Knots

        I like to knit. But, with every new project, before I can start the actual knitting I first need to roll my skeins of yarn into balls. Usually this goes just fine, but every once in awhile I get a skein that refuses to cooperate. It is made of nothing but knots and tangles, and frustration ensues. 
       Lately, I've been thinking of my brain as that tangled skein. The more I try to straighten my thoughts out, the more frustrated I get. I feel the need to be in control, to understand, and have a firm grip on things. I've been starting to realize that my attempts to be in control only make me miserable. I can't figure some things out, and trying to only makes me fret.
      But, the One who created my mind knows how to untangle all the knots I manage to create. I just need to hand it all to Him and let Him ease the knots out. While thinking about this earlier today, I also thought about how kids are often oblivious to some of the harder situations their families may be in because it's not their job to take care of it, it's their parents' job. Well, I am a child of God(and so are you) and so it's not my job to worry and stress and fret(about anything). God, our Heavenly Father has it all under control. Happy Sunday.


Mark 10:15
"Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it."

“You must learn to let go. Release the stress. You were never in control anyway.” ~Steve Maraboli

Luke's Garage

       So since we have moved, Luke has really enjoyed having a three car garage which has been transformed into his workshop. A few years ago we had bought a car and decided that we wanted to paint it. We thought that it would take a couple weeks. Ha. 8 weeks later as snow was starting to fly we finally finished. At that time we were living in our tiny apartment in town and so for that 8 weeks we spent every evening and weekend out at Luke's parents. It was a fun time, but also a time of frustration, when we started to wonder if we would ever be done.

      Well, Luke got the urge to paint again recently. It wasn't a full car this time, just the bumper off Keren and Benjamin's car. 

      In the 6 months we have lived here he has used the garage to work on(or let others work on) my sister's car,  his sister's car, his co-workers car, a friend's car and our car. He is quite the handy man. Happy Sunday.

Life Lately

       On Sunday, we had a potluck dinner at our Church. After we had eaten, some friends of ours went to the closet and pulled out packages and balloons. I couldn't figure out what was going on. Then they plopped it all in front of Luke and me and said, "Happy housewarming." I felt so blessed. We have sweet friends! They made a little replica of our home and gave us loads of seeds and garden starter stuff. An explosion of beautiful flowery goodness is in the future,

 Then this week, the Lovely Keren Ruth and her husband Benjamin asked us if we would like to have a picnic in the park. It was nice indeed.

Flowers. Barbecues. Warm, sun-shiny days....I like Spring!

"Spring is nature's way of saying, 'Let's party.'" ~Robin Williams

A Bookish Sort of Day

        My day started with a book and has pretty much continued on in that way. I woke up, made some fresh coffee and curled up in the sunny sitting room with a good book. I managed to finish the book and thus needed the next one in the series so I took a quick road trip to the library. This afternoon I sat out in the beautiful 70 degree sunshine with my book. Then I took a lovely two mile walk...with my nose in my book. This afternoon my love and I then went into town for ice cream with the lovely Keren Ruth and her husband. Now I want to get back to my book. Happy Saturday!

"So many books, so little time." ~Frank Zappa

 "You can find magic where ever you look. Sit back and relax, all you need is a book." ~Dr. Seuss
 

My latest hobby

A few weeks ago at school I had the kids do a weaving project for art class.

Here was my sample project. It is a paper plate with slits cut into it and yarn woven through.

 Well this project got me thinking that I wanted to try an actual weaving project. So this weekend, Luke helped me design and build a loom.

It has been fun.

Happy Sunday


"Love is ever busy with his shuttle, is ever weaving into life's dull warp bright, gorgeous flowers..."
~Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

The Life Vest

      The girl stood on the rolling deck as the storm raged around her. The rain came hard and fast, the waves rolled into mountains and the lightning streaked across the sky. Suddenly, she was thrown overboard. She frantically started searching for something to grab hold of and managed to find the anchor chain. She thought to herself that if she could just hold on, then she could make it through. However, what she didn't think about as the storm raged on was that anchor was only pulling her down. She was wearing a life vest, but she couldn't get it out of her mind that she needed to hold onto the anchor.
      I was thinking the other day about how all to often we find ourselves holding onto an anchor, a weight that is only pulling us down.  I find myself holding onto some fear or thought that does nothing more than hold me in one spot and drag me under. I feel like I have to hold on or I will drown. But the ridiculous thing about the situation is that I am wearing a life jacket, and if I would just let go of the anchor, I would float to the surface and be able to take a breath.
     The anchor is my desire to control and understand things. I get some fear in my head and then I think and think and think about it because I have it in my mind that I need to understand it and then it will go away. Or I think and think about it because I feel a need to be in control of it. But fear and worry aren't rational and they can't be controlled, so this only leads to sinking, and gasping for breath as the weight of the anchor pulls me down.
       The life jacket is trusting in the One who holds my life in His hand. I need to realize that the way out of my struggle is not figuring the problem out, or beating it into submission, it is simply letting it go and allowing the life jacket of faith and trust in Jesus take me to the surface.
      It says in Proverbs 3:5-6
"Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight."
       I like this verse and use it a lot. It points out that Trusting in the LORD means that I don't actually need to understand or be able to control the situation, I just have to trust Him.
       Holding onto the anchor is only going to keep you in one spot, and it may even drown you. But because of Jesus we have a life vest and as soon as you get the guts to let go of the anchor you will find yourself floating up to a breath of air. The trick is to not grab the anchor again. I'm pretty good at that. I let go, get a breath, and think to myself, "Oh this is nice." But my brain is a creature of habit and it tends to want to go back to what it's used too. As the storm rages you might find yourself wanting to stay by the sinking ship, but it's ok. The life vest is fool proof. You just have to lean back into it and let it hold you up.

Happy Saturday.


“You must learn to let go. Release the stress. You were never in control anyway.” ~Steve Maraboli
     

Jordan

        I'm baking cookies today which makes me think of my brother Jordan. I sure do miss that boy. He is two years younger than me and we are best friends. When we were younger we liked to think we could pass for twins. Then he got tall and everyone thought he was the older one which bugged me. Our old house had hardwood floors through the living room and dining room. He used to throw me over his shoulder and spin around till we were good and dizzy and then put me down, which meant I went sliding across the smooth floors. Good times.
     When we were really little, we shared a bedroom. When we got older, our bedrooms were always just down the hall. We went to the same small, local Bible college. Then we moved to the same town together to finish our degrees. We stayed in separate dorms but still spent a lot of our time together. One night I had just gone to bed when I heard a knock on my door. He had run out of toothpaste and wanted mine. When my love and I got married Jordan stood up as my Man of Honor.
    A little over a year ago he got a job far away in another state and that was the first time we really had to say goodbye. We had never spent more than five months apart and that only happened once when I went on a mission trip.
      But just like that, growing up took us apart, at least geographically. And on this beautiful sunny Friday,  I wish he could come over and have some cookies. Brothers are good things!

Proverbs 17:17
"A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity."

God's Will

      I often struggle with knowing just exactly what God's will is. All to often, I get some idea in my head of what that might be based solely on a feeling I have. (My husband, bless his soul, is patiently helping me learn and understand that feelings are fine and dandy but not always solid foundation material) Anyway, one thing that my love has been helping me to see is that God's word clearly maps out what His will is.
     So, in my reading I have been on the lookout for "God's will" verses. There are a lot of them.

 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
"Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."

God's Will: Rejoice in Him. Pray to Him. Give thanks to Him. 

Micah 6:8
" He has told you, O man, what is good;
    and what does the Lord require of you
but to do justice, and to love kindness,
    and to walk humbly with your God?"

God's Will: Justice, Kindness, Humbleness.  

1 Timothy 6:11
"But as for you, O man of God, flee these things. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness.

God's Will: That we seek righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, and gentleness with our lives. 

James 1:27
"Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world."

God's Will: Take care of orphans and widows and keep yourself pure.

2 Corinthians 13:11
" Finally, brothers, rejoice. Aim for restoration, comfort one another, agree with one another, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you."

God's Will: Rejoice, seek restoration, comfort each other,  don't argue,  and let peace reign.

Titus 3:1-2
"Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work, to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people."

God's Will:  Respectful and obedient to those in authority, prepared to do good, speak kindness not evil, don't argue, be gentle and courteous.

 Happy Wednesday!