Beautiful Friday

It was such a gorgeous day, pretty blue skies, perfect temperature.

I opened all the windows, let the fresh air come rushing in and enjoyed my day of usual homemaking, homeschooling and puttering around.

I can't tell you how happy I am that it's Friday because I need a day to sleep in, these 5am wake up calls get old really fast LOL

After hubby left for his morning PT, I sat on the couch with just a few lamps on.  The kids still asleep, the world still dark and the quiet of the morning surrounding me.  It's when I usually get some crochet time in, just letting my fingers do the rhythmic work while my mind ponders, imagines and talks to the Lord.

My favorite Christian radio station plays on the computer, and I love that I am not being distracted with anything else and can just take it all in.  This 30 Day Challenge that I've been doing is working miracles in my life, but the thing that I'm most noticing is my attitude and my overall state of being.

Calm, happy, non stressful.

One of the songs that played was by the amazing Casting Crowns "Already There".  I've heard it many times before but never really listened.  There IS such a difference between hearing and listening.

Don't worry about what is to come, don't worry about tomorrow, God is already there. 

Those words kept playing in my mind, over and over and all of a sudden it was just plain as day.  I'm wasting my time and energy worrying about what is to come tomorrow, or next week, or next month, even next year....because whatever it is, God already knows, He is already there waiting for me and what a blessing and relief that is.

I spent about two hours just crocheting, allowing me to stop worrying about what I need to do, but really just being with the Lord, listening, asking and learning.

Soon the littles started stirring and my Nicholas came to sit on the couch, snuggled under the ripple blanket and played a little on his Nintendo DS.

And so pretty soon, the mommy needed to make an appearance. It was time to put down the crochet hooks and set aside my quiet time because someone was hungry for breakfast

It's all a part of life right? It's like watching a plant grow, you need to love it and care for it until it can start producing fruit/flowers on it's own.

After getting Nic taken care of, I started laundry, had to wash all my bed linens and I also flipped the mattress. I do that quite often.

Next on the to do list was some more bird seed wreaths for the front and back yards.

I went with smaller ones this time so I could make a few to spread out through the yard.

While those set to dry, I refilled the bird feeders.

They get so happy when they see us outside refilling them.

This guy is hilarious. Everytime we open the back door, there he is, trying to steal dog food.

What I DON'T find hilarious is the way he's been painting my chairs white, if you get the meaning. Ugh...need to get out there and scrub everything down again.

Lunch came around pretty quick and yummy sandwiches is what I put together. Using homemade sourdough bread, homemade refrigerator pickles, cheese and salami. Yummy and filling.

Just the fuel I needed to get right back into my puttering. I do love to putter, and I love the word putter hahahaha

These are supposed to dry overnight, but I find that after half a day of sitting around they are dry enough to be handled, albeit carefully. I couldn't wait to get them hung up for the birdies

While doing dishes this afternoon, my soap shot up a dozen or so little bubbles and I had to capture at least one, just floating around.

Beauty really is all around us. Even when we're doing those chores that we seem to not find much fun.

All we need to do is look around, but really look. Look at the colors, the lights, the shapes, the nature.....this tree is right outside my kitchen window and it looked so beautiful with the sun shining on it's branches

I know I say this quite often, but I feel like I'm being led to share with others the importance of slowing down and REALLY paying attention to what is around us.

I know life is hard, I know there are struggles, and grief and sad things and problems and sometimes worries that seem insurmountable....but you can't just concentrate on that, you have to remember and keep reminding yourself that there is also beauty and it's that beauty, those little moments that keep us grounded.

I have found so much to be thankful for, and so many pretty sights around me, in an otherwise drab brown desert surrounding.

One song that has been helping me tremendously lately has been Need you Now (How many times) by Plumb.  If you are going through a particularly hard time right now, do me a favor, listen to this song, listen to the words, just let it help you put it all in God's hands.

And now I'm going to leave you with something to ponder.

How many random unnecessary thoughts fill your mind each day?  How many times do you find yourself thinking about a to do list, or negative things?

Stop filling your day with mundane thoughts that veer you off from the bigger picture and what really matters, reprogram your mind, don't allow these thoughts to enter your mind.

Cast out wrong thoughts! You don't have to think whatever falls in to your head. - Joyce Meyer