May Days

The summer days have begun, with quiet time on the porch together.

With swimming at Grandma's.

With watering plants and spying pops of sumptuous color.

With greenhouse trips.

With sunshine that ministers to the soul.

With bare feet in grassy cushion.

With an out of state friend visiting and fitting right in with the Blossoms.

With little kids graduating, children that romped their childhoods with the Blossoms now growing into adulthood.

With garden green goodness on our table.

With wedding planning and pretty rural apartment hunting for Blossom1 and her fiance. (I think he needs a blog name on here!)

With Italy globe-trotting for Blossom2.

So many brights spots around here amidst hard things and everyday bumps and trials and summer work.

It's possible to celebrate great victories

and beautiful poignant motherhood moments

in the midst of pain and sorrow.

We lost my uncle unexpectedly last weekend.  

I cannot even process this tragic loss. His is a legacy of love, of children, of grand children, of quality time, and investing in family. He spent years simply showing up for family.  

Thinking about him propels me into times of reflection on what matters most in this little flash of a life on the radar of eternity.

Family.

Relationships.

Quality time.

Practically showing up.

Helping.

Loving.

I'm taking these musings with me through the pain and also the sunshine of these May days.

Dominique

For This Season

Mamas,

Are you weary? 

Are you unsure of your role in this season?

Are you longing for a different, easier season?

Where do we go when we feel these things?

"...Strength and joy are in His place."

I Chronicles 16:27

All we need is there,

in His presence,

yet we search and search elsewhere.

Chocolate is easier.

Doom-scrolling is easier.

Complaining is easier.

"...Let the heart of those who seek the Lord be glad.

Seek the Lord and His strength;

Seek His face continually."

I Chronicles 16:10-11

We tend to go anywhere but there, 

in His presence.

Where He is, 

where His strength is.

"Draw near to God and He will draw near to you..."

James 4:8

What a precious promise for those seasons we don't like,

those painful times,

those confusing times.

He's taking those steps toward us,

as we move closer in faith,

believing in the goodness of the Father's heart.

This is where we will find mercy and grace for this season of need.

Drawing near,

taking the steps closer to Him.

"Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, 

so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need."

Hebrews 4:16

Then, we can proclaim,

"The nearness of God is my good."

"But as for me, the nearness of God is my good;

I have made the Lord God my refuge,

That I may tell of all Your works."

Psalm 73:28

Dominique

Would you like to hear more? Check out this message entitled, "But God, I Don't Like This Season."

https://www.facebook.com/EchoHopeAssembly/videos/1698716537926374

Click to around 28:50 for the main message.

“Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. www.Lockman.org”

The Third and Fourth Rodeo

This ain't my first rodeo.

I think this is my third and fourth rodeo...

with dissection, that is.

One of these gals can be a little squeamish with blood, so I wasn't sure what to expect when it came to dissection.  I kept my tone business-like, with a sprinkling of my usual curious excitement.  She had no issues and she approached it in much the same way as I did.

Blossom3 and Blossom4 were excellent lab partners.  Watching their teamwork and communication blessed my mama heart.  

They were enthralled with each part they successfully identified.  I was especially excited when they thought to hunt down the microscope camera that Blossom4 received as a gift from her sister not long ago. It truly took their dissection experience to the next level!

(When I facilitate dissection again at our co-op, I hope to include a microscope camera in those lessons because we were able to learn so much more as a result.)

Dissection is surely another fabulous way to marvel over our Creator's intelligent designs!

Fitly Spoken

Sometimes you receive good and timely words and you need to write them down, 
so your heart can roll them around.

Enjoy the present.

Look forward to the future.

Keep praying hard.

Continue to cultivate togetherness.  

It will pay off.  

It is paying off.

Count your blessings 

amidst good, yet bittersweet and changing seasons.  

"A word fitly spoken

is like apples of gold in pictures of silver."

On Bravery and Emerging Coltsfoot

One of the earliest emerging wildflowers in Pennsylvania is Coltsfoot.  Over the last several weeks, I watched and waited for these little rays of sunshine to bravely soldier upward in the unpredictable weeks of our spring weather.

I've enjoyed watching for them while their spring bravery inspires me.  

As the Blossoms mature and grow, I have purposed in my heart that I will not be a coward.  

It is tempting to make every interaction positive.  After all, the older Blossoms are no longer at home or with me all day long.  There are far less daily interactions when you look at the amount of time we've spent together over their childhood years.

Will I just be the "best friend" mom?

Will I only say the fun and easy things?  

Will I exclusively speak of the comfortable topics?

Sometimes there is prompting in my heart for things that need to be said.  

The Holy Spirit prompts and I must obey.  

Will I take the easy route?

I have told the Blossoms, "You will hear the Truth from me.  You may not be able to count on anyone else around you to bravely speak Truth, but I will do it."

That's real love.

Be brave, mamas. Listen to His prompting and speak in love.  

The Holy Spirit will continue to use us in our children's lives.

Dominique