It takes time

So, when we first moved here to PA I created a list of the things that I would like to start doing that were new to me. I have done almost half! It's been great fun trying each new activity. First, I started a garden, then I learned how to make jam, I learned how to can and I started guitar! I'll have to wait to take up archery until after the baby is born...hahah. Anyways, I'd like to address my garden. At first it was exciting. When I planted those sweet little suckling plants into the ground, I had big plans for them. I would water them and weed them hoping they would grow into strong, healthy plants and boy did they ever. After a while, I started to lose interest because the weeds were so hard to keep up with! Not to mention, it was getting harder for me to move around as my stomach was growing with our child. Finally, I gave up on maintaining the gardening all together and let David do all of the picking and weeding. There were a few occasions I would go out to help, but the truth was I didn't care anymore. It was fun until the responsibility became too great. However, with what was harvested I did great things! I made tomato soup and pickled tomatoes. It was a long and arduous task, but really rewarding. I said all this to say that I've been thinking about something.
Starting a project can be fun! I had goals set and I was very eager to achieve them. But, as soon as it became too hard I got discouraged. It seemed like as soon as I pulled one weed another would pop up in its place. The plants started to grow like swamp monsters and became unruly. Soon, we had to tie them up. Other of our plants were uprooted by the wood animals and killed. And then there were plants that need more care than we were aware of and they didn't produce as well. All in all it was a great learning experience. However, I think that this lesson can be directly applied to our lives and how we live it. And it can also be applied to people in our lives that we invest our time into hoping that they will become something, but instead they let themselves go and lose interest in applying themselves to the task or tasks at hand. Eventually, they become over grown and too unruly to deal with and in the end they have to be uprooted and the ground tilled to start over again. And you think to yourself...how many times does this have to happen before they will learn. Starting from the beginning is so much harder than sticking with what you have and keeping it healthy and maintained.

Call for Help; 911!

Do you remember where you were on that fated day?? I do. I was in bed and my dad called me. He was calm, but you could hear fear and uncertainty in his voice. I was baffled and I couldn't understand what he was trying to tell me. It didn't seem possible that planes were crashing into pieces of our history and tearing them down. It didn't seem possible that people were jumping out of windows to save their lives...it didn't seem possible. And it still doesn't. May those who gave their lives helping others always be remembered; may those whose lives were taken always be remembered and may those who are left behind without their loved ones always remember. 9-11 happened for a reason...unfortunately, and we can't forget to spend every living moment living! Be active and productive and make a positive impact where ever you go.

R.I.P

Momentum AND Child-rearing

It's been about six months since our move, and I am starting to feel like my life is taking shape. I have tasked myself to make sure that my mind stays occupied and I don't fall into a depression. It wouldn't be hard. As my blogs have shown, I've taken up a lot of new activities that were completely foreign to me before! And admittedly they have been a lot of fun. I'm already scheming ways to introduce some of the young people to these new skills when we move back. It was only just today that I felt a little smile come to my lips as I reflected on the many activities I've planned into my life to keep myself busy. It hasn't just been training myself in canning or taking up guitar; I've taken it upon myself to invite young couples in the church over so as to get to know them better. There should never be an excuse why a Rock Church girl shuns her responsibility to be hospitable. It's taken me some time to come out of my shell and I'm not even all the way out yet, but today I felt a little give from the casing wrapped tightly around me and my emotions. This whole adventure is for sure a learning process. It is forcing me to use and exercise long since lethargic parts of myself. Boy, they are rusty and screaming with the effort, but they should be in good working condition soon. Speaking of 'learning process' I am in the midst of reading a book given to me by my mother. It's called, "To Train Up A Child" by Michael and Debi Pearl. In it I have found priceless nuggets to help me raise Cylas and soon Romalise. David is next in line to read it and we have both found that we agree with many of the principles written about and surprisingly enough already practice quite a few! I could feel myself breathing a sigh of relief knowing that I'm on the right track with many of the disciplining techniques we practice. From the very moment I first found I was pregnant with Cylas, I began to fret about discipline. My main concern has always been that my child should grow to respect me and love me. While reading this book I found an example labeled "Paper Hearts" where they talk about a young boy who starting shutting out his father by wanting to do certain activities on his own instead of including his dad. The father was heart broken realizing that a 'string' had come loose between him and his progeny and quickly devised a plan to make that connection once again. In the end, the father took his son out to the wood shop where they, as a team, made wooden hearts and reestablished their connection as father and son. The underlying lesson here was that it is extremely important "that sons and daughters can trust their parents with personal and intimate knowledge". I have always felt this way. They go on further to point out that "the feelings of a child are just as important and sacred as those of an adult...always treat your children with respect. Never ridicule, mock or laugh at your child's ideas, creations or ambitions". With these words of advice, it only makes sense that "the trust you desire to have when they are older must be established and maintained when they are young". Gracious, reading these words almost brought tears to my eyes because this is exactly what my heart has been burdened with as a young mother. Training your children while they are young in all facets of life is so important and can bring such joy in the end.