evidence of...

evidence of children

and their imagination

Today I was privileged to :
fix 16 plates of food for little people
organize many books
read scripture verses written with little hands with many letters backwards or out of order
hear God speak through a friend’s words of truth
pray for friends and family of friends
see the sun and the kids playing in it
hug my husband after a long day at work
watch my children show their love to each other

In the preparation of Robert’s arrival home, I tried to pick up those last few things so that the floor was not cluttered and counters were seen. I want him to feel loved and relaxed when he walks in the door and not feel like he is entering a school classroom or daycare facility. I mean those items in our home that reflect those places have their place, we do school kids here and they do spend a lot of time in our home, but I want him to feel a sense of home and peace.

I have also come to fully embrace that I am not a cleaner by nature. I do not love to clean. I do not clean to de-stress. I do not wake excited about a cleaning day ahead of me. Like a friend recently described herself, “Good enough for government work” describes me too in the field of cleaning. Some days, “good enough” is a little better than what you get here, and others I exceed that “good enough” label.

evidence of joy

Today as I bent down to pick up colored pencils for, oh maybe the 15th time, I reminded myself that little hands took them out to create – not to clutter or mess. Little hands held them and colored or drew a picture. Or maybe they took them out to write a love letter to their sibling.

We started that today.

Love letters.

evidence of love...

I found some cigar boxes I received from my mother-in-law last summer. Not sure what I would do with them, I knew I would find a use, and today was that day. We have one for each child and they are busy filling them with reminders of love. So yes, I will pick up the pencils and stick them in their holder one more time because I know what they did today.
We grabbed the sun today too! I insisted they get out and get some vitamin D – since after today we may not see the sun for a few days. So out they went with nature journals – not sure what they are journaling, but they are. So sweet to see school turn into life and not just at the table, but on the floor, in the yard, or on their beds. I love to see them take the learning beyond the hours we school together.

I am reading Ted Dekker’s Black again. I love his books, but this series is my favorite. The story depicts 2 worlds, one like ours today, and one that takes place in the future where evil and good are visible. Not like here, you cannot see things for what they really are. So when we face a challenge today instead of seeing the spiritual battle that takes place, often times we get upset at a person or situation that is causing us discomfort. But I am trying to see the spiritual battles more clearly. I think when we really look at things with a spiritual battle lens it allows us to respond in a more Godly way. I can see how God is tempering my attitude through my dependence on him. I am slower to anger, more patient with my kids, and thinking more about Him. Still so far from perfect or even from where God wants me. But I can see him working on me, my actions, my heart and my thoughts. It is a good place to be when you feel God working, but you see Satan attacking. I figure something is going right!