look Mama!

Mama! Look! Look Mama! What child? What is it, I ask, only half interested. What is it? She stands there pointing above me, beyond me, speechless. We stand there, she and I. I on the back steps facing the yard, her body facing me, yet her eyes lifted up, fixed on whatever has captured her attention. Mama! Just look! (Still pointing) Please dear, could you just use your words? Tell me what you want me to see. Mama. Look! (still pointing). Sadly this continues awhile longer until I relent, coming down from the steps to fix my attention on that which she delights. I join her in the yard and as I turn and lift my eyes, I see that which has left my girl speechless. The clouds are parted just so and the sunlight pours out from the clouds in fantastic rays- more beautiful than words I have to describe the splendor of it all. I stand there and weep and thank my Father for the strength to get over myself long enough to take in this moment in time with her. I ask her what it all makes her think and her response is simply "heaven". Her heart and mind have been set on heaven since she has been old enough to communicate it. She'll be baptized soon and she is so excited. I cant help but know she's been waiting her whole life for this- for a glimpse of heaven.

hello hello it's me again!

Wow! It's good to be back. I've been busy so busy and God has been at work in me in majorly good ways. I'm ready to be back writing about it and exploring that again. As a child of God, wife, mama of 4, homeschooler, part time church employee ( part time in hours, full time in heart), i must aknowledge that I am short on writing time. But when i think about how God made me and remember that the act of putting words to my heart comes from Him, then I can no longer keep silent about what He is doing in my life.

I want a chronicle of Gods work in my life to pass on to my children. This form of that chronicle has been the most auccessful for mw in the past and so here i am returning to it. I sense a move of God in our lives in ways i cant fully express or even imagine but I am ready for it!

Love, Charlotte

Not much has gone well today... too many tears and carrying on for no apparent reason. So, when lunch went well, I rejoiced! And I'm so thankful that lunch went so well, that I took a picture.

I needed to get little fingers busy, so I altered a recipe for unleavened bread to this:

1c flour- I used brown rice, but you could use any kind, I imagine

1/4 c coconut oil. all I can say is yum. The light flavor was great.

1/4c water.

mix and knead til smooth. roll out as thin or thick as you like. Thicker for a flat bread; thinner for a cracker. Fork it (so you don't get bubbles).

Bake 400 degrees for 8-12 minutes (less for thinner crackers).

Enjoy!

The accompanying salad was greens, tomato, ahi tuna and homemade balsamic vinaigrette.

Linking to Fight Back Friday!

something clever

Again tonight I find myself without much to write.....

The reason I titled yesterday's post, discipline, is that I know writing is a discipline and I want add discipline in my life. That I want to write daily for the purpose of writing and thinking and using my brain.

Which reminds me, at church, we are teaching the children that discipline is doing what you need to now so that you can grow stronger. Well, I want to be a stronger writer. So, I need to write more. I want to be a stronger thinker, so I need to think more. And writing and thinking. They go together. I may be on to something!

Even on the days when I don't feel like I have much to write, I really do. Which is why I need to discipline myself to do it.

I want my faith to be stronger. I want my faith to have action. I can't simply sit around and hope for that to happen. I must DO something. I must have discipline to think out my faith and put it to service. I can lay in bed in the morning hoping for a good day, but it doesn't do me much good. I can arise before my children and create something fabulous and healthy for when the awake. We can spend time learning God's word together and learning how to apply it to our lives (Really, it's me teaching my children, but I like using 'we'). If I can be disciplined to do this each day, then perhaps... It won't be a discipline for them; it will be a habit. How glorious that would be!

So, I guess I did have something to say afterall...

Tune in tomorrow when I 'll have more of 'nothing much to write.'

I really want to do this!

Valentine Hearts

Discipline

This habit of writing (almost) daily is so good for me. I enjoy the moment to reflect, looking for blessings in my day or challenges to issue myself. It seems to make life more purposeful. I like that.

I don't have so much to say just now.

My read the Bible in 90 days challenge is coming along quite well and that pleases me. I've made it through the most difficult books and have started in on Deuteronomy.

I've started a twenty one day fast with my church and thousands of others across our nation with their own churches. This is the first time I have fasted. I never really knew about fasting in the church denomination I grew up in and since losing denomination (HA! I like that phrase!), I've been nursing or pregnant and chosen not to... This should be a good challenge and I hope to draw closer to my Savior and Friend, Jesus.

I had a great day: getting back to routine after some sickness and the holidays before that. Glad to be doing Bible time again with my children and hoping to begin more 'school' subjects with them too! Yet another challenge I'm issuing myself. This should get interesting!

That's my five minutes for tonight. Sorry it wasn't worth much.

On your mark... get set... GO!

My kids do this thing that I just love.

We live just a few houses down from the in-laws. It's great. Often when we set out to visit or set out to come home, one or the other of the children decide to race one another. Now, one may be 5 feet - even 20 feet ahead of the other, but no matter. (S)he will say, "Stop! (and they both stop still) On your mark! Get set! Go!" And they both take off. From where they stopped. And they run for all they have in them. It doesn't matter that they started at different points. It doesn't matter that her legs are twice as long as his. It doesn't matter that she wins. every. single. time. They each run for all they have until they reach the door of the destination. Out of breath, they high five, exhilarated and full of the joy of the moment. Sometimes, we'll just be out walking for diversion and they will start and stop the race as they see fit along the way. And they'll do it all over again tomorrow.

The best part? The baby brother, between his first and second birthdays, whose not really speaking much, will shout, 'Go' with them and toddle along behind. He's eager to be a part of the race and he's only just begun.

What I really love about it is the freedom. They are not constrained to rules or fairness or whoever wins. They just love the thrill of the race. I want to run the race with as much freedom as they, not running to win, not worried about my bad start, just running to run. Isn't that the call?

Hebrews 12: 1-3