when summer comes, i tend to wander outdoors and take pictures of lovies rather than write. so, here’s to gardening and old tractors that double as jungle gyms. here’s to dandelion crowns and popsicles on the front lawn. here’s to family and children and sunburns and happy moments of laughter.
fear and wandering
quiet and tears
the breathtaking moments when God transforms
light enters
and truth takes residence in my heart
[have you read {quiet} God?]
Can you tell what this is? Oh, yes. It’s that time in our household.
Time to drag out receipts and the adding machine and my long-lost banking skills.
Time for my dishes to set in my sink, unwashed. (But doesn’t this style of photo make them look… well, not quite as bad as they are?)
time for my hair to fuzz and my eyes to get bloodshot and stress-pimples to grace my forehead.
Time for my husband to call me from the barn and say,
“Take a break, Hon, and go look at the moon.”
Time for me to stand in awe of a God who crafts wonder into night skies,
who gives me grace when I am stressed,
who offers beauty in the midst of everyday life.
{something for your devotional time}
as we’re coming into the Easter season, lets be thinking about what it is that he’s done for us. Ann Voskamp had a post this week about Passover. Even if you don’t have your own Passover meal, its good to remember why it was that God instructed the Israelite people to follow this particular custom. (Besides, I get so excited about the way Jesus is pictured in the Old Testament!)
{something from the kitchen}
my kitchen was sorely neglected this week. Thankfully, there was a menu made last week and enough pre-made in the freezer that my husband didn’t starve!
{something from the craft room}
It was all photography this week. And this adorable card for my brother and sister-in-law to announce their next wee one.
{something to make you think}
Katie Davis posted this over a month ago but I keep coming back to it…
{something from the bookshelf}
This has been a month of adding books to my {to read} pile. This post is chock-full of links to books and reviews. And, if you want, you can link up with a review of your own.
And God, in his graciousness, offers explosions of color in the middle of rain.
Thank you, all, for the prayers. Keep praying. We serve a God who moves mountains, heals blind eyes and builds armies out of dry bones. Our trials are not a surprise to him. We may be shocked. We may be outraged. We may struggle with wondering why. But no one caught Him unaware.
And people are coming out of the woodwork to fight on my parents behalf. It’s amazing. And humbling. And God alone deserves the glory.
And just for fun and loveliness, do you see this adorable little boy? That’s my nephew on his first birthday. Don’t you just want to kiss his little cheekers? 
{something for your devotional time}
Ever had the sin in your heart compared to a rotten egg? Take a minute to be reminded of our great need for Christ.
{something for the kitchen}
I’m not a vegan. Nor do I suggest anyone become one. But there are times that having a cookie recipe that doesn’t require butter or eggs can come in handy… and this one is extremely yummy.
{something for the craft room}
We made these darling bracelets at our retreat last week. The tutorial is simple and easy to follow.
{something to make you think}
On finding balance in tension by Doc Leland. This subject has been on my heart lately… walking the line of truth without falling one way or the other.
{something from the bookshelf}
I’ve been back in some of my old favorites this week.
Disciplines of the Beautiful Woman by Anne Ortlund
{something from me}
I’ve been *almost* sick for the past week. Sore throat and all that jazz. It’s being held off with cups of cayenne tea and gargling with hydrogen peroxide [yes, it works. I use food grade because it makes me feel better but my in-laws use the regular stuff in the brown bottle. They haven't had a sore throat that lasted more than a day in thirty years. It does foam. Just FYI.]
My week has been full of little ones [those who know me understand that this makes me ecstatically happy] and this weekend we get my two smallest nieces so my brother and sister-in-law can take a quick trip to Michigan. So happy. I mean, look at these two. Wouldn’t you want them?
Oh. Wait. They’re fighting there… Let me try again.
There! Now, aren’t they adorable?! *winks*
Have a blessed weekend,
Natasha
Learning to walk like Jesus walked is no easy task. I realize this as pages turn to the book of John, the writings of the disciple that Jesus loved. The words glow on the page.
…the Word was with God and the Word was God…
And what does the Word do?
Lord, I want to live this way! I want to do these things. I want my life to reflect Jesus in every way possible.
Yet, it seems so removed. How does living the way that Jesus lived apply to my every day life?
How do I apply it when the cows are making me furious and I want to just crawl into a hole instead of milk them?
How do I apply it when I am sitting across from a man who is no longer in fellowship with believers because of legalistic opinions? What do I say? How do I say it?
How do I apply it when my little boys are trying every ounce of patience that I have left? How do I discipline properly when what I really want to do is scream?
How do I apply it when I am stressing about money? Wondering how we will pay the bills and keep groceries in the house?
Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within them.
John 7:38
In the middle of my questions I hear the words of John. The disciple that knew, deep down, that Jesus loved him. The one that understood yada in a desperately real way.
The living water that flows from within. The Holy Spirit in us. This is how we know. This is how we love. This is how we keep moving.
We whisper prayers and listen hard and try to walk as he walked. Even in confusion. Even in pain. Even in sorrow. Even in tears. Even in laughter. Even in joy. Even in failure.
For knowing that we are loved has nothing to do with knowing that we are doing things perfectly.
I snapped pictures of two little princesses today. Beautiful little girls who smiled, frowned, danced, laughed and disobeyed. And I loved them. I taught them. I disciplined them for wrong behavior. I danced with them. I laughed with them. And nothing changed the love.
It never does.
Keep me listening, God. Keep me humble. Keep me close. Keep me desperate for You. Keep me striving to walk as you walked. Help me remember that no matter what trials I face today: nothing changes the love.
And nothing ever will.
