sun shining

What a few weeks.  It amazes me when the fog starts to clear out after it has been hanging around so long you did not know the sun could still shine!

Ahhh.

Today was a sunny day in our home.  By choice I realize, although I do not want to admit that I need to choose that more often, or it will not be here. 

The parenting journey lately has been a bit treacherous, lots of moving backward instead of forward.  And that is no fun for this mom.

Today though, I decided that I needed to change my heart.  So we played.  We worked too.  A little work here, some playing there, a bit more work, some more playing, and so on.

So often, I fail to realize that my kids are great.  Last night Robert went out to help set up some booth for Guardian for a Corsicana Festival (or something).  And here I am thinking my kids are terrible.  So lost.  So confused.  {Throwing the cat in the pond will do that to you.}

He came home sharing that those parents, he was with, were dealing with 13 year olds sneaking out, smoking pot, using awful language, and so on.  I realized that my imperfect children were pretty darn good.  Now, don’t get me wrong.  God will not judge between my children and those others – there is no comparison on judgment day.  We do not get to say, “But really Lord, I was so much better than ______.”  It will come down to, how much like Jesus were you?

And as I sit and “judge” my kids, or expect the world of them, I realize that I am not acting like Jesus right now.  I am not forgiving.  I am not offering the grace I am offered over and over.  I am not chasing after their hearts nearly enough. 

So today, we played. {I chased hearts}

I introduced the big boys to Settlers Of Canaan – our all time FAVORITE game (thanks to the Dawson family in 2002? in Killeen).  It was so fun to teach them about the game.  It was just fun to play. 

Then a box arrived from my mom for my youngest boy’s recent birthday!  and oh, my!  They bought him the game ColorKu from Mindware! 

 

I love that catalog!  I would take one of EVERYTHING!!  We have played the ColorKu game 3 times I think.  E can just about do it by himself.  It is Suduko with colored marbles.  It is amazing!  I love it, because he can do it if I am tied up working with the boys, even during school!  I just love it.  There are 100 puzzle cards to help you set up the board 100 different ways, and then there are answers to check your solution.  I cannot recommend this game enough – great for critical thinking & problem solving.  I love that stuff!

Then, we finished Kung Fu Panda (started it last night before they got into trouble again).  Some supper and now it is reading in bed time.

So, I am hoping to try to get up each morning knowing they will mess up, they are not perfect, but that what matters more than getting it all right is loving them, chasing their little hearts – and guiding them back to good choices.

I just hope the cat does not get another swimming lesson anytime soon – and I know she feels the same way!!

So, after being in a gloomy place for a while, and finally seeing the sun today, I wanted to share this poem (again) – I was thinking about it many times today, so relevant.

The Rainy Day

Henry Longfellow
Written at the old home in Portland

The day is cold, and dark, and dreary;
It rains,and the wind is never weary;
The vine still clings to the mouldering wall,
But at every gust the dead leaves fall,
And the day is dark and dreary.

My life is cold, and dark, and dreary;
It rains,and the wind is never weary;
My thoughts still cling to the mouldering past,
But the hopes of youth fall thick in the blast,
And the days are dark and dreary.

Be still, sad heart, and cease repining;
Behind the clouds is the sun still shining;
Thy fate is the common fate of all,
Into each life some rain must fall,
Some days must be dark and dreary.

 

The sun is always there, we may not see it, but it is there.  Behind the clouds, waiting to come out and shine on us.  God is always there, even when we do not feel him, even when we cannot see him (because, honestly we are not looking), He is still there.  Waiting for us to look to him to take the burden we once again tried to carry on our own.  He is a great God.  I am blessed to be called HIS.

{#0819 ~ #0828 of my 1000 gifts of thanks}

#819 – tea in the morning with The Word

#820 – new bedding for the chickens & more eggs!

#821 – playing Settlers

#822 – playing ColorKu

#823 – smiling & laughing

#824 – feeling the frost on my heart melt info joy

#825 – planning two days away with a growing boy

#826 – having a plan for the bookfair, no longer overwhelmed by choices

#827 – clean kids in bed & reading

#828 – the sun shining