A Bud in God's Garden

We have taken full advantage of the 'springy' weather we have had this week. I can understand why it has been said that spring puts love in the air. It seems that this weather has really brought me a peaceful feeling. The sunshine is out, the windy is blowing, my windows are open, and the kiddos are outside leaving my home quiet. Almost like walking on air at times, like being in love.

Recently we put our home on the market and decided to use this nice weather as a motivation to get our yard put back together after a horrible winter of ice storms. As I went though our front garden trying to remove leaves and plastic that I used to cover plants for protection, I came across something that really just stopped me in my tracks.

I noticed a small bud that had broken through the dirt and was hiding under the plastic. I was kind of amazed. We just got through tons of ice and snow and freezing temperatures not even normal to this area. Yet still, this little plant has pushed its way up through the ground.

It became so clear to me at that moment. Not only has God created such a beautiful means of growth on this earth, but we, as his followers, are so very similar to this plant. You see, the very first moment when you are introduced to the Lord a seed is planted in your heart. A seed cannot just grow on its own. A seed, like our heart, requires nurturing, substenance, and warmth in order to grow. Even when your heart has become cold, frozen even, like the ground in winter, God then nurtures and warms your spirit and you begin to bust through the ground ready to bloom and show your beauty. Showing God's beauty for all to see.

Isn't He amazing? Love is always in the air I breath, because the Lord breaths life into me. No matter how cold and desolate I may become, he will always revive me. He will always help me to break through.

Isaiah 55:10-11 reads "As the rain and snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it with out watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yield seeds for the sower and bread fro the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth; it will not return to me empty but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I was sent"

In other words, God's word is nourishment for his followers, just as water is to plants. By reading his word we are able to grow and produce good and beautiful things. We are also able to produce good in others by planting the same seeds in them that were once planted in our hearts.

Can you feel the love in the air? Are you taking the time the allow His word to nurture your heart and help you grow in his truth? If not, let me encourage you this week to dive into His word. Read some verses from a Psalm and let the words work in you through out the day. Allow him to grow in you so that you may bloom and be the bud who pushes up from a frozen ground only to show his magnificent beauty.

January "The Months"

January Cold Desolate- is the line for January

Even though we actually did this in January, I did not get it posted.

We are using a binder that includes 12 non-prong folders, one for each month.

We keep these resources pages in the front of the binder. One is the poem "The Months" in which the project is based" The 2nd is a pie chart with 12 sections. It shows the months and the different seasons.

This is the front of our January Folder. It has a collage of pictures of things we did through out the month as well as any holidays or birthdays for the month.



The inside of our folder includes a piece of paper where the kids have written the sentence for that month and the project for the month are in the pockets.

January project supplies needed:

*8X11 piece heavy construction paper or card stock

*Brown construction paper

*glue

*small sticks pulled off branches from outside

1.Cut out a tree truck from the brown construction paper, 4-5 inches in height.

2.Glue it to the align with the bottom of the paper

3.Glue on(or tape on) the branches so that they resemble a desolate tree.

I will get February's project on here very soon. I will also do an individual post that explains all the projects for the months in case you would like to work ahead.

Have a Fabulous February.

A Monsterous Month

What a lack of posting, huh? It has really been a crazy month. It started out with my husband going to work only to find out that his restaurant was shutting THAT day. With this economy I was scared to death for our family. He search here in Indy trying to find something that would pay enough to support our family. He could always find a cook position, which doesn't pay much, but he could not find a chef position. So, when his company offered for him to stay with them and relocate he jumped on it.

This triggered 3 weeks of unanswered questions, unknown locations, and dates that were not coming. However, they did pay him to sit at home through these events :)
First, they suggested Boca Raton, Florida. Who could turn down Florida? After this winter here, I was ready for some sand in between my toes. However, being that we have to sell our current home, they would have had to get him an apartment there and they didn't not want that expense. Florida was out the window.
Second, they thought that he could handle a problem at their restaurant in Paramus, New Jersey. Yeaaaa.... NO. This is a city whose average income was over $100,000. Like this country girl could ever fit in there. I was not excited about that. I just turned my focus to God and said "God, really New Jersey, Is there that many crazy people there you need me to reach? If that's the case I'll go"
About 2 days later they called with an offer for Minnesota. Now, I was not excited about the cold, but my husbands entire family was there. He was going to be working in the Mall of America. How cool is that!! Man, I am stressed, I'll just go ride a roller coaster on my break.
I was very excited for him. It was really a place he would love to work. Fancy, I guess. He is not a 'fancy' type, but he makes great fancy food.

So that was it. So, I thought. We know where we are going. Stress over. Not quite. Then I realized, we have to sell this house. So, this means painting, minimizing and packing, fixing, patching, touring...uuugghhh. Its hard to live in a home with kids and animals while it is on the market. I had to get motivated and get it done.

Before my husband left to go begin work he was able to finish the flooring that we should have done forever ago and get our bubble wall(hey the kids liked it) painted in our basement. So that only left me.... everything else. Ugghh again.
Now, I am mostly done. All of my packing and minimizing is done and most of the small projects are done. However, 3 big projects are left. They are things that HAVE to be done before the house sells. Because of ice storms, they have been pushed off. We have a week, actually 6 days to get these completed before the house goes on the market.

You know what, with all of this stress of this work, home schooling, continuing normal housework, and having an extra foster baby, who we believe is autistic, I can admit that I have sat and had a few good cries. Men will never understand that, but my women friends do. Its like all the stress pours out and your ready to go again. Sometimes, when I allow myself to cry, I do feel like the enemy is winning. He got to me. My focus turned off of God and on to my own pity party. That is where the lesson came in. Through the midst of all this, most of the time, I was able to keep focus on God. He was there. I was always able to open His word and find something that was meant just for me. Something that would encourage me, motivate me, and allow me to visually see Him there with me.

This stress is by far over. We have a home to sell, we have a move to make, we have to find a new home, a new church, new friends and new home school groups. BUT I know through it all I have a Father who will guide me. Who will lay the path out before me and who will help me to lift my feet to travel upon it. So, I say "Bring It On"!