She is so calm

I live near one of the cities where the severe heat wave struck. We don’t have air conditioning, so for several days the children and I passed the time away dumping water on our heads. Then…two nights ago we had a severe thunderstorm which knocked out our power and turned our water supply off. My landlord came over and said “Welcome back to the 1920’s.” That comment proved to be quite hilarious. (Our house was built in the 1700’s.) He gave us a small generator to run our refridgerator. That was a blessing.

When the power came on (later last night) I chuckled. All the sudden three fans turned on at once and we heard the tv from the living room. I immediately ran to the bathroom to brush my teeth. (Don’t laugh. Good dental hygene is important!) The water spurted out of the faucet in a loud gush that made me jump.

While sitting there nursing my one year old, I thought about the modern lifestyle several of us in the US live.  I thought about the tiny fire I made to roast hotdogs last night for dinner and the s’mores we made after (mmmmm….chocolate). I won’t disclose the number of hotdogs I accidently dropped. Lets just say that the barn cats were happy.  :) 

I thought about the lack of power & how much more time we spent together as a family-no tv, no computer, no aversions. My husband and I talked a while as the children ‘rediscovered’ their toys from this past Christmas. It was good. Very good. My mind felt clearer. My body felt well rested. It was like a mini vacation in the woods…well, sort of.

You’ve got to love this post! Which are you?

I’m guilty of throwing myself little pity parties just like everyone else. If you say that you have never had that experience, then I’ll just assume to put you on the same shelf as those who claim that they don’t judge people. There is a big difference between the words ‘won’t’ and ‘don’t’. We all are tempted. Sometimes we cave in, sometimes we don’t.

Contentment is something to be learned; it doesn’t happen overnight.  

Scripture says, “I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.”   Philippians 4:11 (Emphasis mine)

I think the problem that we run into is that we try to be content in our own steam. We think, “What is wrong with me?”

Lets look at the whole verse now:

“I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength.”  Phillippians 4:11-13

See the difference? I know that I need to be reminded that I don’t lean on myself or depend on me for joy in the storm.

I can’t believe that it is June already. 

I got up like usual this morning. We have a playroom next to our bedroom (the third bedroom in our home-all the boys share a room). If they wake up before me (they usually do) they are to QUIETLY play in their playroom. The ‘quietly’ part never happens. This morning I woke up to my six year old and four year old arguing the following:

“Optimus Prime is the mom this time.”

“Nooooo! He was the mom last time. My guy wants to be the mom. Optimus can be the dad.”

I’m trying to picture any of the transformers wearing high heels or an apron.

They got me ARCEE-the female transformer last year and proceeded to argue about who would be able to marry her and start an autobot family. I found all of this hilarious.

There have been a lot of things that the children have done that show me how much they are growing up this past week. We only have a limited amount of time to teach them. I cherish these days, as I have heard so many older women say that they miss the years of little children underfoot.

My one year old usually just climbs out of bed in the morning. This morning I hear, “Mommmm. Mommmmm?” I was trying to figure out which of the older ones were calling me. It was the youngest. I know he can say words…but it was the way he said them this morning. He ‘grew up’ a little and I didn’t see it coming.

I praise God that when he saw me, He did not see me as a barren woman; he heard my cry and blessed us with these sons.

“No one is holy like the LORD,
      For there is none besides You,
      Nor is there any rock like our God.” 1 Samuel 2:2

I just finished watching the BBC rendition (2004) of North and South. What a beautiful film. I am not a fan of flighty romance films that are unrealistic. There was a jolt of realism and a fair share of hardship-a whole lot like real life. It was a clean film; how refreshing that was compared to everything else out there.

Yes, it is so. We are expecting.

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