Overwhelmed

This word seems to describe to a tee how I feel of late.  Not necessarily in the bad sense, I don’t think.  I guess it depends on what/who is doing the ‘overwhelming’.

As I have been doing the last minute preparations for our new school year starting next week, I have been a bit emotional.  It hit me last night that we are starting our 17th year of home schooling.  That is a huge part of my life.

I stumbled across an old paper that had very primitive handwriting on it, that of a very young child.  It brought tears to my eyes as I realized just how blessed I have been to have home schooled all these years.  I mean I have taught them to read, I have been there for breakfast, lunch and dinner and countless snacks, all day, every day.  I GET to be with my children e.v.e.r.y s.i.n.g.l.e. day!

What a privilege it has been and will continue to be, Lord willing. Molding little souls for my King. Loving and nurturing little hearts. Being the one who GETS to hear their heart, share their dreams. Getting to watch them grow and mature.

So, I am overwhelmed with this precious honor of being a mom, a home school mom.

That is just the tip of the iceberg and all I have time to write about today.  There are other things that He has blessed me with that cause me to just bow, bow before Him in gratitude.  No words, just tears and humble gratitude.

Really, I GET to be the mother-in-law who gets her daughter-in-law over for a day.  I get to take care of her, become friends with her, love on her??  I get to hold that precious little snuggle-buns of a baby all day.  Really?

I get to have a blast painting furniture, being creative, meeting people, pouring Jesus out on all who will listen, bless others, AND make money?  Really?  People ‘want’ my work? Really?

I have the energy and strength to do all this, when not to long ago, getting out of bed took more strength than I had?

This season of life has pushed me to my limit, in a good way.  I really don’t think, and I have thought hard, that I have ever had more on my plate, that seems to be ordained by God, then I do right now.

But here is the thing, this ‘overwhelmedness’ ( I know, it’s not a word) is a good thing, I am overwhelmed with His grace, His mercy.  I absolutely HAVE to rely on Him, look to Him for my next move.  If I think of just one step ahead of Him I am buried, overwhelmed in the bad sense.

This song has ministered to my heart, “More Than A Friend”, of late.  I just sit there and sing it, tears streaming down. 

“. . .and I am overwhelmed
And I am lost for words
To describe You”

Let Me Introduce You . . .

to one of the most precious woman in my life.  Yikes, ‘woman’.  I am calling my daughter a woman!

I have been blessed with a very sweet, tender hearted, creative daughter.  This ‘woman’ far surpasses where I was 30 years ago, far exceeds my dreams of just how wonderful a daughter could be.

Victoria is so multi-talented and creative.  She loves to cook, bake, sew, craft, knit, crochet, take pictures, play with the little children.  She is an avid reader and an accomplished pianist.  She loves all things girly and feminine and old fashioned.

She even can look like a movie star, even though she has no idea what a movie star is. lol 

(yeah, she’s beautiful too!)

I wanted to introduce you to her because she has a new blog where she sells some of her hand crafts. She has been making beautiful notecards for years now.  Friends and family buy them.  She even sells them at a ministry in Georgia.  Victoria also makes and sells beautiful journals and flower clips for hair.

I invite you to visit her blog, take a look around.  See what you might like.  In the next couple of days we are going to have a fun give away of some of her products.

Considering myself to be very blessed and humbled by His grace,

Michelle

How His Word Soothes

I am not sure why it always amazes me, the power, the beauty and the wonder of His word.  Do I somehow forget how comforting the living Word is?

It doesn’t matter what ‘season’ we are in, what kind of crazy circumstances or storms we are weathering, His life giving Word can soothe our souls.

This morning my ‘soul’ was feeling a bit frazzled and frayed.  Nothing horrible is going on, but life has been at an unusually frenetic pace for the past several weeks.  Again, nothing too terribly big, just a lot of busy things. 

Simply being a mom to nine (ten if you include my precious daughter-in-law), a Mimi to two keeps me hopping.  Thank You, Father for the gift of children and the strength and health to be all that!

Now add into that mix, ministering to who the Lord puts in my path, (why did I ever question if I would have a ‘ministry’?!) figuring out the school year for six children, starting a business of sorts, a very ill father, a mama who is moving across the country . . . oh, yes, feeding, cooking and managing this home.  Not to mention, I have an awesome man who needs his woman every now and again.   

Can you see how one might be a little frayed around the edges?  I have sensed His keeping these past weeks.  Often times I hear that still small voice to ‘be still and know’.  To keep my eyes on Him and I will have perfect peace.  I have had to stop and breathe and say, ‘okay, Father, what next?’

But this morning, feeling a bit like, ‘where do I even start?’  So much swirling around me.  My thoughts flit from one thing to the next, no peace.  '”What about this?  How am I going to do this?  Should I be doing that?  I want this or that.”

I read Psalm 37.  Calm washes over me.  Peace begins to reign again.  I write out verses that are speaking to my heart.

Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed .

Ahh, simply trust in Him and do good, do what is in front of me.

Delight thyself also in the LORD: and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. . . Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass. . . And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday.

Delight myself in HIM!  Commit all of this to HIM!  Trust HIM!  He will bring it to pass.  Ahh,  breathe in, breathe out.

Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way . . .

Rest in HIM!  Wait and fret not, still breathing.

The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way. . . Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the LORD upholdeth him with his hand.

My steps are ordered by the Lord, even though I fall I shall not be utterly cast down, He upholds me with His hand!  I don’t need to do it all, I can rest, I can wait, I can trust, He upholds me.

See how this works??  Don’t you just LOVE His Word?  Where do you find yourself today?  A bit frazzled and frayed?  Have you run to His Word?  You really can’t go wrong, the whole book is awesome   Share with me what is speaking to your heart lately.

Love you and miss my time here.  Thankful for the moments to share my heart.

Homeschool Planning Session {LIVE}

Okay, today my mom has the children and I am supposed to be planning out our school year.  We don’t start until the first week in October each year on strict orders from the principal, as he wants us to make the most of the summer season and doesn’t want me spending all of August obsessing  planning school.

Brian and the children left around 9:00 ish.  I have ‘put on my face’ (aka make up and hair), had breakfast, responded to some emails, checked blogs.

10:00 am went down to the abyss schoolroom {{sigh}} to see what I could see.  Apparently there was a disaster, tornado, earthquake or something, because I am sure there is a table in the center of that room . . . somewhere.  We didn’t finish last year all orderly and organized so books are everywhere!  I tried to get the principal to call of the school year, but he says we must plow on.

10:15 am can’t stop thinking about painting furniture and the awesome, huge, beautiful barn doors the my husband picked up for me yesterday.  Nor can I stop thinking about the plans he showed me last night to make our garage into a “Barn Boutique” for all my {re}imagined furniture!!!  Yes, my husband rocks!

These babies are HUGE!  We got them for $10 a piece!!!  They are going to be the ‘walls’ of my new ‘boutique’.  Happy dance, everyone!!

Okay, 10:23 printing up Course of Study for each child (6 of them this year, 10th, 9th, 5th, 3rd, 2nd and preschool!)

I will check in later . . . pray

10:45 am decided to run a load of laundry, sweet distraction, how sad is that?!  Went to the abyss schoolroom again, really!?  When did this happen?  Brought a large container with me this time, lugged up a bunch of books to go through.  Smashed my finger and drew blood.  Still smiling though, love my job.

11:10 am  realizing I need to order more books than I was planning on.

More later . . .

11:45 am seriously making some headway!!  Yeah!

12:20 pm have 90% of everyone’s school work chosen and ordered.  Now, the hard part, planning it, making copies and scheduling!  Well, it is not hard if I prayerfully go about it, trusting the Lord to pull it together. 

I definitely think I have made some major progress and am going to reward myself by paint two cute chairs!

2:00 pm  Painted two chairs a color I didn’t think I would like, but am actually liking it!  cool!  Ate lunch and am taking a break.  it is so quiet here . . .  the UPS lady came and said, ‘where are all those kids?’  I just smiled.

3:22 pm  I have been painting and waxing frames, eating Honeycrisp apples with Nutella (shhh, don’t tell anyone) and now I must rest, for I have a date tonight with my rockin’ husband who  brought me home those gorgeous barn doors!

Have a great weekend!