Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Thursday, May 5, 2011
A Good Day
It has been a good day. Probably one of the best spring days yet. The sun shone all day. There was little wind. I worked in the gardens and got dirt in my fingernails. I went for a bike ride. I enjoyed seeing the blooming trees (finally). I had lunch with my husband and the staff at church. Anya had a friend over. Watched Emily's softball game. And ended it with our first campfire of the season!!
Took pictures with Kate. That is what I will call a good day.
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Buckets and bonding
So it all started around 5:00 am when the thunderstorm woke us up. Soon we hear the jingle of Jessie's collar come down the hallway and into our room. Jessie is not a fan of storms. The other night we couldn't keep her in the kitchen so Anya took her bean bag out to the kitchen to sleep with her there.
It wasn't long til the girls were up, a bit scared and then the electricity went off. Soon an alarm begins to go off in the basement. We knew right away it was the alarm to let us know the water in the sump well had gotten too high. So the hauling began. After some hustle to find headlamps and buckets, the bailing began. It took us a bit to organize the troops, but after finding candles and towels we developed a system to haul the buckets full of water to the bathroom shower and dumped it down the drain. Jeff took a break to call the power company and found out that the power should be back by 7:30. Let's just say that wasn't quite the answer everyone was hoping for.
We had known that the sump pump had been working quite a bit with all of this rain, so it was a constant dipping of water just to keep the water from overflowing into the basement. Once we got into the routine, each of the girls took breaks to sleep for spurts. Unfortunately each of them have a day full of tests today.
Once it got light out we switched to hauling the water outside. It was soon after 7:30 then that the electric was back on. There was a great shout of gratefulness to have this luxury of power again. It does remind me of how many countries there are that lose power on a daily basis. It is something that we take so for granted.
We also struggled with how much water we were just throwing out. We thought of Haiti and Japan that could so benefit from all that water. Why is it that what others so desperately need, we often will just throw away without ever thinking twice about it.
So there were a lot of wet clothes and towels, sore fingers and backs, but each one helped out so much and we couldn't have done it without everyone's help. So let's just say that Jeff has already made the call to get a battery back-up. Hopefully this will be a one-time bonding, memory making experience.
It wasn't long til the girls were up, a bit scared and then the electricity went off. Soon an alarm begins to go off in the basement. We knew right away it was the alarm to let us know the water in the sump well had gotten too high. So the hauling began. After some hustle to find headlamps and buckets, the bailing began. It took us a bit to organize the troops, but after finding candles and towels we developed a system to haul the buckets full of water to the bathroom shower and dumped it down the drain. Jeff took a break to call the power company and found out that the power should be back by 7:30. Let's just say that wasn't quite the answer everyone was hoping for.
We had known that the sump pump had been working quite a bit with all of this rain, so it was a constant dipping of water just to keep the water from overflowing into the basement. Once we got into the routine, each of the girls took breaks to sleep for spurts. Unfortunately each of them have a day full of tests today.
Once it got light out we switched to hauling the water outside. It was soon after 7:30 then that the electric was back on. There was a great shout of gratefulness to have this luxury of power again. It does remind me of how many countries there are that lose power on a daily basis. It is something that we take so for granted.
We also struggled with how much water we were just throwing out. We thought of Haiti and Japan that could so benefit from all that water. Why is it that what others so desperately need, we often will just throw away without ever thinking twice about it.
So there were a lot of wet clothes and towels, sore fingers and backs, but each one helped out so much and we couldn't have done it without everyone's help. So let's just say that Jeff has already made the call to get a battery back-up. Hopefully this will be a one-time bonding, memory making experience.
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Sun, Soil, Seeds
I suppose it's a bit dangerous to get this girl outside when the sun is shining and there is fertile soil with rows already made and seeds purchased to be planted. Jeff and I have been working to prepare some garden plots at our place in preparation for the veggies, strawberries, asparagus, raspberries and black raspberry plants. I have also this week been at the Wyse garden plot that I am also planting in. It's the biggest garden area I have ever had access to :) While I am thoroughly enjoying it now, I"m sure at some point this summer I will wonder why I felt the need to plant so many pea seeds, etc. Let's just say that one double row wasn't quite enough space for 1# of peas. And I have another 1# of another variety and 5#'s of snow peas (I've planted maybe 1/3 of the bag at this point). I also planted 22# of potatoes today along with some spinach, lettuce, carrots and beets.
I started all of this planting on Tuesday and finished up today. Good thing because it's calling for rain for the next while. I still have some greensand to put on our home garden and do another tilling (hopefully tonight yet). Typically I'd probably be overwhelmed by this amount of garden, but for this year, it's exactly what I need. We have never gotten enough peas to last us long into the winter, so hopefully this year we will be supplied along with other people.
The other thing that the sun, soil and seeds did for me today was spurred some thoughts that I'm sure have been ruminating in my head for awhile and for some reason today God wanted them to re-emerge. We'll see if they take root and grow. They were strong enough that when I got home I started writing them down. This is some of the list that got started.
Garden Thoughts - 3/31/11
1. I'm finding myself eager to learn again - to grow (maybe it's time to really think about more school)
2. I'm needing/wanting to earn some income (maybe an assistantship at a university)
3. I know Jeff really wants to do some farming again - How can I support that? (now and in the future?)
4. I love to be outside and in a garden (ie. having summers off)
5. I do enjoy an academic setting/schedule
6. I am committed to and believe in the Mennonite church & schools
7. I enjoy leadership - developing leaders and seeing them succeed
8. Asking myself - what interests should I hone in on? What am I passionate about? Where do I see myself in the future?
So I've been asking myself what are things that I am interested in? Here is my list so far. For those of you who know me and want to suggest some other things that you know me to have passion/interest/gifts in at some point, feel free to comment.
Student development/leadership, staff/team development, education, 1st year experiences, mentoring/1-1 counseling, Mennonite schools, restorative justice, coaching, gardening/sustainability, retention in schools/jobs, experiential learning, balance & boundaries/personal care, healthy relationships/marriages...
So I don't know if these thoughts are directing me to some research ideas, but I have wondered again now if I should look into going on in schooling...not sure, still testing the waters. If there are any suggestions anyone wants to send my way, I'd love to hear what thoughts have come to your mind. Thanks.
I started all of this planting on Tuesday and finished up today. Good thing because it's calling for rain for the next while. I still have some greensand to put on our home garden and do another tilling (hopefully tonight yet). Typically I'd probably be overwhelmed by this amount of garden, but for this year, it's exactly what I need. We have never gotten enough peas to last us long into the winter, so hopefully this year we will be supplied along with other people.
The other thing that the sun, soil and seeds did for me today was spurred some thoughts that I'm sure have been ruminating in my head for awhile and for some reason today God wanted them to re-emerge. We'll see if they take root and grow. They were strong enough that when I got home I started writing them down. This is some of the list that got started.
Garden Thoughts - 3/31/11
1. I'm finding myself eager to learn again - to grow (maybe it's time to really think about more school)
2. I'm needing/wanting to earn some income (maybe an assistantship at a university)
3. I know Jeff really wants to do some farming again - How can I support that? (now and in the future?)
4. I love to be outside and in a garden (ie. having summers off)
5. I do enjoy an academic setting/schedule
6. I am committed to and believe in the Mennonite church & schools
7. I enjoy leadership - developing leaders and seeing them succeed
8. Asking myself - what interests should I hone in on? What am I passionate about? Where do I see myself in the future?
So I've been asking myself what are things that I am interested in? Here is my list so far. For those of you who know me and want to suggest some other things that you know me to have passion/interest/gifts in at some point, feel free to comment.
Student development/leadership, staff/team development, education, 1st year experiences, mentoring/1-1 counseling, Mennonite schools, restorative justice, coaching, gardening/sustainability, retention in schools/jobs, experiential learning, balance & boundaries/personal care, healthy relationships/marriages...
So I don't know if these thoughts are directing me to some research ideas, but I have wondered again now if I should look into going on in schooling...not sure, still testing the waters. If there are any suggestions anyone wants to send my way, I'd love to hear what thoughts have come to your mind. Thanks.
Saturday, March 19, 2011
How Deep The Father's Love for Us
Many times throughout the week a song from church on Sunday or another song would come to mind. The words would bring comfort and an awareness of Christ's presence with me. Many times I would hum a tune while walking or at random times throughout the day. Music expresses so much for me. While I am grateful for the positive, worshipful times through praise songs, I also remember the negative aspects of music in my younger days.
Lately my soul has been dry and no songs have come. So when the tune to this song came to me yesterday, I felt a warmth within. It took until this morning for the words to come. Thanks to the use of the internet I was able to type in a phrase and it brought up the lyrics for me. Then even better I saw this youtube video that brought the words and music together. As I watched the video, tears started to flow. Tears for the song in my heart again and tears for the powerful message.
By Stuart Townend
How Deep The Father's Love for Us
How deep the Father's love for us, how vast beyond all measure
That He should give His only Son, to make a wretch His treasure
How great the pain of searing loss, the Father turns His face away
As wounds which mar the chosen One, bring many sons to glory
Behold the Man upon a cross, my sin upon His shoulders
Ashamed, I hear my mocking voice call out among the scoffers
It was my sin that held Him there until it was accomplished
His dying breath has brought me life; I know that it is finished
I will not boast in anything: no gifts, no power, no wisdom
But I will boast in Jesus Christ; His death and resurrection
Why should I gain from His reward? I cannot give an answer
But this I know with all my heart: His wounds have paid my ransom
To also hear this wonderful song go to:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UjD0lv8hx5o
I keep trusting that as I open myself up to the refining and shaping that God is doing within me, that I will continually be brought to the foot of the cross, allowing myself to soak in the Father's love for me.
Lately my soul has been dry and no songs have come. So when the tune to this song came to me yesterday, I felt a warmth within. It took until this morning for the words to come. Thanks to the use of the internet I was able to type in a phrase and it brought up the lyrics for me. Then even better I saw this youtube video that brought the words and music together. As I watched the video, tears started to flow. Tears for the song in my heart again and tears for the powerful message.
By Stuart Townend
How Deep The Father's Love for Us
How deep the Father's love for us, how vast beyond all measure
That He should give His only Son, to make a wretch His treasure
How great the pain of searing loss, the Father turns His face away
As wounds which mar the chosen One, bring many sons to glory
Behold the Man upon a cross, my sin upon His shoulders
Ashamed, I hear my mocking voice call out among the scoffers
It was my sin that held Him there until it was accomplished
His dying breath has brought me life; I know that it is finished
I will not boast in anything: no gifts, no power, no wisdom
But I will boast in Jesus Christ; His death and resurrection
Why should I gain from His reward? I cannot give an answer
But this I know with all my heart: His wounds have paid my ransom
To also hear this wonderful song go to:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UjD0lv8hx5o
I keep trusting that as I open myself up to the refining and shaping that God is doing within me, that I will continually be brought to the foot of the cross, allowing myself to soak in the Father's love for me.
Saturday, March 12, 2011
Head Bowed, Hands Open
There has been an unsettledness within me. An inability to focus. A feeling of shame. As I have been reflecting on why I keep going back to this past weekend and feel convicted of some things I said, I remember speaking words that came from a judgemental spirit. Words spoken to persons of faith that I care about. I apologized the next day for what I had said and that I shouldn't have been so judgemental. But for some reason it still sits with me.
As I participated in our Ash Wednesday service, the start of the 40 days of Lent, I was reminded of the importance of opening ourselves to the work of God in our lives, to have the posture of head bowed and hands held open. It's more than just "giving something up for lent" it's also about having an openness to the cleansing work of the Holy Spirit. This is what I desire, but I'm not sure I like what I am feeling in the midst of this.
In my devotions this morning it was titled, "Why can't we all just get along?" It starts with, "It's amazing how people deeply committed to serving Jesus disagree about the most basic issues." My comments from the weekend were about different college choices and found myself making strong statements about church affiliated schools based on some very limited interactions I had with some people or from what I had heard somewhere or because of the faith they are affiliated with. How arrogant of me. I just stereotyped people. I assumed that my experience 20 years ago would still hold true today... I held no illusions that the Mennonite colleges were perfect and really the conversation was much more than college choices, I found myself being judgemental about faith.
Romans 14 talks about how we might see things differently (what is okay to eat, what day is holy) and that we shouldn't condemn each other for what we believe and that we shouldn't become a stumbling block for the other. vs. 13 So don't condemn each other anymore. Decide instead to live in such a way that you will not put an obstacle in another Christian's path. vs 17 For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of what we eat or drink, but of living a life of goodness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit...so then, let us aim for harmony in the church and try to build each other up.
So while this unsettledness continues inside of me I want to come before the Lord with my head bowed and hands open to be cleansed deep within me. I feel yucky and disappointed in myself but I truly want a new and right spirit within me. I don't like to live in conflict so I quickly jump to what it takes to live in harmony. But I also realize that what needs to take place in the space in the middle is important and is necessary for me to become refined, molded by Christ. In the end I hope to have my arms outstretched and my head help up giving praise to God for the new life within me.
As I participated in our Ash Wednesday service, the start of the 40 days of Lent, I was reminded of the importance of opening ourselves to the work of God in our lives, to have the posture of head bowed and hands held open. It's more than just "giving something up for lent" it's also about having an openness to the cleansing work of the Holy Spirit. This is what I desire, but I'm not sure I like what I am feeling in the midst of this.
In my devotions this morning it was titled, "Why can't we all just get along?" It starts with, "It's amazing how people deeply committed to serving Jesus disagree about the most basic issues." My comments from the weekend were about different college choices and found myself making strong statements about church affiliated schools based on some very limited interactions I had with some people or from what I had heard somewhere or because of the faith they are affiliated with. How arrogant of me. I just stereotyped people. I assumed that my experience 20 years ago would still hold true today... I held no illusions that the Mennonite colleges were perfect and really the conversation was much more than college choices, I found myself being judgemental about faith.
Romans 14 talks about how we might see things differently (what is okay to eat, what day is holy) and that we shouldn't condemn each other for what we believe and that we shouldn't become a stumbling block for the other. vs. 13 So don't condemn each other anymore. Decide instead to live in such a way that you will not put an obstacle in another Christian's path. vs 17 For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of what we eat or drink, but of living a life of goodness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit...so then, let us aim for harmony in the church and try to build each other up.
So while this unsettledness continues inside of me I want to come before the Lord with my head bowed and hands open to be cleansed deep within me. I feel yucky and disappointed in myself but I truly want a new and right spirit within me. I don't like to live in conflict so I quickly jump to what it takes to live in harmony. But I also realize that what needs to take place in the space in the middle is important and is necessary for me to become refined, molded by Christ. In the end I hope to have my arms outstretched and my head help up giving praise to God for the new life within me.
Monday, February 28, 2011
Good Books
So one benefit of this transition is the chance to read. I would never have said that I enjoyed reading. In fact many of the books the girls read at school, I have never read. I have to wonder what my parents would say about this, but I'm assuming that I just rathered being outside with the animals, playing with cousins/friends, working in the barn, playing sports - who had time to read.
In my adult years I would find some time to pick up a book that my mother-in-law or a friend would recommend Secret Life of Bees or Stones into Schools. I typically found myself interested in leadership books like Good to Great or Five Dysfunctions of a Team. I also am drawn to books on gardening/food like Four Season Harvests or Animal, Vegetable, Miracle or Local Choices. But anymore I'm more brave to pick up a book at the library and give it a try. Two books recently were The Dirty Life (a woman's choice to move on a farm and the challenges with living sustainably) and On the Right Track (from olympic downfall to finding forgiveness and the strength to overcome and succeed). Both books were good in their own way, recognizing with our choices come consequences--some positive, some negative. We can allow the negative to overwhelm us, suck us dry or choose a different lens to look through and appreciate what we have learned through the tough stuff.
Whether the books are fiction or non-fiction I find myself drawn into the story. If you ask Jeff, my moods tend to take on what I am reading or that I ask him random questions that stem from something brought up in a book. I think what has impacted me the most is this desire to have purpose, to make a difference.
So I am inspired again to live with intention. To care about where my food comes from, to decrease waste, to live with integrity, to appreciate life, etc. I don't have to do something big like Greg Mortenson and build schools in Afghanastan in the hardest to reach places so that girls can get an education or even like Marion Jones who now plays in the WNBA and speaks to audiences on "Take a Break", to think before telling a lie, to seek out good advice, to act with integrity and take responsibility.
I am challenged to embrace today and to discover the ways that God wants to use me now. As I have been floundering with this new stage of life I am reminded again that as I seek first the kingdom of God, as I sit at Jesus' feet, I won't need to figure this out on my own. God knows the plans he has for me. I also know that there is a lot of transforming that He wants to do in me. For today I rest in God's loving arms, wanting to be attentive to His voice and leading.
In my adult years I would find some time to pick up a book that my mother-in-law or a friend would recommend Secret Life of Bees or Stones into Schools. I typically found myself interested in leadership books like Good to Great or Five Dysfunctions of a Team. I also am drawn to books on gardening/food like Four Season Harvests or Animal, Vegetable, Miracle or Local Choices. But anymore I'm more brave to pick up a book at the library and give it a try. Two books recently were The Dirty Life (a woman's choice to move on a farm and the challenges with living sustainably) and On the Right Track (from olympic downfall to finding forgiveness and the strength to overcome and succeed). Both books were good in their own way, recognizing with our choices come consequences--some positive, some negative. We can allow the negative to overwhelm us, suck us dry or choose a different lens to look through and appreciate what we have learned through the tough stuff.
Whether the books are fiction or non-fiction I find myself drawn into the story. If you ask Jeff, my moods tend to take on what I am reading or that I ask him random questions that stem from something brought up in a book. I think what has impacted me the most is this desire to have purpose, to make a difference.
So I am inspired again to live with intention. To care about where my food comes from, to decrease waste, to live with integrity, to appreciate life, etc. I don't have to do something big like Greg Mortenson and build schools in Afghanastan in the hardest to reach places so that girls can get an education or even like Marion Jones who now plays in the WNBA and speaks to audiences on "Take a Break", to think before telling a lie, to seek out good advice, to act with integrity and take responsibility.
I am challenged to embrace today and to discover the ways that God wants to use me now. As I have been floundering with this new stage of life I am reminded again that as I seek first the kingdom of God, as I sit at Jesus' feet, I won't need to figure this out on my own. God knows the plans he has for me. I also know that there is a lot of transforming that He wants to do in me. For today I rest in God's loving arms, wanting to be attentive to His voice and leading.
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