Wha' happened?

My house has turned into a mess, plain and simple; HOWEVER, the entire family worked on the house today, which was a very good thing. How did it get that way in the first place?

You see, first I was busy about the business of homeschooling. This year has become a challenge for my second-born, and this year has become a challenge for me, to the point of almost pulling the plug on my endeavors. In the course of trying to help this child with one subject, the other child with that subject, and still a third on yet another subject, while trying to learn a few things of my own,,, well,,, let's say I feel like I'm stuck in twelve inches of snow, revving my tires and going nowhere. Don't get me wrong -- my children are learning. I'd just like to have an easier time of it.

"No, my son, you do not look like a teen-age dork. While you're at it, here, son -- do your own laundry; you'll be on your own in two years."

"Wow, little girlie-girl, what a wonderful snowflake you made -- now clean up the remains."

"How quickly you ate that candy bar -- now pick the wrapper up off of the floor and put it where it belongs."

"Baby - no- baby -- stop that -- baby -- DON'T CHOKE THE DOG! Honey -- don't use your sister's toothbrush. AH -- DON'T PUT HER TOOTHBRUSH IN THE TOILET!"

I should be thin, with all of the running around I do after the children. But I look at my middle-age spread that has covered more space than I ever cared to imagine, and wonder if I'm dreaming the impossible dream in hoping that I will ever attain a figure that's just SLIGHTLY a shadow of what it used to be.

Thank the Lord above that He's given me a wonderful guy, who, like Him, looks upon what's going on inside of my heart, rather than how well I look on the outside!

How else did I allow my house to get away from me? Well, our church had a fall fest, and I was working until four in the morning some mornings designing and printing flyers, posters, et. al. , writing letters to donors and sponsors, writing articles to send to the media outlets. Some nights I was too exhausted to make supper for the family. And then the day of the much planned-out Fall Fest.... rain, rain, and more rain. It didn't stop some people from coming. And God has REALLY been impressing upon me lately that He wants me to look more upon the hearts, than the numbers of people who may or may not come to these festivities.

He's let me know that I'm not tending to the garden of my heart in the way He'd like me to. I've allowed some weeds to sprout up here and there. You know what they are -- fear, worry, envy, doubt.... there are a few others. They all take away from who one is in Christ. The funny thing is, in the same way that a house can get away from you, or that weeds infest one's garden, those little items that keep us from being all that God wants us to be never come upon us quickly, nor do they sprout up overnight.

I read out of the Old Testament, the Psalms, the Proverbs and the New Testament last night to the family. I usually read out of a children's Bible, but last night, I read out of my own to them, as this spoke to me and I wanted to share this with them; even though they have no real idea what all of the economic and other worldly struggles are really about, they can feel something is up -- and it's frightening them. The oldest does have an idea, and it frightens him, too.

I will now leave you with a small section of what I shared with them, out of Philippians 4:1-23: "...stand fast in the Lord, beloved... Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!... Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy -- meditate on these things. The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you."

Amen to that. And may the God of peace be with you who read my words.