Saturday, June 6, 2009

the authentic side



I'm sitting in a quiet house all alone. All alone because all four of my favorite guys are outside having an ice fight...tucking ice chips in each others' clothing is hysterical for them. Each time I look out I see that some little boy has shed yet another piece of clothing because "it's wet." I think they may be on to something- there is only one place to put ice now...in the skivies BUT WAIT!! Who wants ice in your unders???

I love Saturdays. I've been thinking about the next season coming....the beautiful, playful, less-than-home-school-structured days of summer. If you didn't already know this about me I tend to get a little unraveled when big transition is on the calendar. Next week is the last day of school so I've been thinking ahead about what life will look like and I've decided that it can just look like Saturdays all in a row.

That's not to say we plan to be stagnant all summer. My self-assignment for next week is to make book lists for us for the summer. We'll be making regular trips to the library to participate in their reading program. We'll continue on with our weekly sketch challenges that are just plain fun. Also, I'm going to host a reading, drawing and writing contest over the summer so of course the boys will do that. Watch for that to join in!!

Our last camping trip was great. Probably my favorite part about camping is the great amount of relaxing and playing I do, and how little "work" and busyness I participate in. Seems like quiet and calm is a resounding theme in my life right now. Do you know what I mean? Do you ever have times when you hear God speaking something to you and it's confirmed in sacred echos all around you? Over and over you know just want God is asking of you because you hear it in your Bible Study, from a friend, a movie, a book...

The sacred Echo I'm hearing now more than ever;

*be still

**be quiet and find your confidence in Me

***live quietly, do your job

When we're camping life is so still, so quiet. Well, quiet as it can be with three boisterous boys. I have decided to do my best to bring that home. I oscillate between being too busy with a full, full calendar-- and being quiet. I'm going to try and keep a quiet summer.

Wide Margins. I heard it said that it's wise to leave wide margins.



Life has been like this for me:

worshippractice,homeschool,tball,cubscouts,homeschool,choir,read,homeschool,playdates....


I feel my heart rate going up already.

For the summer:

read

swim

blog

appointment

camping

church....

You get the idea? Wide margins....room to breathe and play and pray and read in between.

What is God stirring in you in these days?

*Psalm 46:10 (New International Version)

10 "Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth.

**Isaiah 30:15 (The Message)

God Takes the Time to Do Everything Right
15-17God, the Master, The Holy of Israel,
has this solemn counsel:
"Your salvation requires you to turn back to me
and stop your silly efforts to save yourselves.
Your strength will come from settling down
in complete dependence on me—
The very thing
you've been unwilling to do

***1 Thessalonians 4:11 (New International Version)

11Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you

1 comment:

Amy said...

The exact same thing has been perking in my heart too! I love that God is speaking the same thing!

I really think one of the biggest weapons of the enemy in most people's lives these days is "Busy-ness". It really keeps us chasing out tails and how quickly we forget what is important.

I have been saying No to so many things... choosing the best, not the good all the time, simply because it's good. Stopping to ask my Father if this is something that HE wants for me to do. Not being run by obligation...ugh!! Obligation will kill you! lol! But following after His heart and His will in everything.

Love this post! How powerful!

Hugs.. Amy