Obedience or something like that

This last Sunday we had plans to have someone over for lunch. At the last minute, they had to cancel. That was fine, so I did not do my food prep that morning, and was looking forward to a very quiet Sunday afternoon and thoughts of a nap were sounding very inviting. This was not to be tho.

While at our place of worship, hubby felt like we should throw out an invitation for someone to come over for lunch. We had some wonderful food prepared, and so...........well to be brutally honest, neither one of us really 'wanted' to have people over, but he strongly felt like we should, and I agreed to follow what he felt . Lets be very very clear here, I had ABSOLUTELY no desire to have any one over, especially strangers that might take a lot of energy to visit with, and all this would seriously cut into my nap time. So I almost began to cry as he stands on stage and throws out the invite.
We begin to make our exit and I think 'perhaps it was just about obedience, maybe no one will take up the offer'. But then I see someone come up to us. Would her and her friend be able to come over. Well, I turn and say 'sure that would be great'. Not feeling so great about it tho.
Hubby goes over and invites another couple to come as well.

We rush home to start the food prep, and I of course rush to clean my bathroom and spot clean my floors, trying to ignore the piles of stuff waiting to be packed or given away laying around. I pour myself a stiff drink of diet coke! All the while uttering desperate breathe prayers for help and joy.

Interjection here - I really do enjoy people and I love having people over for meals, but that Sunday, I just didn't! I mean I just really really didn't. And I hated that I didn't. I felt very yucky inside, but still, it was there.

So, the door bell rings and everyone comes.

And guess what.

We had an amazing afternoon. Everyone stayed all afternoon. At one point one person said how it was a bit out of their comfort zone to come to a strangers house for lunch. Then my hubby shared how honestly it was out of obedience that we threw out the invite, but we sure were glad that we had, and how wonderful an afternoon it was turning out to be. Then the other couple shared that when he had heard the invite he knew he should come, but also had not really want to. But when hubby asked if they would come, they did in obedience.

I laughed so hard. First it was nice to know that I was not alone in how I had been feeling. But what a gift that afternoon turned out be. Some relationships were deepened, some just started. But it was real, and it was sweet. And I realized what I could have missed out on. I am a deep believer in community and relationship, yet that day it was very hard to act out on those beliefs. Part of the real gift I received was that even in the midst of not necessarily wanting it, I was still given the gift of receiving it. We all did.

So thank-you hubby for being obedient. I love you for your sweet heart.
But even more,

Thanks so much for helping with the dishes!!! hehehe

garage sale photo's

We had our first 'get rid of it all' sale on Sat. It was great. We sold alot and it passed very quickly. We all got up early to set up, including my lovely little people. They were so cute. They each wanted to their own blanket and keep track of their own money. (plus this is a great math lesson hehehe). By just after 7 we were all set up, the kids sitting in their chairs, anxiously awaiting all the big spending customers to come their way. By 7:15 we heard them discussing why no one was coming and how long this was taking. They had a whole system going on. One person would stand on the street watching for cars, while the other two would play or meander. Upon sight of a car coming (two blocks away), the person on guard would shout 'get to your chairs they are coming they are coming quick quick get to your table!!!!!'. They would all run to their stations and wait, thinking of all the money they were going to make. They all did very well, and became awesome salesmen/women.

'Okay we are ready, now what is taking all the customer so long!"


'Still waiting..................'



A lot of work, but a lot of fun.

Being someone who loves garage saleing, I laid out to my hubby how the morning would go. First the early birdies (they know what they want, mostly elderly men), then came the next wave of early birdies - mostly elderly couples. Next would be the groups of women, ready to go with a coffee in hand, then the families and younger singles would follow.

By the 'women with coffee stage' he was busting a gut laughing at the strange range of knowledge that I have accumulated.

Mostly we had wonderful friendly people and it was fun to see and watch. But there is one story I have to share. Hubby was selling his tools, and a man was looking at his power planner which was in almost new condition. The price we had it at was already a great deal, but he was trying to get hubby to lower it. His last attempt at getting the price lowered was one of the funniest we heard all day. This is what he said

"I am not really sure how much I am actually going to use it, soooo, for $20 I could let it sit there, but for $25.......well......I don't know"

I am sure that reasoning makes sense on some level, but I am definitely not on that level.
Needless to say, we laughed and shook out heads.

All in all it was a wonderful day, and tomorrow I will begin getting ready for the next one.





Me ready for the day to be done. And Sammy counting our money in the background.

More good-byes

Well, today I honestly feel like whining about how hard it is to wait, how much I want to complain that I have learned all the lessons one can learn from waiting and so...............oh yah, oops, uhhh, yah, okay, guess I will stop there.

We have finally figured out what visa we need, and have sent in the application. And so again, it is all perfectly out of our hands. This has been a bit of a pattern with us in this process it seems. And an interesting one. I love it for the most part. It truly gives me a very clear sense of my life not being my own. So, today I must remind myself to leave it there.

This last weekend we went to visit hubby's mom and dad. They are only a few hours away, but there is a major mountain pass between us, and I admit, I have grown to hate driving that road in the winter, so we don't get to see them as often as we wish we could. The kids love love love going to visit Grandma. Again, memories being made. The room we stay in is like a cozy hideaway. The kids adore the little beds Grandma creates for them. She works her grandma magic with pillow, blankets and cushions creating little nooks for their growing bodies. And then to top it off, there is a TV with Cable in the same room, so we all wake up and watch cartoons together while snuggling. It was another hard good-bye, and the kids begged us to be able to stay longer. Tears were shed, and many hugs hugged. As we were trying to leave, I found one of the kidlets tucked in his bed, trying to hide because he didn't want to go. They are tired of good-byes for now. Then again, if this process takes long, there is a chance we may see them again?!!

Just don't tell grandma.

Smile

Just a little something that made me smile this morning.

Enjoy.



This morning as I drove my hubby to work I was amazed by all the new leaves making their oh so quiet yet grand appearance for the year. Spring never ranked as my favorite season, but these last few years it has become special somehow. All that fresh green color, watching the tree's slowly awaken from their long rest. I once heard a poem/song about the beauty of a deciduous tree loosing all its leaves, and the beauty of that place of rest, of shedding. I had never thought of that before, but it was such a sweet relief to be at peace with all seasons of life we go through. And now, to see the precious growth of new buds. It is so cliche, but it really does bring such a sense of hope, doesn't it?! If we stop long enough to listen. The life that was tucked away, so ready to hide for just a while, now can not help itself from bursting forth.

picture of my boys with neighbor friend

This weekend our very good/great/fabulous/always dreamt of neighbors like this - are moving away. Well, they are just visiting family in other countries for a few months, but will not be back by the time we go. We are all sad at this parting, especially my boys. Our neighbors voiced how sad they were at our moving and had hoped our children would grow up together. Our children run back and forth freely, and we feed each others kids without a second a thought.

Today they are in the end of the end part of moving, you know, cleaning carpets, completely emptying the fridge, wiping the cupboards on more time. This is the best and worst part. You can see the end, but, oh man, you are so done by this point.

Anyways, this afternoon they called over and asked if I had any coffee, and if I did, could I make them a cup and bring it to over? I had just run out of coffee and so I quickly drove and bought them a large cup.

She was a little embarrassed that I done that. But I was so happy. I loved the thought that they would feel comfortable enough to ask me to make them coffee. It made me only love them more and feel a greater loss at their going.

And besides, I of all people know the need of a coffee!!!

So for me, this is another good-bye that I knew had to come before we left. I guess the nice part for me is that these good-bye's are happening in stages, not all at once. All at once could just just have been too much. And for that I am thank-ful!

Resistance if Futile

this weekend is a Homeschooling conference. Last year was my first one and I loved it!~ For me it was the perfect combination of encouragement and information. Plus it is always extremely refreshing to realize, again, that I am not alone in this path. So, that is all fine and dandy. But there is one part of the conference that I am just not sure what to do about it.

It is the Curriculum Hall.

All these fabulous stores are set up so you can buy their stuff.

Just image a whole gymnasium full of wonderful books. Oh man, I have been pondering all week whether I should even go in. I mean, how can I go in and NOT buy something, anything. I really don't know if I can resist.

But really, that is so silly. I mean, just a few weeks ago I was on here posting about how I had to get rid of books, so why on earth would I go and buy new ones.

I fully realize it is not logical thinking, but I am not necessarily known for my 'logical thinking'.
(yes I can hear those chuckles out there).

So, here is my game plan. There are some resources that I will not be able to have shipped or buy in Hong Kong, so really....

truly...

it only makes sense that I would buy them now!!!

Right???!!!!

(only opinions that agree with me are allowed to be posted by the way hehe)

One life

My thoughts have been thinking on this for a few weeks.

One Life!~

Just one.

What does that mean to me.

How does that effect the choices I make?

I mean, it is pretty heavy when you think of this being it. These short 70 or 100 years we will be here for. What are the things that we can take with us after our last breath. What will I spend my breath here on? Will I use my years to pursue comforts for me and maybe a few people around me?

Or,

will I pour out my life. Will I spend my life on the things I can take with me?

This life is a gift, and I have to decide how I will use that gift. When my kids get a new toy, I am often giving them the talk 'think of how much more fun it will be if you share it with others rather than just hiding it away for yourself'.

I recently heard how someone described this life. They wrapped a rope around the inside of a large gymnasium, and colored the length of a piece of paper red, leaving the rest white. The part that is red is this life here and now, the rest is eternity. The challenge was of how we spend so much time thinking about that one short red part of our life. Yet in comparison to the rest of the rope, it is such a tiny part. I believe the rest of the rope is going to AMAZING!! There are so many wonderful things in the here and now for us. Me and the kids talk often how amazing it is going to be to live on the ocean, I have personally dreamt of living by the ocean for many years. I am so thank-ful for those blessings!

But, that is not it. Those blessings are not my fulfillment!



Eternity is the prize that I set before me. It is what will make all the good things I experienced here even better, and will make all the hard things I experienced here worth it.

But I believe it won't just make it 'worth it'. I am going to see those things in such a completely different light. Now I only see thru a glass dimly, but there, well, there I will see it as it is.

Won't that be amazing!

I can hardly wait.