Little Grace

My little Grace turned... 16??

My little Grace?  You mean... my talented, accomplished, brown-eyed beauty little Grace?

Happy Birthday precious sister!!

Emma and Johanna

(photos by brother James)


POST SCRIPT:  And yes, we will be scheduling your birthday photo shoot soon, Grace! :)

Knowing

The scent of warmth greeted my weary senses when I entered my room last night. The clock said 12:41, and after a cramped 8 hours in a car surrounded by pouring rain, the sweet touch of home pulled hard at the tension twisted through my frame.

I put away my things, and curled up under my blankets, my head against a pillow that had afforded me little rest on the trip, now embracing my sleepy brain.

Mom let us sleep in this morning, sleep so blessed, so comforting, that when I rose my mind was at rest. I was ready to begin again, to court the duties of the day with determined strength. But it did not last long. Those duties began to rush in.  Math, so much Math, thoughts of the coming weekend and all I must do to prepare, of the coming weeks, even the coming months, and all the things for which completion seems impossible.

I feel as if I am in the car again, caught in a never ending waiting, waiting for all these burdens to fall, waiting to be done with them, so that I may move on.

But there is no peace in waiting, in waiting to reach a goal, in waiting to see my visions realized, in waiting for my own Mr. Knightley to bless me with his presence, in waiting for God to clear my head of my own weaknesses and fear.

There is no peace here. None.

So I must stop waiting, stop waiting and start doing. I must press forward, move my feet toward the light, no matter how far away it seems.

And if I need stop, to be still, I will not be waiting, I will be knowing. Knowing that I am safe in His presence, knowing that no matter the future that nudges my present, nor the past that has shaped where I am now, I am wrapped in the blessedness of the moment. I am bound in a warmth I cannot express, and my heart can be at peace.


From the bottom of my heart,

Emma

Note:  I wrote these thoughts after a long trip home from Arkansas the weekend before last.  Looking back, now, at the wisdom the Lord gave me, I am blessed again by the love no mortal man can describe.

Seven

Yep, our little Matt turned seven years old yesterday.  We surprised him with a chocolate cake and strawberries last night even though his "real" birthday party (which he double-checked before eating his piece of cake) isn't until Friday.  

I don't think the reality hit him until today when he put on his hat, ready to help in the garden, and exclaimed, "Jo!!  I'm the only one who is seven in this family!"

Evidently, that is a very exciting fact. :)

{when you're in a family of seven}

He's a special boy. 

a Recital

On April 10, 2011

A Rambellwood Recital

3 o' clock in the afternoon

{Refreshments to follow}


This Sunday there will be a gathering.  We will come together in our small parlor and listen to music, watch small instruments held by small fingers, and hear small voices thrill our hearts.  Then, too, there will be songs by the adults, all of us, together, sharing music.

Do you have anything special planned this spring?  Share it with us!

Late Is The Hour

It is late, very late.  Late, because, on a Sunday evening, one finds an early bedtime crucial in one's preparation for Monday.  Late, because, after such a long week, one must rest, and rest well.

But, this particular Sunday night, I have a particular reason for staying up.  I discovered, in reading Everly Pleasant's blog, Clickety Clack, something that peaked my interest, a conference for Christian women who write, or speak, and minister.  A conference called She Speaks.  They are offering three scholarships, and I am barely in time for the second.

The challenge?  To write a story in six words.

The example?  Ernest Hemingway's, "FOR SALE. BABY SHOES. NEVER WORN".

Intimidating, right?  But a challenge to my writer's soul.  So, I laid down my book, closed shut my eyes, and raised my prayers for wisdom, for words to speak His heart, for truth that was His.

Here is what, with all my heart, I put on paper.

CANCER.  Terror.  Miracle beyond believing.  JESUS.

There.... a story, simple, true, and brimming with all the joy I can muster.

-Emma

the Kitchen

... is where the fun happens!

Mmmhmm... :)

Signs of Spring

Gerber daises and oranges

Sunshiny outdoor activities

Fresh Peach Pie made from last fall's canned peaches

Yellow umbrellas :)

"All signs of spring", I thought, smiling behind my camera.

Is it really here to stay, do you think?