A Leisurely Trip to the Farm

I decided to take the kids out to a local farm last Friday to buy produce. I have pretty much been staying at home as it is so hard to get out the door with four little ones--the youngest being only weeks old. However, I needed to get out and breathe some fresh air.

Generally, I hurry. I hurry to get breakfast done, then the dishes. I hurry to do chores, I hurry the kids. I race against no one but myself. But that morning, I thought, "If we do nothing else today, it's fine. And if it takes all day to get there and back, that's okay too. We are going to enjoy our day". Why don't I go about my day like this more often? It was lingering and wonderful!

Yes, it took two hours to get everyone ready. And yes, Ralphie needed to nurse on the way to the farm so we pulled over and listened to a book on cd. We went about our morning leisurely....soaking up each and every moment.

We picked out peaches, cherries and red potatoes fresh from the farm. As we headed toward the corn, Super-boy remarked, "This is the moment I've been waiting for!". I had no idea how exciting our trip to the farm market was for the kids.

The kids helped me shuck the corn with pure joy. As I peeled back the layers of husk to reveal the corn, I leaned down to Dynamite and whispered, "Surprise!". Super-boy looked at me and said, "Mom, he's a little too big for you to talk to him like that". I don't think we're ever to old to be talked to like that. And that is exactly what I felt in my heart as I chased joy with my kids. Surprise! Joy in the ordinary...

Often, finding joy is not effortless. It is a hunt for goodness, a force of the will to slow down and rest long.

G.K. Chesterton: "The way to love anything is to realize that it might be lost."

I want to love the gift of life...each and every day. To let the knowledge that tomorrow is not guaranteed seep in and fill me with gratitude for the now.

My list of thanks continues:
Sweet hand on my arm at church~Celebrating life!~Four healthy kids~Ensalada Caprese~Friends who call on the phone~A trip to the grocery store with my family~Sweet smelling basil filling up my house~Dear friend holding baby boy~Sleeping children~Zucchini and cucumbers from the garden~Smell of candle burning...

Places I hide...

I've been pondering the ways I hide from living...truly living. Living in abundance, chasing joy. I get overwhelmed with the day-to-day--the bickering, the lunch-making, the laundry...all of these things grow tiresome and mundane. Ordinary. And I hide...
I hide behind the computer.
I hide behind sleep.
I hide on the telephone.
I hide behind food.
I hide in the quiet of my own head.
I hide behind anger.
I hide behind distrust in good.

When I try to escape from what I'm truly called to, it's never a pretty picture. But it's hard to be fully present. It's hard to accept that my kids are arguing again and I am called to calmly get down on my knees and teach them love and patience.
These vices do not help me to grow. They don't help those around me to grow. And in fact, they relinquish the God-given control I have as a mother and wife.
So right now, that's what I'm working on...being fully present. Engaging. Listening. Trusting that love and gratitude is so much more powerful than the things I hide behind.
What do you hide behind? Any suggestions on being more present, living life abundantly? Being a joy-chaser?
Thanks for reading, friends.

Things I'm thankful for:
A cool summer night~Writing letters~Pretty stamps~Cool breeze~Opening windows~Feeling good enough to walk to the park~A purple flower in a field of weeds~Husband smiling in the morning~Neighbor walking dog~Sunshine through my window...

When I stop giving thanks, the snake slithers in and flicks his tongue at me. He whispers lies and I believe them. I hear negativity and sadness. But when I choose to see beauty, to be thankful, I am filled with joy. How can that be? Something so simple, but such a difference.

My gratitude continues to grow...
A listening ear~beautiful hibiscus with deep red center~little girl imagination~determination~music~friends who "get it"~husband who helps me around the house~getting to sleep in...

Nine More...

65. Ralphie's head of thick, black hair
66. Shucking corn
67. Forgiveness asked for and received
68. Laughter thanks to Samm and Krystal's blog
69. My Father in Law patting my dad on the back and the two of them laughing like old friends
70. Baby coos
71. Brothers hugging
72. Church with my family
73. Grilling on a Sunday
74. My boys asleep snuggled close

A Day for Dynamite

Today we had a get-together for Dynamite's third birthday. And it rained--hard. I felt like Richard Dreyfus in "What About Bob" as he's staring out the window at the torrential downpour saying, "I think it's going to let up".
We had a wonderful day, regardless. The kids were filled with delight that they were allowed to play in the rain. They were absolutely joyful which made my heart swell.

And so the list continues...

49. Pancakes
50. Breathing slowly
51. A quiet house
52. A mom who cares
53. Helping hands
54. Messages on my answering machine that make me smile
55. Time to shower
56. Dad and his lovely wife who surprise me
57. Children squealing with delight
58. Little feet jumping in puddles
59. Reminiscing
60. Back rub from birthday boy
61. Sister carrying her brother
62. Summer rain
63. Four brothers riding bikes down the street
64. Kids playing happily in the rain

Tonight, my heart is full.

Just a quickie

39. Little boy voice singing Snoopy and the Red Baron.
40. Kids laughing.
41. The cloud lifting.
42. Neighbors coming to visit.
43. An afternoon nap.
44. The way my daughter walks with her head held high, full of confidence.
45. Sitting outside reading a book while the kids draw with sidewalk chalk.
46. Neighbors who buy popsicles for my kids just because they're good people.
47. Kids doing cheers with popsicles.
48. Time for bed.

Does the check-out girl really have to take time to scratch herself?

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things. Philippians 4:8

I went to the store today to do "big grocery shopping" for the first time since Ralphie was born. I could barely fit everything in to the cart! I said to dh, "Remember when we lived in the apartment and we'd buy a half gallon of milk and it would go bad?". Yeah, those days are long gone.
I knew I had about two and a half hours to get to the store, do my shopping and get home before Ralphie needed to be fed again. (Thankfully, my mother-in-law had the other three!). I was speeding through the store like those people you see who are told they just won a shopping spree for whatever they can fit in their cart in five minutes (I know that's an excessively long sentence).
As I got to the checkout, Ralphie opened his eyes and I thought, "Dear God, we've got to move fast". The lady at the checkout was moving slowly and as I watched her slowly scan, then stop to scratch her nose, I caught myself thinking, "Don't scratch, just keep bagging, sister!!".
And then my gratitude list came to mind...
Ahhhh, it is so easy to express gratitude when things are going my way. I very mechanically forced myself to think about her and what her day must be like. I forced myself to thank God that she was probably moving as fast...as...she...probably...could. Yes, mechanical and forced, it is true. But my hope is that the more I do it, the more it will shape me in to more of the person I desire to be. I'm a mutterer, a griper, a wish-I-wasn't-doing-this-right-now-er.
Thanks for going with me on this journey to delighting in all of the wonderful things that are there for the taking--we just need to open our eyes to them!

25. Stationary from Target.
26. Food in the fridge.
27. Lady at the deli who is on her feet all day long.
28. The voice inside that says, "You better go see what they're doing".
29. Sleeping baby at grocery store.
30. Help with the kids.
31. Sweet baby boy asleep in his swing.
32. The ability to take care of my family.
33. Clean folded laundry in drawers.
34. Empty sink.
35. Honesty in others--truth about shortcomings. I, too, am so very human.
36. The beginnings of potty training.
37. Answered prayer.
38. Building train sets.