Lazy Sunday

Today is a nice, lazy Sunday. I am loving the restful, easy feeling. The weather is hinting that fall is on the way. It is in the low 70's. It is sunny with a nice breeze!

Robin preached today, filling in for an area pastor. This is a church my dad pastored before he died of cancer. It was nice to see everyone and my mom was with us so it was a reunion of sorts for her. Robin's cousins were there and we don't see them and their families much so this was an extra treat. Robin preached from 1 Tim. 1:12-17 encouraging us that "God is in the business of changing people." Oh, aren't you glad? I shudder to think of the kind of person I would be if God had not intervened in my life with His saving grace and power to change me! Hallelujah!

After church we had a quick lunch and then took the children out for an ice cream (yum!). Then we came home to rest and relax. I have been knitting, Robin has been reading (though he is mixing work with pleasure with some testing that must be done for work). A pot roast is in the oven. After supper I plan to snuggle in with a good book and maybe some more knitting. Even the kids seem extra calm and quiet.

Here are a couple of "exciting sites" from my yard (well, exciting to me... ;) )


I love tuberous impatiens and tuberous begonias. I think this is the impatien variety. I have them on my front steps.


These plums tomatoes will soon be ready for the table! I can't wait! We have lettuce, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes and plum tomatoes, plus rhubarb and various spices growing. Next year I would like to do a bit more in volume. I like the idea of having a "salad garden." :)

I hope all those reading are having a restful Sunday!

Ready to "Do Good"

"Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." Galatians 6:9

This is the verse that has taken up constant residence in my mind as I pray and prepare for our 2007/2008 homeschool year. I have been no more excited than the children to start. But as I have prayed and cried out to God to fill me with enthusiasm to do His will, this is the verse that has continually come to mind.

Doing the will of God does not always "feel" like what we would like to do. It is a mistake to go solely by our feelings when determining His will. It won't always "feel" good. But we are blessed when we do His will and then the good feelings many times follow. Obedience first, let the feelings take care of themselves. Christ is our example. Going to the cross did not *feel* good. We see plainly in the Garden of Gethsemane that going to the cross did not sound like fun to Jesus. Are we not told to take up our cross? Is it suppose to "feel" good?

So, I am readying myself to do the will of my Father. I am finding my feelings slowly following. But I know it will be a challenging year full of lots of hard work. But that is okay. As I look down at my hands and feet I see no scars. His burden is easy. Reminds me of an Amy Carmichael poem:

No Scar?

Hast thou no scar?

No hidden scar on foot, or side, or hand?

I hear thee sung as mighty in the land,

I hear them hail thy bright ascendant star,

Hast thou no wound?

Yet I was wounded by the archers, spent,

Leaned Me against a tree to die; and rent

By ravening beasts that compassed Me, I swooned:

Hast thou no wound?

No wound? No scar?

Yet, as the Master shall the servant be,

And pierced are the feet that follow Me;

But thine are whole: can he have followed far

Who has nor wound nor scar?

Kettle Cove in Cape Elizabeth

Well, it sure has been some time since I have written here in my blog. We have been savoring every moment of summer and it makes for a lot less time on the computer.

This past weekend we visited a new spot. We met friends for a supper picnic. It was a little cove on the ocean with more treasure to find then any other spot I have ever visited. The kids got to hold an observe several crabs, hermit crabs, star fish, snails, and even shrimp (which were too small to hold but still fun to observe). The only damper on the night was when we had left our site alone and seagulls attacked the food. Ours was in the cooler but our friends had their cheese puffs pecked into and then the gulls stomped on their graham crackers and frosting that was in a large gladlock. The silly bird tried to fly off with it and then dropped it.
Here are some pics (not of the birds, we sort of missed that whole drama til the end!):


This first pic was as we were leaving but I loved the look of the sun so much I put it first!

The boys were way too busy hunting through tidal pools to look up for a picture! ;)

This is an amazing feat for Rachel to be holding a hermit crab! She normal does not touch *creatures* of any kind!! But her dear friend would pick them up first and show her how to hold them and hand them to her. She had so much fun!
We did not find star fish but a man on the beach found them (3 of them I think) and gave them to the kids to observe and hold.
Here is a look into one of our buckets. Those hermit crabs are either playing or fighting...hopefully playing... :)

This was the biggest crab we found. He was quite a good sport about being held. He and the other creature treasures were all returned safely to their homes before we left. I think we have found a new favorite picnic spot!