I’m looking at 20 bags of mulch on my front porch I need to spread, but I’m thinking about all the stacks of books and papers and supplies I need to sort and organize in the next week before school starts. I keep reminding myself, “one thing at a time.” School plans have been set in motion. Planning and scheduling gives a sense of reassurance.
I often think it seems so odd how much importance people put on plans and scheduling. People (including myself at times) act in such faith and belief –like a child playing ‘make believe’– that they think they actually know what the future will be just because they planed it. Yet, the hard reality is, we don’t know what our life will be tomorrow.
The cicadas are loud this morning. Some neighbors dogs are very upset. And the air is thick but not hot.
I missed it a few days ago, but its now been a 3rd of a year since schools and businesses shutdown. Since then most businesses are open and schools have a plan for operating this fall.
Yesterday was the Homeschool Curriculum Fair in our area. There were far fewer vendors and attendees, but they did have it, which I was greatful because it probably have been easier just to not bother.
I still don’t know what we are doing with our home school kids this fall.
On another note…. Why is there a spoon in the flower [flowerless 😔] pot? I don’t know, but I’m pretty I know one of the chaps who did it.
I’m back on my front porch this morning with a cup of joe. No one is up, I don’t have to drive anyone anywhere. Its quiet and peaceful. I hear box fans running inside and cicadas outside. Its a quiet summer morning.
“He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?” Micah 6:8
As a mom with both homeschoolers and public school students, the stress of figuring out next school year plus extra curriculars is no joke. I expect this to be representative of the rest of July.
Today’s photo op—the only flower I’ve been able to get to bloom in the front flower bed is technically a weed.
Its a pleasant but humid morning. The sun is peaking through the trees. A bird lands on the windchime for an instant, his wings purr has he circles the porch, bumps in the windchime chime, and then purrs away with the windchime singing a good bye.
Its the start of a new day, a new week, in a new month.
“Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.”
Today is the first 4th of July my oldest son has been home for in several years. He usually has camp this week. I knew, months ago, camp didn’t overlap the 4th. So this year we could have done the things we like to do for Independence day we largely can’t do all together. I’m a little bummed by this.
But really there is a lot to be greatlful for and that’s what I think Holidays and celebrations are about. They aren’t a time to mourn the bad but rejoice in the good.
In the book of Nehemiah, the people had been in exile and were allowed to go back and rebuild the temple and the wall around the city. They had just won a victory. They found in the temple the book of the law which was read allowed to them. They became acutely aware of their sin, sins they hadn’t even know about till the Law was read to them. They started to grieve. But the day was considered a holy day, and that wasn’t a day to mourn. Yet they were weeping. They were encouraged to celebrate and that “The joy of the Lord was their strength.” They later did mourn their sin but not first. Joy is intricately related to greatfulness.
Joy in the Greek New Testament is from the same root word as grace. Grace is not being punished for the things we have done. Joy is the sense of gladness we have when we remember we have forgiveness from our sin because of Christ taking our place. God gives us his goodness and takes our sin. In the case of the people in Nehemiah’s day God gave them His Joy which gave them the strength to celebrate as He wanted them too.
I do not want to conflate the 4th of July with a holy day designated by the Creator. It certainly is not the same thing. However it is a day as a Nation we have set aside to celebrate the good aspects of our nation, which is the ideal of freedom for all. No other nation has had freedom for all an aim or a direction like the U.S.A. We may have fallen short of that aim from the beginning, but we have aimed at it and have progressed toward it. With out that aim, can we even make progress to a free society? It would be like trying to make a basket while looking everywhere but the basket. I think today is a day we can aim together by looking at the basket. In the days to come we can mourn how we have missed the mark of freedom for all.
As for me, I want to dwell on the things I am greatful for in my life. Not my problems, my failures, or losses. Today I’m greatful for my family and that we are together; sunshine and a new day; and the idea of America and the hope of progress.
“Then Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, “This day is holy to the Lord your God; do not mourn or weep.” For all the people were weeping when they heard the words of the law. Then he said to them, “Go, eat of the fat, drink of the sweet, and send portions to him who has nothing prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” Nehemiah 8:9-10 NASB
I’ve continued to chip slowly away at organizing school things and found stuff from 2010-11 school yr. I’ve somehow over looked this stuff since. Even when we cycled back to these things I missed I missed it.
A lot has happened in those 10 years even though I didn’t realize it had been so long.
Rough Draft ¶aragraphs 