My garden will be late this year

My garden will be late this year.

There's been a lot of rain.

Too much moisture in the ground.

Rot's no recipe for gain.

My time too has been too short for planting,

Caught up with other things.

Like spring birds nesting, feeding, teaching,

I fly to many things.

The time may come when I can put

A few seeds in the ground,

Then wait for the Lord's blessing,

Much growth will then abound.

But if this year that garden

Does not come to be.

I'll still take joy in seeds God planted

and what He put in me.

by Lepidoptera

written May 27, 2011

The Fight

A little volcano lives within our house, 

At times it's calm and silent,

as quiet as a mouse.

At other times raucous,

building up from within,

Lava spilled and heat emitted.

What havoc it does bring.

A bad attitude,

rebellious spirit,

grievous and wrong,

its effects can be contagious,

making it hard to remain strong.

Tribulation worketh patience.

That is nothing new.

Let patience have her perfect work

tthe Bible tells us too.

But when there is a temper

that is not self-controlled,

the good fight of faith not fought well,

this sad state leaves us cold.

The hope is that there will be

brighter days ahead,

days full of sunshine and discipline instead,

of measureable maturity 

and no more house of din.

The Lord's unseen hand working,

and war, for a time, at an end.

by Lepidoptera

finished May 27, 2011

Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses. - I Timothy 6:12

I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me. - Romans 7:21

Field Trip

Our family visited the Adena Mansion and Gardens, home of Thomas Worthington, sixth Governor of Ohio and one of Ohio's first U.S. Senators on Friday.  We want to go back already!  Everyone learned something.  What did I learn?  That 'Adena' is not an Indian word.  It is Hebrew for 'pleasure'.

Motes quote

And here the poor mamma uttered a short prayer that she might be enabled to instil good principles into her children's minds, that so Kate, and Undine too, might know dust for dust whenever they saw it, let the outward world shine upon it never so brightly.

"Ay, ay," thought the mother, as she looked once more: "Motes in the sunbeam as we are—miserable dust and ashes in ourselves—the light streams down upon us and transfigures us: we follow the light upwards, and become the children of light ourselves."

from 'Motes in the Sunbeam', Parables of Nature by Margaret S. Gatty

Tweet and See - March 2011

• American Robin
• Killdeer
• Northern Mockingbird
• Turkey Vulture
• Tufted Titmouse
• Dark-eyed Junco
• Northern Cardinal
• Northern Flicker
• Canada Goose
• Red-winged Blackbird
• Common Grackle
• Northern Harrier
• Mallard Duck
• House Sparrow
• American Goldfinch
• Rock Dove
• Chipping Sparrow
• Pileated Woodpecker
• Great Blue Heron

Think

TEACH

TRAIN

NURTURE

ADMONISH

Think

EXAMINE

ENCOURAGE

ERECT

EXPIRE

Someday

(sung to the tune of "Someday My Prince Will Come")

Someday my nose won't run.

Someday I will not cough,

and I will not be sick then.

I'll be happy and well once again.

'Til then I'll blow my nose,

and I will cover my mouth.

'Til that day when I'm well again.

by Lepidoptera 3/19/2011

Think

LOVE

ENCOURAGE

SUPPORT

"Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all." - I Timothy 4:15

Books Fall Open by David McCord

Books fall open,

you fall in,

delighted where

you’ve never been;

Hear voices not once

heard before,

reach world on world

through door on door;

Find unexpected

keys to things

locked up beyond

imaginings.

What might you be,

perhaps become,

because one book

is somewhere? Some

wise delver into

wisdom, wit,

and wherewithal

has written it.

True books will venture,

dare you out,

whisper secrets,

maybe shout

across the gloom to

you in need,

who hanker for

a book to read.

Tweet and See - February 2011

• European Starling
• Northern Flicker
• Northern Cardinal
• Tufted Titmouse
• Dark-eyed Junco
• Northern Mockingbird
• American Goldfinch
• Blue Jay
• American Robin
• American Crow
• American Kestrel
• Mourning Dove
• Canada Goose
• Eastern Bluebird
• Copper Maran
• Rhode Island Red
• Barred Plymouth Rock
• Production Red
• Killdeer
• Eastern Meadowlark

Amazing

I am amazed at things that have been happening in our life.  A man who was a member of the church that my dear husband used to pastor has been diagnosed with the exact same, rare type of thyroid cancer that I had.  He has contacted me, and I have done my best to be a help and an encouragement to him.  A friend sent a message of encouragement containing a Bible verse which is one of the very ones that I thought of while I was in the surgery waiting room.  It talked of God being our refuge and our strength.  Another card had a quote from Hubert Humphreys, a different quote from the one I posted here yesterday.

"I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made:  marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well." - Psalm 139:14

What You Have Left

"Oh, my friend, it's not what they take away from you that counts - it's what you do with what you have left." - Hubert Humphrey, ostomate and former US Vice President

While waiting for a prescription to be filled, I often find myself looking for reading material where the books and magazines are located at Kroger.  Even when there is no prescription to fill,  the children will ask to go there and look at the books.  A week ago today while my dad was bringing my loved one home from the hospital, I was again at Kroger waiting.  I went to the Inspirational book section and saw several Chicken Soups for the Soul.  Selecting the ones that seemed most applicable to my current station in life, I found this quote contained in one.  It was full of meaning on that day and still is.  Surgery can take things away from us in a very literal, real way.  One experience can change our lives forever.  What remains and what we do with it - now there is something to consider.  What now?

As I go through my days of care-giving and keeping the home fires burning, I find myself wondering what is next.  Things have changed irrevocably, irreversibly, and yet we go on.  Life goes on.  A newness of life that is nothing akin to the life we knew before.  Each day with its challenges and demands.  What now?  A time to carry on, to keep up your courage, and to love and serve as never before.

Tweet and See - January 2011

• Northern Mockingbird
• Northern Flicker
• Dark-eyed junco
• Blue Jay
• Downy woodpecker
• Eastern Bluebird
• Copper Maran
• Rhode Island Red
• Production Red
• Northern Cardinal

There is a Season

To everything there is a season...

A time for china dishes,

A time for paper plates.

Guess which time it is at our house right now.

Puzzles and Popcorn

In my previous post, I forgot to mention that puzzles are another good quiet activity that the children can do when they are sick.  Also Magformers have kept them well occupied and computer games.  We have eaten popcorn too.

One child has accidentally spilled a cup of water on herself and on the couch.  What I thought was a small spill turned out to be a big spill.  I found out after that child kept telling me how wet he was.  So I had this child move to the loveseat and found a big, wet spot underneath where they had been.  No wonder he was cold!

When I called the doctor's office yesterday to schedule an appointment for another child, the receptionist asked for her birthday.  I gave her mine instead.  There is only three days' difference between the two.  After a while you start losing it when there is this much sickness happening where you live.

Then there was the time two nights ago when I was administering medicine to two of the children.  After pouring the prescribed dosage in two medicine cups, I instructed each child to take their medicine before going to bed.  One child took both, and the other hesitated.  Thankfully we have lived through that too.

So we are surviving and staying in and getting well.  Today a little school (reading aloud by Mom) and lots of TLC.

I Will Sing

Even though all of the children are sick, I will sing of the mercies of the Lord forever.  With my mouth will I make known God's faithfulness.  The children are recovering, and our long week of sickness is over, and another week has begun.  The children are not well but are better in varying stages.  I can thank God that I am not sick and can continue to minister to each one of them.  I can be thankful that things are no worse than they are and that the children are getting better.  We have cut back on our routine and are keeping things simple.  When there is a lot of sickness, it is time for survival mode.

1.  Simple meals - sandwiches, pb toast, baked potatoes, soup

2.  Book reading, drawing, quiet play, watching television and lots of rest

3.  Lots of liquids.  Eat when you feel like eating.  If you don't feel like eating, that is okay too as long as you are drinking something.

4.  School only if you have no fever and are well enough to play.

5.  Extra sleep is encouraged.

6.  Lots of TLC.

Day by Day

Chickadee started Tuesday by singing "The Magnificat" and "The Bear Went Over the Mountain" to herself.  On Wednesday the Ace was fine.  By Friday CW knew that her birthday party would not be this Saturday as originally planned.  The children are sick.  One by one they have fallen, and I am falling with them.  Not sick myself but sinking in spirits as each ones succumbs to this illness which I cannot prevent.  My unceasing prayer was that if it be the Lord's will that He would spare us all from this malady.  It was not His will.

Oh, Lord, Thy will, not mine, and yet I fight it oftentimes.  Help me, Lord, for when I am weak (and, yes, I am feeling weak), you are strong.  I need Thee every hour and am especially feeling that need right now.

Day by day, and with each passing moment,
Strength I find, to meet my trials here;
Trusting in my Father’s wise bestowment,
I’ve no cause for worry or for fear.
He Whose heart is kind beyond all measure
Gives unto each day what He deems best—
Lovingly, its part of pain and pleasure,
Mingling toil with peace and rest.

Every day, the Lord Himself is near me
With a special mercy for each hour;
All my cares He fain would bear, and cheer me,
He Whose Name is Counselor and Power;
The protection of His child and treasure
Is a charge that on Himself He laid;
“As thy days, thy strength shall be in measure,”
This the pledge to me He made.

Help me then in every tribulation
So to trust Thy promises, O Lord,
That I lose not faith’s sweet consolation
Offered me within Thy holy Word.
Help me, Lord, when toil and trouble meeting,
Ever to take, as from a father’s hand,
One by one, the days, the moments fleeting,
Till I reach the promised land.

Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,
Blessings all mine with ten thousand beside!

Prayer

'And here the poor mamma uttered a short prayer that she might be enabled to instil good principles into her children's minds, that so Kate, and Undine too, might know dust for dust whenever they saw it, let the outward world shine upon it never so brightly.'

From 'Motes in the Sunbeam', Parables of Nature by Margaret S. Gatty

Comparitive Birth Order

Ace:  CW is the oldest.  Chickadee is the middlest.  I am the youngest.

(That boy has got it all figured out!)