick Golnick
"I'm taking a break from my blog."
Jami
Monday, October 10, 2011
The Joyce Choice
"Don't ask God for something and then expect it out of someone else."
"When you've been hurt, there's a feeling of "someone owes me!". But people can't pay you. You can't try to collect from people. Let God be your vindicator. Get your eyes off people and the world. Put your hope in the Lord and expect something from Him, not people."
"The world isn't going to change, so we have to change. Don't waste time trying to rearrange everything and everyone to suit us."
Just a few quotes of wisdom from Joyce Meyer today.
"When you've been hurt, there's a feeling of "someone owes me!". But people can't pay you. You can't try to collect from people. Let God be your vindicator. Get your eyes off people and the world. Put your hope in the Lord and expect something from Him, not people."
"The world isn't going to change, so we have to change. Don't waste time trying to rearrange everything and everyone to suit us."
Just a few quotes of wisdom from Joyce Meyer today.
Sunday, October 9, 2011
These Past Three Weeks
My daughter said it in a sentence to me just this afternoon...
"Mom, what is this world coming to anyway??"
Good question. In the past three weeks, we have lost 2 friends, a pastor, and several people in our church have fallen ill in some serious way.
I had to explain some devastating news to my daughters who had never heard the word "infidelity" before. Yes. That's what this world is coming to. Gone are the days of being secure in your relationships or the picture of the people you know. Shock. Distrust. Confusion. Sadness. That's what our world came to in just three short weeks.
And yet, life goes on. You go to school, do some laundry, attend the volleyball games and church as if nothing has changed. You tuck your kids in at night and assure them that they are loved, and that yes, mom and dad are committed to each other and they don't have to worry about that scary word they just heard. Shaken. Battered. But not destroyed. Someone else's crisis/mistake/pain is always shared. Dropped. Poured. Slammed. And innocent people are always in its path.
How do I answer that question my daughter asked today? Tears in her eyes. Anger over the news she had just heard. Confused by what she heard as truth about someone she trusted. Scared over the many sicknesses in our church. I answered her the only way I could.
God will take care of this. His way. His time. And while He is working on that, He will take care of your feelings about it. He will make this right with those who have been wronged. He will forgive. He will love. He will replace. He will restore. He will heal. He will hear. And he will never give us more than we can bear. He has overcome this world, and one day we will too.
Sometimes it would be easier to shelter the kids from the ills of the world, but the truth is, until they see the ills of the world, it's hard for them to see just how strong their God really is. When there is trouble, His power is revealed. So, I guess we can't complain about troubles.It's just hard when your kids get old enough to know what this world is really about. It makes their dad and I hug them a bit tighter, a bit longer, and for more reasons than they even know.
"Mom, what is this world coming to anyway??"
Good question. In the past three weeks, we have lost 2 friends, a pastor, and several people in our church have fallen ill in some serious way.
I had to explain some devastating news to my daughters who had never heard the word "infidelity" before. Yes. That's what this world is coming to. Gone are the days of being secure in your relationships or the picture of the people you know. Shock. Distrust. Confusion. Sadness. That's what our world came to in just three short weeks.
And yet, life goes on. You go to school, do some laundry, attend the volleyball games and church as if nothing has changed. You tuck your kids in at night and assure them that they are loved, and that yes, mom and dad are committed to each other and they don't have to worry about that scary word they just heard. Shaken. Battered. But not destroyed. Someone else's crisis/mistake/pain is always shared. Dropped. Poured. Slammed. And innocent people are always in its path.
How do I answer that question my daughter asked today? Tears in her eyes. Anger over the news she had just heard. Confused by what she heard as truth about someone she trusted. Scared over the many sicknesses in our church. I answered her the only way I could.
God will take care of this. His way. His time. And while He is working on that, He will take care of your feelings about it. He will make this right with those who have been wronged. He will forgive. He will love. He will replace. He will restore. He will heal. He will hear. And he will never give us more than we can bear. He has overcome this world, and one day we will too.
Sometimes it would be easier to shelter the kids from the ills of the world, but the truth is, until they see the ills of the world, it's hard for them to see just how strong their God really is. When there is trouble, His power is revealed. So, I guess we can't complain about troubles.It's just hard when your kids get old enough to know what this world is really about. It makes their dad and I hug them a bit tighter, a bit longer, and for more reasons than they even know.
Friday, October 7, 2011
17 Big Blessings
Tomorrow, hubby and I will celebrate our 17th wedding anniversary! So far, it looks like we'll be spending it alone, however, you never know. We've had sick kids, a death in the family, a sick dog, and been sick ourselves....all on our anniversary in prior years!
It sure hasn't stopped us from knowing we've got something special. We are each other's best friends and have been since the day we met 23 years ago this month.
I'll spare you the mushy stuff that's in my heart right now, because you just couldn't handle it! :) Just know that true love is possible. God does know who and what is best for you. He will bring the right person to you if He hasn't already. Our secret to lasting love? Don't just keep each other first. Make sure God is at the head of your marriage and your household.
And have fun together, just like we will on Saturday. We're heading out with no plans. Just hanging out together, going for walks, stopping for a bucket of chicken or two, and maybe we'll shake some apples out of some trees. We never know. Whatever we do, we're just going to do it together and have a great day!
That's just how it is when you're in love, I guess.....
It sure hasn't stopped us from knowing we've got something special. We are each other's best friends and have been since the day we met 23 years ago this month.
I'll spare you the mushy stuff that's in my heart right now, because you just couldn't handle it! :) Just know that true love is possible. God does know who and what is best for you. He will bring the right person to you if He hasn't already. Our secret to lasting love? Don't just keep each other first. Make sure God is at the head of your marriage and your household.
And have fun together, just like we will on Saturday. We're heading out with no plans. Just hanging out together, going for walks, stopping for a bucket of chicken or two, and maybe we'll shake some apples out of some trees. We never know. Whatever we do, we're just going to do it together and have a great day!
That's just how it is when you're in love, I guess.....
Thursday, October 6, 2011
A Walk in the Fall
I have discovered a wonderful thing. I love to walk. Not only do I love to walk, I love to walk fast and for long distances. I'm no longer afraid of the pain in my joints or the risk of a bursitis flare up. I've thumbed my nose at all of that. I just love to walk.
With my favorite season upon me, my walking has been like medicine on many levels. I take my time to sort out feelings, bring things to God, run over my plan for the day, and most days....I just breathe. I passed two horses today whose heads turned as I made my way past. They snuffed at me, and kept grazing, never taking their eyes off me. I watched a hawk swoop down over the path in front of me, likely spotting its kill. I scared off chipmunk after chipmunk, then spooked myself when coming upon 2 brown snakes. EEK!
The noises in the woods are both frightening and amazing. I heard rustling in the scrub beside me, some kind of weird chirping, and the sounds of many acorns hitting the forest floor. I know it sounds corny, but there is nothing like feeling "at one with nature". Everything else melts away. It's better than a bath, if you ask me.
I focus on the sound of my breathing, the sounds around me, including the seven polite "hellos" I received today. People on walks are pleasant. They're getting just what they need too. Our bodies are getting plenty of oxygen, our spirits are being renewed, and our minds are focused on something we often take for granted-beauty. And maybe the best thing we give ourselves in that moment is just the simple gift of time.
The trees are ablaze right now. It seems a bit early, but I'll take it, combined with this warm, balmy weather. One of my favorite things to do in fall is to go for a walk and let the leaves hit me as I pass under the trees. I have tried to catch them, but it eludes me so far. I must be a true tree hugger, as I can't get enough of trees right now! I could go on a million walks and still crave more. Call me a nut, that's okay. They come from trees too!
Take a few minutes to breathe while the weather is still being kind to us. Let God's beauty in nature wash over you the way it washes over me on my walks. Walk your lunch hour or just sit outside in a chair with your eyes closed. You will feel like a new person!
With my favorite season upon me, my walking has been like medicine on many levels. I take my time to sort out feelings, bring things to God, run over my plan for the day, and most days....I just breathe. I passed two horses today whose heads turned as I made my way past. They snuffed at me, and kept grazing, never taking their eyes off me. I watched a hawk swoop down over the path in front of me, likely spotting its kill. I scared off chipmunk after chipmunk, then spooked myself when coming upon 2 brown snakes. EEK!
The noises in the woods are both frightening and amazing. I heard rustling in the scrub beside me, some kind of weird chirping, and the sounds of many acorns hitting the forest floor. I know it sounds corny, but there is nothing like feeling "at one with nature". Everything else melts away. It's better than a bath, if you ask me.
I focus on the sound of my breathing, the sounds around me, including the seven polite "hellos" I received today. People on walks are pleasant. They're getting just what they need too. Our bodies are getting plenty of oxygen, our spirits are being renewed, and our minds are focused on something we often take for granted-beauty. And maybe the best thing we give ourselves in that moment is just the simple gift of time.
The trees are ablaze right now. It seems a bit early, but I'll take it, combined with this warm, balmy weather. One of my favorite things to do in fall is to go for a walk and let the leaves hit me as I pass under the trees. I have tried to catch them, but it eludes me so far. I must be a true tree hugger, as I can't get enough of trees right now! I could go on a million walks and still crave more. Call me a nut, that's okay. They come from trees too!
Take a few minutes to breathe while the weather is still being kind to us. Let God's beauty in nature wash over you the way it washes over me on my walks. Walk your lunch hour or just sit outside in a chair with your eyes closed. You will feel like a new person!
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
"Only the Humble Can Live in Harmony"
"Humility is a virtue that should be sought after more than any other", says Joyce Meyer.
Being thankful for what we have, trusting God, being grateful and humble leads to a peaceful, contented heart.
Thinking someone or something owes you because you think you deserve it all, or you're more important or more powerful, etc...will only lead to unhappiness. It's not until you become less that you will become more.
I start my day with this statement, "God, I am nothing without you."
And I end my day with thanks for my blessings:
1. God's presence in my life
2. Steve
3. My girls
4. My family
5. My Christian friends
6. Nature
7. Peace
What are you thankful for and how can focusing on that change the way you deal with others? Will it help you become more humble? For the humble are the ones who can really make a difference and they're the ones who have the most perfect harmony. Just something to think about today.
Being thankful for what we have, trusting God, being grateful and humble leads to a peaceful, contented heart.
Thinking someone or something owes you because you think you deserve it all, or you're more important or more powerful, etc...will only lead to unhappiness. It's not until you become less that you will become more.
I start my day with this statement, "God, I am nothing without you."
And I end my day with thanks for my blessings:
1. God's presence in my life
2. Steve
3. My girls
4. My family
5. My Christian friends
6. Nature
7. Peace
What are you thankful for and how can focusing on that change the way you deal with others? Will it help you become more humble? For the humble are the ones who can really make a difference and they're the ones who have the most perfect harmony. Just something to think about today.