Take today and breathe in His very presence in the moment

So my six children are all in school. Yes, that's right, Julia is having fun packing six lunches each morning. Joshua goes to kindergarten, which is three days a week for three weeks. Currently I am doing some homeschooling in the forenoon, then by noon they are all gone — that equals an empty house. In a way it could be sad. On the other hand, I feel so much joy as I see them growing up. As my mother released me to grow up and become my own person, so I want to do for all our little ones growing big.

So that means no more babies, no more toddlers around the house. Ages 5—14 keeps things interesting. They are all old enough to hold their own opinions and share ideas. They are able to team up together and make a difference where they go, or bicker and also make a difference where they go! On that first morning as they all bundled up to go, it hit me that our children make up a third of the school children in our little country school. Now that is sobering. It made an impression on all of us that it is important to note what we think and what we do. As a mother, as much as I love them and would not want to do without any of them, I admit I have struggled with times of feeling overwhelmed in providing for them all. But as we heard on Sunday, we do have the privilege of living an abundant life.

If I am not living an abundant life, I am most likely so taken with things that weigh me down that I have not yet shared it with another and allowed them to speak into my life and together go to Jesus. Yes, I have my times I wonder if I can go on. Then recently I shared with a few others how there seems to be a thousand things I idealize in family life, but am only able to reach a handful of those goals. The advice was simple and practical: make a list of at least some of those things, then prioritize what you will focus on first. The rest of those nine hundred, ninety-some will wait til the time is right, and they will not be there to taunt you. As I went to make the list, there was a sense of relief; I could now see it, and it would be waiting there for me til tomorrow, next summer, next year, or whenever the time would be right to tackle the next goal.

Well, okay, my tablet didn't reach a thousand, but the list keeps growing. Without really thinking about it, I sense myself veering more toward some of those goals, now that I wrote them out. While the children love the feeling of accomplishing a goal or joining in on a family project of helping others or simply practicing polite manners, they also get tired of it at times — like this morning when I was asked, "Mom, why are you so hard on me?!" Before the youngster left for his walk to school, I asked if that was the case or if I was just waiting til he was ready to comply with what he was told to do. With a grin he admitted the latter. I think of God. I twist and tug and pull and wonder why He is so hard on me. Is that the case, or is He simply patiently allowing what is best for now?

From the cabin window where I'm relishing the quiet, I watch the four horses graze in the meadow, a few birds soar above the pond. I glance over the chestnut grove where I look forward to work in once warm weather is here. So much is so perfect, but then I think of this summer and wonder how well I will be able to manage the house and the children seven days a week. I have a choice to make. What will it be? Will I twist God's arm and tell Him I don't have the capability, or will I take today and breathe in His very presence in the moment?

A cardinal sings outside the window. It draws my mind to the One who created me in the first place. Yes, I'll take today and trust grace to be there for the morrow. As His Word promised, we will not be given more than He gives grace to walk through. Let's embrace the journey, for this too, we have Jesus!

The children and I plan to make Dad's favorite ice cream pie next week. Enjoy some for yourself!

ICE CREAM PIE

2 cups Rice Krispies

1 tablespoon melted butter

1/ 2 cup marshmallow crème

2-3 cups vanilla ice cream

1 1/2 cup fruit glaze or pie filling of your choice

Melt butter in marshmallow crème. Add Rice Krispies and mix together. Pat into a 8” pie pan, covering the bottom and sides. Next put 4 cups of vanilla ice cream in the crust and freeze. Top with fruit glaze or pie filling before serving.