Spring

I think that no matter how old or infirm I may become, I will always plant a large garden in the spring. Who can resist the feelings of hope and joy that one gets from participating in nature's rebirth? ~Edward Giobbi

Is there ANYTHING better than knowing that spring is here? Maybe actively participating in it by planting seeds and watching them grow! Or having kids old enough to 'help' you plant seeds and be as excited as you are to watch them pop up through the ground. WHen Rodney saw the first seedlings pop up his eyes got huge, his grin was even bigger and he said "daddy can we show everybody?" Or to be able to use the opportunity as a chance to share with them the wonder of God's creation and that He is soo generous to allow us to participate with Him in helping things grow.

While talking to Kaity it became on object lesson for myself. IF I didn't plan a garden would the world be any less beautiful? Does God need me to plant HIs flowers for Him? Clearly no. BUT oh the joy that He allows me to be a tiny part even of His creative process.

Sometimes having the kids participate is a rough definition of the term 'help'. It would be easier to do it by myself at some point when they were out of the room. BUT it would hold less joy, less significance then doing the task together, watching them learn, seeing their joy at being part of the larger process.

I couldn't help but think that God must feel the same way most of the time about letting us participate in His master plan. Oh it would probably be soo much easier for Him to do it all while we were 'out of the room'. Much like my kids I find that I don't have patience for doing EVERY part of His plan, I want to skip to the fun part, I get distracted half way through by something shiny, I take my eyes off the goal .

Sometimes I just want to play in the dirt.

I am grateful that His patience is greater than my own. I am grateful for the promise of spring!

Spring makes its own statement, so loud and clear that the gardener seems to be only one of the instruments, not the composer. ~Geoffrey B. Charlesworth

Quote of the day

"Daddy there's snow all over your blow snower" _ Rodney

No winter lasts forever; no spring skips its turn. ~Hal Borland

in honor of Valentines Day...

"The truth about love, I think, is that it is indeed a profound comfort, but it is also a monumental challenge. Love immediately challenges me to break the fixation I have with myself." - John Powell

*ouch*

I run. I don't know if I would say "I'm a runner". I'm slow, I don't race. I run. It relieves my stress, works out the kinks. It is what makes the world make sense. Sometimes when I am running I think things through. Sometimes when I am running outside rather than on a treadmill in a crowded gym I will actually talk things through out loud. Most of the time I don't. I focus on each footstep, I listen to my breathing. I listen to big hair 80's rock and roll. Doesn't matter, the effect is the same. At the end of a good run I feel like superwoman, and I'm relaxed and ready to take on the world.

About four weeks ago I hurt myself. Kind of a stupid rookie mistake. I did a hard sprint workout on a Wednesday followed by an 8 mile run on a Thurs. My legs were sore after the sprint workout. That is to be expected. My legs were KILLING me after the 8 miler, again not entirely unexpected. WHat was unexpected was that the pain wouldn't go away. I was sure that a couple of days off running would help. Any other pain that my running has caused in the last 10 years has gone away with a couple of days cross training. This didn't.

Three weeks of not running later, I was at my wits end and decided to see a doctor. Turns out I have shin splints...or strained a muscle...or something. Who cares? Looks I am looking at at least another couple of weeks of not running. I know those of you who don't run are thinking; "whats the big deal? do something else for exercise". Those of you who do run....thank you for understanding.

You have probably heard the quote "Pain is inevitable, suffering is optional". I have felt pain before. Now I am suffering.

Out of the mouth of babes.....

Sitting in church service last night we started singing "Mighty to Save" by Hillsong. Kaity who was sitting in church with me full of enthusiasm broke into singing during the chorus: "Savior He can move the mountains, MY God is mighty to save He is mighty to save........"

Yes He is Kaity, yes He is. <

Experience

"Experience is a brutal teacher, but you learn. My God do you learn.

-C. S. Lewis

Happy New Years

New Years. Frankly, I tend to find it pretty depressing. A friend of mine put it fairly well when she said "it's like a birthday but without presents". It's just a stark reminder that another year of your life is now behind you. Forces you to reflect back. If it was a good year, you are sad to see it go, if it was a bad year...you're just sad. Plus, at least when I "celebrate" a birthday it's in May so around the corner is June...summer....fun in the sun...etc. When I "celebrate" the New Years all I have to look forward to is January and February. yuck.

2009 was not a banner year. New President, new policies, new economy, new worries, new struggles ....and as always marching constantly closer to my inevitable mid-life crisis. Here is hoping 2010 shapes up a little better.

FOr the most part I don't 'do' resolutions. Why 'resolve' to do something? Way to start the new year by setting yourself up for failure. I figure either do something or don't. I confess I am approaching this year a little differently. I think partly because last year was not a great year, I am ready to put it in the history books. If I want 2010 to be better I think that I am going to take a more pro-active approach. Rather than assuming that life is going to happen to more, I am going to work to get what I want out of this year. Do you suppose that if I am more disciplined I will find life less overwhelming and out of my control? Perhaps if I make time to have a quiet time I will wonder less why my relationship with God seems to be stagnating. Hmmm....time will tell.

One of my resolutions is to blog more. Shouldn't be hard to succeed there since I think I blogged roughly 6 times last year. But my kids are growing up soo fast (*sniffles*) and more of that has to be documented and reflected on before it slips away. So ....for starters....here is the birdhouse that my gorgeous goose made with her father this long Holiday weekend. Do you think she had a good time? :-) I will have to upload more pics later because it's not really done...it's going to be pink.