Gifts

Years ago I read a book by Ken Gire called "Windows of the Soul". I was reminded of it again today as I read this scripture (below).

Sage had been sitting on my lap (facing me) and we were talking and tickling and as I looked at his long dark lashes I was aware of how beautiful he is. All my children are beautiful, especially to me but I was struck by how God has created this little one. His smile and dark eyes always melt my heart and at that moment I felt blessed to experience this person God had created and put in my charge. How much God must love me to trust him to my care and bonus, he has a great personality and disposition. I couldn't love him more.

 

When I read this book I learned to discipline myself to take notice of the 'little' things, listen to what God was saying to me thru the present 'window'. These are ways that God can speak to us and help to develop the relationship he so longingly desires with us. To deny these moments is to in a sense turn away, turn away from something personal and beautiful.

This brief moment with Sage was a window for me. How much God loves me and trusts me. I also saw what an amazing person God has created Sage to be, not just how cute he is.

I have had many moments with each of my children and I never cease to be in awe of the Lord. His display of affection for us is never ending. Everywhere I look it is there. From my children to the nature that surrounds me, it's everywhere. I just need to take the time to notice it and receive it as a gift from the one who loves me most. How do I ever doubt what he feels about me? He is speaking everywhere, I only have to notice and listen.

My prayer for this new year is that we can learn and train ourselves to quiet the negative voices and take the time to cherish the many 'gifts' he continuously offers us. We are so blessed.


Take a moment and read what David had to say about the Lord and 'his gift'.

Psalm 19:1-6

God's glory is on tour in the skies, God-craft on exhibit across the horizon.

Madame Day holds classes every morning,

Professor Night lectures each evening.

Their words aren't heard, their voices aren't recorded. But their silence fills the earth;

unspoken truth is spoken everywhere.

That's how God's Word vaults across the skies from sunrise to sunset,

melting ice, scorching deserts, warming hearts to faith. (the message)

Yeah

I am happy to say that Christmas is over now and it is time to move on. Of course I still want to continue to celebrate what Christ did for us but I am relieved that all the festivities are over now.
I hope that everyone got to enjoy everything the season has to offer with family and friends. That is the good part. I had a great "sparkley" Christmas. My hubby loves me lots. Yeah for me.
My inital 'yeah' is because my dear friend Caren has finally gotten on the blog boat and I couldn't be more excited. She is one of the wisest people I know and she has the potential to touch many people thru her godly wisdom, no pressure. Check it out. Love you Care.
MacMurchys

Merry Christmas

Hello there blogging friends,
I decided in the spirit of Christmas to get you all a cyber-gift. So here is the scarf that I knitted for you. When ever you wrap it around your neck you can remember how much I appreciate your friendship.

 

This is the card that I made and sent you with the scarf. The photo is from this summer when we went to Colorado. This was during a long hike into the mountains up to a waterfall that was just beautiful. It had been raining/snowing so I was a bit reluctant to go but it was definately worth it.

 

Inside the card is this quote by CS Lewis from his book "Till We Have Faces",
"It was when I was happiest that I longed most...
The sweetest thing in all my life has been the longing...
to find the place where all the beauty came from."

I hope you have a great Christmas and get a chance to take some time and experience the joy of this season. That's what makes it all worth it.

 

 

I can't resist

These are a few pics I took when the kitties were only a few weeks old. (read following story first) Their eyes were still closed. It was so much fun for the kids and I and all the kids we knew. For awhile there we were pretty popular. I went out a few times in the morning and found a few kids in the dog-loo with all the kitties and the mommies. Bella and Sadie were very patient mothers letting everyone hold the kitties and get in there with them. When they were old enough we found good homes for all of them. It was hard for the kids but they got over it. Hopefully they will have another batch this spring (don't tell Rock I said that).

 

 

 

lovely little eggs

Today I went out to check on the chickens and this is what I found. To give you a little background on the chickens this is the story.
This past spring we decided to get some chicks from our local farm supply store and try and raise them. I have never had chickens seeing as I grew up on the backside of a golf course. So I had always thought it would be fun to raise them. The kids picked and named them and so we were on our way to raising chickens. Friends of ours also decided to get chicks with the intention of bring them to the farm after they were too big to keep inside. By the time everyone had brought their chickens out we had roughly 26. At the same time our 2 sister cats had their kittens (Sage is holding one in the picture below) which made 10 new kitties combined. The even mothered them together. It was a great experience for all of us.

 

 

Meanwhile the chickens had all been moved into their 'new' chicken coop (a remade dog kennel). The fence surrounding the coop is about 8'tall so we were sure they were safe. Shortly after the kittens were born we lost a handful of chickens to a raccoon. Sad but OK, that's life on the farm. Rock checked out all of the chicken wire and made sure they were safe. No more raccoons. A few days later we discovered 'parts' that obviously belonged to a bird of some kind. After counting the chickens we discovered they were chicken 'parts'. Yikes!!
Bella was climbing that 8' fence, catching a chicken, hauling it over the fence and them preparing it for her kitties to eat. Disgusting but admirable for a new mom. We finally got that stopped but by this time we were down to 6 chickens. Later in the summer we lost one to a

That little girl

From Blog pics

This is my kindergarten picture. I remember my mom fixing my hair and in my mind I was sure that the barrette was not straight. When I look at this picture I am reminded of that little girl who was so excited about everything. Life was uncomplicated and worry free. My world consisted of me and my brother and my mom and dad, grandparents that thought I 'hung the moon' and a handful of relatives that loved me. Christmas time was the best! Chip and I were the only grandkids and Santa was really good to us. There was so much wonder and excitement in the whole holiday and those were the days when you got out of school 2 weeks before Christmas. There would be cookie baking and open houses and lots of people stopping by. It was a great time to be a kid. These were the times when I would get up before everyone else and sit and stare at the tree. I know that not everyone has good memories and not all of mine are either but I am so thankful for those sweet days that God gave me to enjoy with my family. Hopefully we can all try to forget the 'not so good' ones and focus on the 'good' ones.

Eve repeated

Sometimes I am a bit behind in trends, well, most of the time. Maybe it's because of were I live. Who knows. I actually don't really care but there is one trend that I really missed the boat on.
Greys Anatomy

My sister is usually responsible for introducing me to new stuff like this and Grey's was no different. When I went to visit her in November we watched an episode and she explained the characters. I then went home and got the first season on itunes and I was hooked.

As Eve does so does her daughter I was determined to give this new 'apple' to Rock. I was a little nervous he might not fall for it but how wrong I was. He is so hooked it is all he talks about. You would think these are people that just moved to town and he is analyzing all areas of their lives. I am continually saying "it's just a show" or "it's suppose to be dramatic". He is continually re-writing the story. And since I got the rest of the shows on itunes we watch them one after another, interruption free. Itunes is a beautiful thing by the way. Ugh! I have created a monster.
check it out...like there is anyone who hasn't seen it, well, just in case... here it is

one of my favorites...

One of my favorite Christmas memories was when my mom was still living and I would sneak downstairs very early in the morning and sit right next to the tree and stare at the lights and smell the pine and look at all the ornaments. Sometimes I would mess with the gifts (yes, I opened a few-I was an expert at peeling the tape back to remove the gift and then re-wrap it). Most of the time I would sit and just soak it in. Christmas time was a very special time in my mom's heart. She loved the family time and baking and Christmas traditions. It made it magical somehow and I remember that I couldn't get enough of it. I still love to sit in the dark by a lite tree. It is so beautiful, peaceful. What is one of your favorite memories?

Sorry, I haven't posted lately. Rock has been around alot so the computer is more occupied than I am use to (he's gone this morning).
I am contemplating the whole "5 things you don't know about me" and I will post them.
Hope everyone is doing well and having fun getting ready for Christmas.

That time again

I am having a hard time getting into the whole Christmas season thing so I thought I'd look at some pictures from past Christmas' and see if it would inspire me. I found lots of great ones but this is one I love.


It was taken in 2002 so Isabel was 6, Caden was 2 and Sage was almost 1. Rock has always been determined to put a spiritual aspect into our Christmas morning tradition and that is great by me. The only problem was that this year the kids were so excited to open their gifts that they did not want to sit and listen to him read the Christmas story. So here is Rock trying to read while the kids are facing the tree and all it's treasures.
I just kept snapping pics (the reason for the annoyed face) and chuckling to myself the whole time. By the time we were done he was really irrated and I was totally laughing. Believe it or not Sage sat there the whole time with that smile on his face.

a 4 year old and a can of paint

I know that I am taking a risk that all of you must think I live in a crazy house but I have to tell you about yesterday.
Rock had gotten the flu so he was sleeping and it was cold and yucky outside so the boys were in the house, climbing the walls. I had purchased paint for the boys room (because it is only fair since Izy got her room done) and placed the cans on the steps, not it their room because that would just be asking for trouble. One can of blue and one of green, the boys picked the colors. They are going for a sports/hunting theme-figure that one out.
I walked thru the family room into my craft room and not 2 minutes later Sage comes running in looking sheepish saying he spilled something. As soon as I stepped out of my room into the family room I could smell it.
Evidently he decided to play toss on the couch with the can of paint and accidently dropped it on the floor where the lid popped off spilling a gallon of green paint on the couch and on the floor.
I kinda freaked out. It's paint!!! It gets on everything so how do you clean it up? After calming myself, and I didn't yell or scream by the way, I started scooping the paint back into the can. When I was done there was 2/3 of a can left. Yes, I now have a 24" green circle on my carpet.
Sage quietly tells me at this point that he has always wanted green carpet.
Well good!!!

Learning the ABC's

Not too long ago I had to go to conferences for all the kids at school. Everyone is plugging along just fine but I had an interesting conversation with Sage's pre-school teacher.
Sage is my 4 almost 5 year old who is in class with the 3 cousins that he considers his best buds so it is sometimes difficult for them to really focus on doing papers, etc. One day during circle time Sage was chatting with Booker about how he could "toot the ABC's". (For those of you wondering what 'toot' is, it started when Kassidy was born and Grandma said that 'fart' was a bad word so we instituted 'toot' instead.) His teacher told him that he needed to stop talking and listen but he then decided to stand up and demonstrate how he could "toot the ABC's". Of course all the little boys were giggling and the teacher was trying not too so Sage got to have a time-out in his seat and miss 5 minutes of recess, that got his attention. Boys will be boys.

 

 

Thanksgiving

Hey there everybody! Hope you all had a great Thanksgiving and got to spend some quality time with the ones you love. This year our church hosted a Thanksgiving Day dinner for anyone who would like to attend.

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It was very different for me to spend my holiday this way. I have for as long as I can remember, been with family of some sort, eating until we burst and then sitting around talking small talk while listening to a game. I must say that is very fine and good but this year Corinne and I talked (we were the only ones around this year) and decided that we would just go ahead and work at the church for the outreach.

Anyway, I didn't give it much thought until I got there and I was in charge of taking pics of the event for the church. I was surprized how many people ate and they seemed so really grateful. All of those who worked ate together as well and it was just one 'really big' happy family.

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Have you ever seen so much pie! I could hardly believe the donations of food that I saw come thru the door during the preparations. So many people gave time, energy and food to make it all happen and it went off without a hitch.

This is my 'mom-in-law' Corinne at the beginning of the line serving the turkey. It was really great.
This was when the workers started going thru the line to get their food. Yes, that is Sage balancing the plate on his head

This is Joanie and our new pastor's wife Kathryn, two very special ladies that helped make the whole day possible. You guys are so awesome.

I made Grandma A stop for a moment and let me take her picture with Caden. She is such a sweetie.

And last but not least there is Rock. Yes, after it was all said and done we sat at a table together and just joked around and this is what I got. I was laughing pretty hard by the time we left. Sometimes he is really funny.

Well, today is a great example to me of how it is better to give than receive and what a blessing it can be to serve and feel like you are making a difference in someone else's life. Even something so simple as a meal. I am glad for the experience and thankful that we could share it with family and friends. Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving. Much love.

Pancakes

Ok, what do you see here? A chemical beaker thing, smeary bowl, food coloring, a smaller bowl-all with goopy stuff running down the side. Yes folks, this is Izy making pancakes. I know most of us just use a regular old bowl and mix it up but not Izy. We had a few extra cousins that morning and she felt the need to make pancakes in everyones favorite color.

Where was I you ask, in the shower, at times she can work fast. Granted the mess took a little longer to deal with but that was later. The kids loved it while I kringed (sp?) inside at the sticky, goopy mess on the counters and stove as well as the multiple bowls needed to create this masterpiece. Another one to chaulk up to that creative mind. I just held my tongue and smiled alot. Oh yeah, in the background is one of the cousins making hot chocolate...another beautiful thing for me to smile about and just take a deep breath.

Post

Ok everyone, for some reason my picture loading ability is having a problem so I have not been posting. I have a struggle posting without a picture (I am a visual person) so I will keep writing them and "save as draft" until I get this figured out. Hope everyone is doing well and has a wonderful Thanksgiving.

Who took these!!!

Have you ever looked at your camera or gotten photos developed and found these? " Who took these!!!" you say.
I have a feeling I know. And she is in big trouble for messing with my rebel XT. You would think it would be too complicated for her. I won't underestimate her again. I am on to you IZY!!! 

Explaination

I have listened to Third Day since I was in college and they have always been a band that is solid in their faith and un-wavering in their message. I have always appreciated that and loved their music. In case you might have every wondered why my blog is called "the sun is shining" it is because of one of their songs. Whenever I hear this song I always imagine the sun shining down on me and comforting me in that way that the sun does. For that moment all the things in life seem not so 'big' or impossible. I can trust the one who "whispered love to me and gave me strength to carry on". How inspiring!

My life is not always filled with a continual stream of 'sunny days', most days seem pretty grey. So I started this blog to help me, in a written sense, see those 'sunny days'. I want to be reminded to check my attitude and look at the bright side of things. It is so easy to continually be critical and negative so this is my effort to combat that in my life, thus the song...thanks for reading.

Yesterday I found
That everything I knew was wrong
It was upside down
The life I thought I had was gone
But You came and whispered love to me
And You gave me strength to carry on

Oh, the sun is shining
Oh, a new day's dawning
The sun is shining

Yesterday I lost
Everything I had and loved
Then I cried out for You, Lord
And You came and picked me up
And the sorrow lasted through the night
But the joy came with the morn

Oh, the sun is shining
There is hope for me again
Oh, a new day's dawning
The sun is shining

I will lift my voice
No, I won't be silent
For You heard my cry
And You turned my mourning into dancing
And so forever I'll sing

Oh, the sun shining
There is hope for me again
Oh, a new day's dawning
Yeah the sun is shining
The sun is shining down... The Sun is Shining is off of their "Wherever You Are" album

Digital Scrapping

 
Just thought I'd show you what I did with those cute pics. I will print it out (it's all digital) and then 'tweak' it a bit and journal by hand. 

Buck fever

How many of you have this sitting on your counter? Not many of you I am sure. How many of you have never seen nor knew that something such as this even exsisted?

I bet no one ever hears their spouse yell from the shower, "could you get my scent killer soap!" Welcome to archery deer season...

I accepted this phenomenon years ago, you know, make peace with the reality of it. I don't fight it as some wives do nor do I join in. I realized long ago that there could be worse things for him to be obsessed with. This year he does seem to have the bug worse than usual. Oh well, it only lasts a month or so or until he 'bags the big one'.

I know you are wondering so yes, there is a mount or two on the walls of my house. The are just not in the main rooms and you probably wouldn't even notice them if you were here. I have found that this technique works well to not drag the season out too long and he seems to work himself up for it and hunt so hard during that time that he gets sick of it. The result...he doesn't do much other hunting during the year.

This week is the peak of the whole thing. Our friends from Colorado come and stay with us (a dad and his 5 sons). This year just the dad, 3 sons and a grandson came. Half of them stay with us and half stay with Robb and Teresa so it works out well. Teresa and I split the meal making so we aren't cooking the whole time. It's alot of work but I must say that listening to them and getting to know them these past years has deepened my appreciation for these 'real' hunters. Men that do it for the sport and the joy of it not just to 'kill something'. I love to listen to their stories about hunts in the past and stories about family time.
They are a wonderful group of guys (and families).



Hunting season 2002

embracing the "space"

Well friends, thank you for all of your comments. It is affirming to know that I am not crazy. My dear friend Joanie B has been helping me get the room back into shape. A little help and it's amazing how differently you can feel about it.
I would like to work some kind of theme into it but Izy has a very specific vision so I am trying to very carefully work with that. I will post the pics when it's finished. Thank you so much Joanie!!!

the "not so good" surprise

Ok, for those of you wondering about the ‘not so good’ surprise. I am going to give you an oh-so-happy reason to be happy for what you have today.

I must say that I was extremely excited over my clean house (I am still fighting to keep it that way) but it was tainted a bit when I went upstairs. You see Rock, who I have now labeled a “Disneyland Dad”(at times), decided to let Izy paint her room.
"Why not?" he says "we have to let her be her own person" For crying out loud! Why do you think I let her go around with pink and blue hair and re-design her cloths on a regular basis! That is letting her "be her own person".
  

Yes, I know, what’s so bad about painting your room your favorite color of turquoise and pink? Nothing I think. The bad part is to tell your 10 year old that she can paint her room with the help of her 4 and 6 year old brothers while you go hunting until after dark!!! And then her 4 and 5 year old cousins came over (while the parental guidance was sitting in a tree stand) to help the whole process along. Yes, this is fortunately not what I came home to but the aftermath of the fun-filled evening was.

Now in the morning when I snuggled into Sage’s bed to wake him up I asked him what happened to his room since it looked like a ‘girl explosion’ (pics to follow) and he immediately brightened and said “Sissy moved all her stuff into our room but have you seen what she did to her room?” Oh yes, I surely have.

 
Hallway and boys room

 
 

Apparently, no one in my house has heard of drop cloths or the proper placement of masking tape so this mess is the result. I also discovered that we no longer have a need for carpet in this room or oak trim!!!
Yes, I do consider myself a fairly patient person and a fairly calm and collected person but I needed some back up on this one. Fortunately for me all who listen to the story or viewed this lovely room have offered many ‘colorful’ suggestions so I feel better about what I think. Now I just have to figure out the best and quickest way to fix it.

 
 
 
  

So have a laugh or gasp on me today and think of Izy sleeping in her room the color of a fake ocean picture. Woo-Hoo!! Later

The Pocket Knife

A while back the kids and Rock got it into their heads that everyone needed a pocket knife. Now understand, we live in a rural area where it is perfectly ok and acceptable to own guns and hunt and as long as all the safety rules are followed I am ok with it all as well. Sage got one just like the other two, it even has his name on it, and he carries it around sometimes. It's a cute little swiss army knife which is very practical, especially the scissors.
  
We have had our share of haircuts and clothing alterations without parental permission. I have tried to maintain an attitude of control when dealing with these issues but sometimes it can be challenging.
This morning I saw Sage getting his pocket knife down from the fridge (its his secret hiding place) and drop it into his pocket. Later he came back into the kitchen to get a bandaid and that's when I noticed the sleeves.
Yes, ladies and gentlemen, he turned his shirt into a "pipe shower". This would be a shirt that shows ones "pipes" or arms. When the boys were little Rock always asked them to "show me your pipes" and they would do the whole big muscle thing for us. It was cute. Well, I guess he still needs the "pipe shower" because he's now making his own. What's a mom to do...take pictures and blog about it.
(I also took the pocket knife away) Have a great day.

 
 
 
 
He also gave himself a few paper cut size cuts on his fingers in the process. And no, he does not look sad because I yelled at him. He felt guilty when I asked him about it-score one for mommy.
He's so darn cute!!!