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

Reset: Do the Thing

Last Saturday, we had the opportunity to run up to the cabin to fish for the day.  

I was so conflicted because Saturday is homestead work day and my much-needed catch-up day.  It seems I'm always behind in some way these days.

It's a struggle between making the memories and keeping a semblance of order.  The Rugged Mountain Man and several family members encouraged me to go, fully understanding my dilemma.

My brother and sister-in-law say it this way,

"Do the thing."

The thing you'll wish you'd done in ten years. 

Do the thing.

Hike the moutain.

Soak up the sunshine.

Take the drive.

Go fishing.

Revel in the time with your Blossoms.  

There is merit to maintaining order in your home and homestead, but for a task-oriented person like me, I truly needed the reminder to go, to rest.

So, we trekked to one of my most favorite places in the world, and embraced the slower, unplugged pace.  

We breathed deeply, 

fished hard, 

laughed together, 

and refreshed our minds in the woods.

It was 100% worth it, but for every person who struggles with this, the work was still waiting for me.  I did still feel behind when I returned and truthfully, I didn't meet all those tasks with grace and patience.  I eventually marshalled the Blossoms to pitch in and get a handle on a few things.  Most things these days are an ongoing process, rather than a task that stays completed.  

The Lord is working on my heart and attitude, and maybe the time out in the sunshine, resting my mind was the reset point for more good things that He's doing in me ~

Right now, in the trenches.

In the busy times.

In this high demand season.

I want God to form my character in the good and easy times, 

but truly, He does more to shape me in the busiest times.

Dominique