Summer things ..and a GIVEAWAY

Where were we?

 

Somewhere between reading waaay too many books, back to school bonanza and never wanting to leave the beach.

 

Sound about right?

 

Hello Dears,

 

How are you?

 

Grab a cup of coffee with a huge dollop of whip cream because tonight’s fat free night and we’ve got lots to get caught up on.

For starters:

 

SUMMER LOVE

 

Isn’t she the best?  Summer, and her endless evenings.  Her sweet sunflowers & luscious garden goodies.  Summer is just so generous.  Until she calls on the dog days and what was gorgeous, green and lush is now charred like a forgotten steak forgotten on the grill making it easier to bid her farewell.

 

I always get a bit sappy as summer days draw nigh.  When I look at the boys sun-kissed cheeks on their little freckled faces

and I think about how they won’t be this little or this needy next summer

I almost cry but then I don’t.  Don’t get me wrong, we’ve been soaking it up.  And by we, I mean I have soaked up as much fun in the sun as life would allow leaving the sand, sea and pond scum fun to the boys.  They savored their time with all the ticks, snakes, salamanders, and frogs.  They’ve set traps, caught catfish and even a gecko at the beach.   Good times these days, but from the mouth of the old man trapped in my nine-year-old son’s soul, “All good things must come to an end Momma.”

 

 

BACK-TO-HOMESCHOOL

 

My closest coworkers and I used to call it the summer funk.  The feeling of, “hey-don’t-panic-but-summer’s-over-and-life-is-about-to-get-whack-again.”  So we would wrestle with weighty choices of doing all the things we wished we’d done but hadn’t OR block the week before we headed back to work as “do-nothing-week.”

 

The struggle is real still with homeschooling but instead of me hitting the panic button-the boys do.  I don’t even know the word other than whack.  The whole ‘Hey-WELCOME-TO-SUMMER-FUN-ZONE!”  Most rules need not apply.  Bedtime is merely suggested pending the next day’s planned adventure with apparently as many kids as we can legally squeeze into our car! Eat when you think about it, or not.  Chores if we can work them in and then like BAM! It’s over and FUN ZONE mom goes MIA and homeschool Nazi is like:

• bed made
• clothes on
• breakfast made
• breakfast cleaned up
• teeth brushed
• Ready to learn with a smile by 8!

 

They stare at me as a deer stares into glaring headlights.  I do my best to speak in soft tones as not to scare the poor souls who are simply wondering what homeschool Nazi did with fun zone mom.  I get it but I remind them as delicately as I can that life’s tough.  Let’s move on.

 

Hands-in-the-air-like-I just-don’t-care-this has no doubt been our best start even with the whole schedule shock. It’s AMAZING what the ability to read can do for a child’s motivation and a homeschool mom’s sanity.  Dearest mothers of littles who struggle to read- you have my prayers and I’m not lying about praying.  It’s hard. I understand you feel as though your ears may actually bleed and some days everybody cries.  Keep going.  Keep practicing.  Keep reading aloud and recording your voice on your on your phone, and keep making him listen to you read and then record him and have him listen to himself. Keep praying. Keep practicing because in time the tears will cease and HE WILL BE ABLE TO READ and it will be gloriously worth it all!

 

ALL THE BOOKS!

 

Speaking of reading, are my eyes crossed?  Because I feel cross-eyed from ALL the reading of ALL the books!  Do you still love a good book?  I know.  I love all the gadgets and the iPad and the iPhone and nooks and online jazz as much as you do but there is still something so pure about holding a book.

 

What have you read this summer?  What are you currently reading?

 

Kisses from Katie by Katie Davis, has been such a timely read post our trip to Honduras.

To hear her heart for the orphans, widows, and marginalized has taken my wrecked heart to a whole new dimension.  Just last night I said to J, “I need you to look at my face when I say these words to you.  Caring for the orphans is not an option, it’s a command.  We must pray.”

 

For the Love by Jen Hatmaker, arrived two days ago and I’m almost done.  I CAN-NOT-PUT-IT-DOWN.  It is wet-your-pants-funny!

And I need the laughter because I’m also studying Escape the Coming Night. (Insert emoji with BIG EYES)  An in-depth study by Dr. David Jeremiah, about the Book of Revelation.  I am scared and can hardly wait to go deeper in this study.

 

Lastly,

 

Ordinary:  How to Turn the Word Upside Down by Tony Merida.  Another one I can hardly read fast enough ..my life verse, Acts 4:13 is on the first page for crying out loud.

 

 

“The kingdom of God isn’t coming with light shows, and shock and awe, but with lowly acts of service.   I want to push back against sensationalism and ‘rock star Christianity,’ and help people understand that they can make a powerful impact by practicing ordinary Christianity.” –Tony Merida

 

Because that my dearest friends, is the good stuff.

 

GOOD STUFF & a GIVEAWAY

 

OH! My! Gracious!!! I have a little project some dears and I have been working on for a smidgen over a year now. I can hardly wait to share it with you and we are so stinkin’ close.  I mean like almost, stick-a-fork-in-it-we’re-done-close..

 

I’m also working on gathering goods for my second GIVEAWAY because YOU were so supportive of the first one.  You SIGNED UP for EMAIL (if you haven’t you TOTALLY SHOULD–>GO NOW-> TOP RIGHT–>ENTER YOUR EMAIL) you shared this space with your friends, sisters, and moms and I am THANKFUL, THANKFUL.

 

We still have more to chat about like the remarkable story about my youngest and his partners in crime (aka cousins) who BEAT A CASH REGISTER they found in a barn (noteworthy side note: not our barn and not on our property) TO DEATH with a garden hoe and a metal rod because they ‘heard a treasure inside Momma.”The delightful details of that story which may or may not also include how our free range parenting strategies are working for us except when they’re not. 

 

Another story we’ve got to talk about that will hopefully be more helpful than the one mentioned above is a story about recent choice to agree to disagree.

 

Until then, I’m speaking tomorrow to a couple of groups & I would be thrilled if you would pray:  for the hearts of all who are present and for God to remove me from me as I speak the truth in love.

 

I get so weepy when I’m sleepy ..Goodnight sweet friends..

Much love