Daydreams

I love to daydream. So often I'll find myself off little paths in my mind. Places where whatever you can imagine can become a reality, even if only for a moment. Places where I feel warmth on my skin, soft grass under my feet, sunshine shimmering in my daughters' hair and eyes. Justin and I laying down, looking up at stars, hand in hand, side by side. Down that path is my little patch of land. A home with a wide front porch and door that is always open. A kitchen full of smells, tastes and memories. A huge oak tree that's very presence reminds you of the history lived underneath it's shady branches. A barn with horses for the girls and I to ride. I dream of sunrises and sunsets and summer rainstorms. Of mountain lakes and moonbeams that fill the night sky. Down that little path in my mind, my spirits are lifted and outlook brightened. Because no matter where I really am, my imagination can lead me to just where I want to be.

Little Green Thoughts

For those of you who have wanted to do a garden but have hesitated, let me recommend Square Foot Gardening. You do NOT need a lot of space or good existing soil. Which is nice, because I'm not doing so good in either of those departments! I put a garden off for so long because my yard is so small and on a slant. But, I implemented the SFG techniques and my little plants are already happily growing and it's been less than a week! It works well for apartment patios, small spaces, heck you can even do an elevated box if you are worried about keeping the animals out! You are able to grow a wide variety of stuff in a small space. And the author Mel Bartholomew gives tips on how to garden on the cheap! The lumber for my box was about $10 which my friendly Lowe's associate happily cut to size for me, free of charge. My friend Melysa gave me some of her special 'Mel's Mix' dirt, but I ran out and so I bought some of a similar formula that my friend Laura recommended. It's found at Lowe's and I have been fabulously impressed with it.Even better, some of the bags of the Jungle Growth soil I needed were damaged. If you talk to an associate, they will give you damaged bags for 50% off. So my soil also ended up running me about $12. Not to shabby, eh?! So if you've thought about a garden, check out the Square Foot Gardening website or go to your local library and check out the book! I give it two Green Thumbs (in the making) up!

Little Garden

After years of talking about how I wanted to plant a garden, I finally brought my own little dirt patch to fruition! I must say, it took some encouragement from my friends, but it's finally real! In the past, I have been known to be a killer of plants. Unintentionally, of course. So with that in mind, I always shyed away from committing myself to the mass destruction of plant-life by trying a garden. But this time I am determined to nurture my little dirt patch along! So send some green thumb wishes my way and let's hope in a couple of months I'll be happily munching on the fruits of my labor!

Sunday Series: Prayer

I am so grateful for the knowledge, that I have a Father in Heaven who loves me. Who sincerely cares and is concerned for my welfare. How do I know this? Through the power of prayer. I will never forget the day when I truly came to a knowledge of that for myself. It was August 4th, 1995. I had had faith my whole life that God was real. But I wanted to know if He was aware of me, specifically, as an individual. So three days before my fifteenth birthday, I knelt down in my bedroom and in humble prayer and asked the Lord if He heard me. Within moments I received my answer. I was so overcome with love and with peace, I could hardly contain it. I wrote in my journal in red ink what I had experienced. It said "I KNOW SOMEONE IS LISTENING WHEN I PRAY. GOD LET ME KNOW HE IS LISTENING AND HE LOVES ME. IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL FEELING. I LOVE HIM DEARLY." Simple words, but also true words. There were not fireworks or the voice of God himself speaking to me. But rather the most affirming feeling of love and warmth I had ever experienced in my life. It started right in the middle of my chest and spread through out my whole body like a light in the darkness. My knowledge of God's love for me is truth that I will never deny. And it began with a humble prayer. Mighty changes can be brought about in one's life by falling to your knees and seeking the Lord in prayer. He is there, waiting. There is not a single person on this Earth whom He doesn't want to comfort and lift up. Whom He doesn't want to help guide and direct. Through the power of prayer we have access to a greater source of strength than we can ever imagine. Call on it. If you too have found yourself wondering if God is aware of you, find a quiet moment and with sincere faith ask Him. I know that the same warmth and love I felt fourteen years ago will enter into your heart as well. And you will know that you are His child, of whom He could never forget.

Simple Happiness

Simple happiness is...

instead of thinking about exercising, actually getting to exercise... watching Brynna's Preschool program and realizing she & I are one and the same, born 25 years apart... Maryn's happy, toothless grin... Lauryn being big enough to swing at the park and loving every minute of it... warm weather, white clouds, blue skies, and the occasional rescuing breeze... flip flops... strawberries fresh from the farmer's market... smelling fresh rosemary from a friend's garden... being welcomed with a liplock... watching Justin get weak watching 'Anchorman' clips... a clean kitchen... baby belly laughs... dance parties after dinner... swaying hips and bobbing heads while listening to my favorites and hulling strawberries... daydreaming...

eating something sweet... laughing with a friend... clean kids... the day winding down. Today was overflowing with my simple happinesses.

What are some of yours?

Sunday Series: Helping Hands

Yesterday Maryn, Brynna and I had the opportunity to go and participate in a Service Project coordinated by our Church throughout the entire Southeast. In different communities throughout the South, the goal was to get 30,000 volunteers out to perform service for our towns, communities and for people of other faiths. When the girls woke up and I told them what we were going to do, they felt grouchy about it and didn't want to go. But we got dressed and headed out the door anyways. We met up at our chapel with others before we split up to the different locations where the service projects were being held. Maryn and Brynna saw the other children that had come with their families to help in the work too. This helped them shed the grumpies and start to get excited. We headed to one of the locations in downtown Woodstock to help in the clean-up effort on Main Street. The girls and I signed in and donned our bright orange, reflective vests and went about collecting trash from the streets and gutters. The Square was teeming with members of our church, planting flowers, painting, and picking up trash. It felt so good to be working with like-minded people for the benefit of others. By the time we left the girls agreed that they had indeed had a good time.

I was thankful for the opportunity to show them that when we help others our happiness improves. I am grateful for Jesus Christ, who set the ultimate example of a life spent doing dedicated service. I know as we try to follow His example and take into our hearts the words He said in John 13:35, which are, "By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another." we will find not only the lives of those whom we willingly serve blessed, but we will find our own lives and families are blessed as well.

Brynna's New 'Do

I came home from work today and was looking at Brynna. Her hair was looking kind of long, straggly and in her face. I decided then and there that it was time to return to the little bob she has sported in the past. It just frames her cute face so well and makes those beautiful, blue eyes of hers just jump out at you. So I grabbed the scissors and started watching her long, blonde locks fall to the floor. When we were done she looked in the mirror and said "Ooh, I look so stylish!" Nothing makes a girl feel better than a good ol' haircut!