Swimming

The boys have been swimming in the pool for most of the summer days we have had.

They have become much braver about going under the water and opening their eyes under the water. 

Aaron is the one who has surprised me the most.  He has (prior to this summer) been almost drowned on three separate occasions.  Ok, he was closely monitored, he just has this habit of diving out of the inner-tube he has been placed in, and into water that is far above his head.  He has, however, done a wonderful job of  adjusting to playing in the water and not drowning himself.  He has even gone in a three foot swimming pool and, since the pool comes to about his eye level, he will walk around, occasionally jumping up to catch his breath before walking some more.

 Both of the older two have been doing wonderful as well, Andrew can now float on his back, as well as swimming short distances.  He can't get his face out of the water to breathe while he is swimming, so no deep end for him quite yet.  Nate can almost float on his back, but he is still working on it.  They are all doing really well, and I'm very thankful for my parents giving it to us.  God is so good, and he continues to meet each need before we quite know we need it. 

Right now, it is a crazily cool summer day, with highs supposed to be being around 80*. So today, I will sit here under my clothesline, watching my boys play soccer and on the swingset.  I will thoroughly enjoy having the windows open and the fresh breeze coming through my home.  God has been good, summer will be fun, and life can only go uphill from here.

On the Lighter Side

OK, this is kind of morbid humor, but I don't want to forget it... ever.

We went to a private family viewing at the funeral home a few days after Dad passed away.  As we got out of the van, Aaron said, "What's this place?"  Daddy answered, "It's the funeral home."  Aaron: "Why are we here?"  Daddy: "Because this is where they took Papa's body."  Aaron: "Oh........ (long pause while he thought about that) ................ Where'd they put his head?"

The Good Wife

Things that happen are not in our control, but our attitude always is in our control.

Dad Clark went to live with the Lord this last Tuesday,  June 8th, at 5:20 in the morning.   Time since then has both dragged and stalled, if that makes any sense at all. 
It seems like yesterday, I was watching him talk to Momma.  He looked at her, and said, "It's been a good life, right Bridgie?" (See, Dad always called Mom "Bridgette", even though her real name was Dolores, because he said she was prettier than Bridgette Bordeaux, a pin-up girl of their generation).   Mom got all choked up and said, "Yup, it's been pretty good."  He says, "We haven't been too rich, but it was a good life."  She says, "It was a great life!"  I saw tears in his eyes.  This man who never even said "I love you."  This man who for all the time I have known him, has told me 4-5 times that he loved me... two of those were this last week or so.  This man who shocked his son into realizing how close to death he was by saying "I love you." 
He was an amazing man.  Watching my husband grieve for his dad has wrenched my heart in half.  Trying to be there if he needs me, but stay out of his way when he doesn't ... this has been my hardest challenge.  It has been hard to stay close without smothering him.  To give him his space while letting him know I was there if he needed.
Among all this happening, our dryer has also gone out.  It has been a good dryer, given to us 9 years ago for our wedding.  So, since we have no extra money for a dryer right now, and since we have other things that need the money we do have, I went out and invested $25 into a clothesline.  I just had to buy the eye screws and the rope and clothespins, since God made our trees close enough together that we can string lines between them.
And my attitude?  I think God has given me more grace over the last two weeks than I have had in all my life before.  My theme verse has to be either, "My grace is sufficient for thee" from I Corinthians 12, or "Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for him" from Psalm 37.  God has worked so much out, and I'm resting.  Not just about this, but about so much more.  It has been an amazing thing to watch God do the work while I am waiting. 
God has been good, life has been bittersweet, and the future is as promising as my attitude of the moment.  Praying, and waiting, and hoping and watching, and longing for what God has in store.  Ready to look at the future and see it now.

Lessons Learned from taking it easy

So, I hurt my back on Tuesday of last week, and haven't really been myself ever since.  I have learned a few lessons in life since then.

1. People will get along just fine without you there.

2. The house may not be clean, but every little boy can find food for themselves.

3. Husbands are very inventive with food when their wives are sick.  They will eat their "comfort foods" (in our case, pizza) every other day, whether you like it or not.

4. The laundry will get washed, maybe even folded, but it will be sitting in the living room waiting for you when you're better.

5. The way you feel worries your husband senseless and adds to his burden.

6. Trying to be less of a burden makes your husband frustrated, because he doesn't feel like he is taking good enough care of you.

7. Keeping up with the house is not going to happen, but it gives extra time to spend with the ones who matter most.

Laundry

Does anyone else hate this invention????

I hate laundry.  I hate washing a load each day, I hate having so much to fold and put away.  I hate that it is never done.  I hate that as soon as it is done, there is more to do.  Oh, and did I mention that I hated it??

However, as much as I hate it, I am thankful for the opportunity to live in America, with the opportunity to have as many different articles of clothing as I have.  I'm thankful to have the three little men God gave me to raise for Him.  I'm thankful for the wonderful husband that God has given me as well.  If that means a little extra laundry, well then, bring it on.  I'll turn on Pride and Prejudice and fold away....  Now if only my back felt better.   Guess that gives me the excuse I need to take breaks here and there.  :)

So I'm Thinking....

I'm thinking of using my creative genes and writing a story. 

Not just any romance story.  I'm so sick of reading everyone's stories of how people meet and fall in love.  That's the easiest part of any relationship.  The spring is an easy time to have a garden.  The hard part is keeping it going into the summer, and even harder to keep it all the way into the fall and winter.  The same with marriage.  It's not hard to fall in love with someone.  The hard part is keeping that love alive.

So, I'm thinking of writing a book, with the stories of 5 or 6 different women, and the difficulties they face as they work to STAY in love with their men.  It seems that people learn things better through illustration.  Even Jesus used parables (stories) to teach truths to people.

I don't know if I'll follow through, or if I'll just write a little here and there when I'm frustrated, but I am planning to write a really neat, interwoven book.  I have already determined that I can devote 30 minutes each day to doing something.  If it works out that I have longer, then that's fine, but at least 30 minutes each day.

We'll see how this goes.

I hold onto the Light

Darkness holds no power when I hold on to the Light. How can I help but worship Him when I discover that immense truth?

 I was reading on a different blog today, and she passed along a devotional that she had read.  It was just what I needed to hear today.  Here I am, stuck in bed, can't go very far, or help to serve my family.  I hurt my back two days ago... I was trying to catch a clock that was falling from the wall.... Not just any clock.... THE clock... The clock that Doug's dad received on his retirement from GM... THE clock that is Doug's inheritance.  I didn't catch it, the glass cover for the clock broke, and I was left with a broken clock and a twisted back from trying to do something nice for my husband.

Needless to say, I was ready to throw a pity party for all of the last two days.  Then, today, actually tonight, when I'm supposed to be sleeping, I find this devotional. She used  Romans 12:1   I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. She went on to talk about when you don't feel like worshiping God.  She shared a story about a time when her son was in the hospital, and things were crashing down around her... no insurance, little hope, and the drunk driver at fault was dead.  She had nothing to thank God for, but she found it in the midst of her trouble.  She presented herself to God in spite of the fact she would rather have blamed him.  She was able to thank Him that He was still in control.  She then made the statement that I started with: "Darkness holds no power while I hold onto the Light."

From that, I draw strength.  My world may feel lost and confused, but He is the Light, and I can depend on His guidance through the frustrating and confusing times I have to face!!!