Have you ever heard the term “leggy seedling” before?
It’s a tiny, freshly emerged little plant, searching, reaching, bending, stretching struggling…
Because it’s not getting enough light.
Plants need light.
Ever tried putting a plant in a recliner in a dark living room in front of a tv?
It won’t make it.
LIFE needs light.
There’s so much going on in the world right now. It’s depressing for so many different reasons. My husband noted that during the biggest event in recent history, our kids are completely oblivious to what is going on around them. They probably won’t even remember weeks of social distancing. They don’t know schools have closed or that small businesses are shutting their doors for good. I am actually quite thankful for that…not that businesses are closing, but that my children are sheltered from the stress and chaos that is currently our world. Fortunately, except for missing their church family, not much has changed in my children’s lives. I am so blessed, but I am finding myself, more and more, getting sucked into it all…all the different feelings, the fears, the opinions. I need to step back. I need to readjust my focus, and for now, bring it back closer to home. I want to continue to lead my children to pray for our country, but not drive them into panic and fear. I want to drown my family in togetherness and nature. I want to get lost in dirt and giggles, not fear and panic. I want to lead my children to faith and trust…and I need to lead by example.
Buzzing, when you haven’t been hearing buzzing, can be a little intimidating…
Perhaps scary.
I was on my way home from picking up my new nuc (nucleus colony…overwintered group of bees) from the supplier when I first heard buzzing…
A new season is upon us. My family is getting ready to open our windows and begin working diligently to clean out all the dust and cobwebs.
We are pulling up to the finish line of the dreary chills of difficult times.
It’s time for fresh…
New…
The upcoming season for us is the season of “No.”
“Lubba you too.”
There are few things in life more precious than your sweet toddler leaning over to kiss your fake-sleeping face and patting your cheek before she turns, places her baby face on her “tar” pillow, and drifts off to sleep.
Your heart is full.
You know for a brief moment in her life, you are her WHOLE world…her everything. While that fact can be completely overwhelming at times, it is also completely humbling to experience the unconditional love of a child…
a love that thinks you are absolutely PERFECT, just as you are.
Sometimes it’s hard…
Like when they are screaming, “mommy”
“Mommy, please.”
“Mommy, do you hear me?”
“Mommy, do you see me?”
“Mommy, are you there?”
“Mommy, have you left?”
“Mommy, please hold me.”
“Mommy, I need you.”
“Mommy, PLEASE!!”
And you just can’t. You really CAN’T. A mommy’s heart just breaks as she reaches to touch. Mommy voices her comfort, and it just…
It just doesn’t help.
She wants to feel her little self in your arms and know her world is still spinning.
It took us about 6.5 hours (should be 4.5-5). We totalled 6 stops, but we made it. She is at her Nahnah’s house for the first time. She met her greatgrandmother, and tomorrow she will meet her cousins.
For now, everything is as it should be. Her belly is full, and she is safe and snuggled in her mommy’s arms.
For now, the world is PERFECT. ❤
You know what…
Life is hard.
Mine. Your’s.
It’s all different and it’s all difficult.
We have our own stories. We have our own trials. We are each made up of different backgrounds and varying experiences, which makes each of us unique and capable of different things.
That’s how we are made.
Different.
If each puzzle piece were the same…would there even be a puzzle?
No, just a pile of the EXACT same pieces, pieces you couldn’t do anything with.
And that’s how life is.
Here we are. A holiday weekend is upon us.
This weekend will be packed with backyard bar-b-ques, picnics, sunny days at the beach with family and friends…
Celebrating…
But do we remember what this weekend is about? Do we know what it is we are honoring on Memorial Day?
Don’t get me wrong, those above mentioned activities are great (especially with thosewe love), but this holiday is about more than that…
It’s about a flag.
More specifically, Memorial Day is about a FOLDED flag, very similar to the one you see pictured.
The only difference between THIS flag you are seeing and the ones we should be honoring this Memorial Day is…
Let me tell you the story about 5, not-so-little, ducks…
You see…
5 ducks did indeed go out one day. They wandered around the backside of the pond, found their way AROUND the fence, climbed the hill, and waddled away.
Dinner time came and they were ready for a snack, but only 2, not-so-little, ducks came back.
The pond is now a bachelor pad.
“Lubba you too.”
There are few things in life more precious than your sweet toddler leaning over to kiss your fake-sleeping face and patting your cheek before she turns, places her baby face on her “tar” pillow, and drifts off to sleep.
Your heart is full.
You know for a brief moment in her life, you are her WHOLE world…her everything. While that fact can be completely overwhelming at times, it is also completely humbling to experience the unconditional love of a child…
a love that thinks you are absolutely PERFECT, just as you are.
She finds peace and comfort in your embrace whether she is happy, sad, or melting down. You are her EVERYTHING…just as you are. In her eyes, you are beautiful, flawless, hers…
everything you say, wear, do is something she wants to emulate.
She won’t always love you JUST like this.
Her love will always be precious, but it will evolve. It will be different.
She is going to see that I am NOT perfect. I am GOING to let her down.
So, during this ever important time, may I strive to take steps that make my shoes worth filling with her tiny feet. May the path I give her to follow lead her to TRUE perfection…our Heavenly Father’s grace and love…
a love that will see our imperfections, and continue to hold strong, unwavering.
In the meantime, until her naive, little heart has matured to the point that it can see and understand something so extraordinary, may God give me the strength to shine His love in her life and let her know just how precious she is…to me and Him.
Peanut Butter in My Hairbrush 