~this moment~

 

{kaffee klatsch}

 

Once again...playing along with

soulemama and friends.

:)

 

{Guest contributor:

Joe Ondrus}



the way...

Have you ever had one of those mornings...when you roll over in bed...fresh from that twilight-y place...and begin to remember the dream you just woke from?

 

 

As hard as you try...bits and pieces of that dream seem elusive...tumbling from your grip with each passing breath. One thing you are sure of...it was quite an adventure...one worth remembering.

 

 

That feeling...whatever it is...seems to be toying and spiraling around me...begging to be noticed...in my waking hours.

 

God is speaking to my heart...but I only have a hint of the story...some pieces are falling into place...but the entire puzzle has not been revealed.

 

A strange place to walk...this uncertain ground.

 



 

As I make my way over this bumpy terrain...some things I can be certain of...God is guiding and so I am calm. There is no reason to rush this...it will happen in its own time.

 

It is drawing me outdoors...desiring to reconnect with nature on a more intimate level...bringing others along...not a solo venture.

 

Finding escape from all the noise indoors to a place of...

 

I will know when I get there. 

This trek will bring many elements together...remembering the Sabbath...unplugged Sundays...family communing together...nourishing bodies and souls...fresh air and sunshine...or rain...or snow. Whatever the day chooses to bring...we will greet it.

Yes, we will greet our day with purposeful intention...it will not slip from our fingers without notice...and we will know deep in our hearts what worship truly is.

retreat

 

This past weekend I was supposed to go...and assist in worship and song...on a Women's Retreat with my church family. Things happen. Usually not as you plan them. Oh...I know that those who did attend...found what they were searching for. Each compelled by the Spirit to be there. The Spirit can be sly...some may think they attended to help someone else who was going...some may have felt obligated to go...still others may have went for the pure fun of getting away. But one thing I am sure of...the Spirit had His hand in their being there...with a clear purposeful intention...and each left feeling renewed in their faith.

 

Delving into the Word with Beth Moore to guide...allowing The Word to speak to each heart...going deep...touching a chord...taking what was learned...feeling armed...ready to do the work.

 

With Camp Michindoh as a backdrop... surrounded and inspired by His beautiful creation...a reflective pond...Autumnal colors...crisp...cool forest air. 

 

A place to really exhale.

 

A place to clean out the cobwebs.



 

 

 

 

My retreat was somewhat different. Although I was with my friends and family in prayer and much thought...my retreat was an inward one. Knowing I was right where I was supposed to be.

 

Thank you Lord  for clarity.

 

When I feel ready I will share my reasons.

 

For now...go with me on this inner quest for peace and contentment.

Beginning with an empty vessel.

Friday saw me nourishing my gang in a most delicious way. Challenged by a slim cupboard...consulting two recipes for Tuscan Bean Soup and creating a new variety. What fun...yeah, I realize I'm a bit strange...but that is fun for me.

And when  an original concoction tastes that good...it sustains me in so many ways.

Yet another reason to give thanks.

So good in fact that I wrote down my recipe and filed it with my favorites from Whole Foods Kitchen Workshop (thanks, Heather...see sidebar Beauty That Moves for upcoming info). Click the pic above to enlarge...if interested...and try out my Tuscan Bean Soup With Cabbage.

My crowd was pleased.

Yours will be too.

My retreat found me at the other end of a broom.
Cleaning and clearing out those cobwebs I was talking about.

Domestic chores can be very rewarding...

filling you with a sense of accomplishment.

Canning...freezing...the bountiful crop I still have available in my very own front yard garden.  The strong fragrance of Basil filling my kitchen as I made the BEST pesto ever! Thank you again, Heather Bruggeman. Did I mention her workshop? This is definitely one of James' lick-the-plate-clean favorites. Declaring it the best vegan recipe I've tried so far.

Real. Slow. Family. Time.

Chasing away the dust. It was quite a race...but I was determined.

Scrubbing vigorously to remove stuff build-up.

Taking time to rest and reconnect in my corner...
my place to breath and think...
to read and know...
to delve deep and search for understanding...

to sing...praise...
empowered by The Word...
armed and ready to conquer all.

To find my way home...
ready to do the work.

Oh yes...
a retreat was still happening.

amen.

{this moment}

 

 

Playing along with soulemama

and friends.

:) 

water

 

life sustaining

cleansing

refreshing

detoxifying

 

clarifying

nurturing

thirst quenching

 

Simply

the  perfect accompaniment

with every

meal.

 

Today's blend

will be

enhanced with

tropical mango

lemon and pineapple.

 

What will tomorrow bring?

 

Cucumber

lime

basil?

 

Perhaps.

 

Suggestions welcome.

 

 

 

p.s.

Pop (soda for those who prefer)

coffee...alcohol of any kind...

sniff-sniff...

has been eliminated

from our diet...

per doctor's instructions.

 

 

 

bettin' men

 

I've shared my love for

Atticus with you...

(To Kill A Mockingbird)

Is there another?

 

His patience

honesty

and

gentleness

are admirable qualities

for a parent or

human for that matter.

 

But when I read how

he threw games...

checkers...

his children's way...well...

I questioned his honesty.

 

 

His children thought he was

old and addled.

 

One could argue that his children

were 8 and 12 at the time

and it is the right thing

to do.

 

This is where we part ways.

 

I made it clear to my guys

early on that I would never

throw a game.

If they win...

they know it was by pure

will...skill...determination...

and a good dose of

luck!

 

Is that mean and cold-hearted?

I prefer honest...

to a fault!

 

 

The other day I played

a game of Scrabble with Joe...

who has been enjoying

a Words With Friends

phone app.

 

His game had markedly

improved...

I had to bring my A-Game

if I had any chance of winning.

 

I didn't pull it off.

Joe beat me by 6 points...

but a win is a win!

I gave him his props.

 

With time to burn

the other night

we decided to play the round

of miniature golf

that was left on our 3-game ticket.

 

It looks like midnight

but it was like 8 o'clock...

ugh...

I am not ready for this.

 

 

 

We were all pretty confident.

Talkin smack and making bets.

 

Loser goes swimming.

 

With evening temps approaching

the 30's...well that

pool has gotten

pretty chilly.

 

No one wanted to lose.

Understand...

 this is a game they both

excel at.

Me...not so much.

 

You can see where this is headed.

 

A cold swim is good incentive.

 

Joe: 41

James: 44

Mom: 40

 

Can you believe James

welshed?

 

Well...I couldn't do much

about that

but I sure

 can blog about it!

 

Tee-hee-hee

;)

 

Sorry, Atticus.

 

these days

 

the days

go by

so

quickly

 

the list

is

long

 

 

the light

is

short

 

with a

candle

glow

 

I am

reminded

to

be still

and

know

 

to take a

bit of that

speeding

time

 

and to be

kind...

 

to

myself.*

 

 

 

A feat that is best accomplished when two boys

are playing video games (yikes! feels

like a confessional) and husband

is away for a sleep apnea test!

 

 

*always read the fine print.

 

;)

 

 

desk work

Exciting news...

 

 

My dining room

is once again

a

dining room.

 

The fiesta wear has

been rotated

to reflect the upcoming

season.

 

Normally

I will focus on a few

colors as the seasons change...

incorporating pastels for

Spring...

vibrant blues and greens

for summer...

this Fall

all the shades wanted to

come out and play.

 

My summer rug

will stay put.

Who says you can't

enjoy a variety of colors

all year long?

 

(If you have an answer

to that question...please

let them know

 I am breaking the rules!)

 

Yesterday...

my focus turned to

my corner

desk.

 

Admittedly

a humble abode.

 

However

the desk in the

living room

was being used by

home school

students.

 

That need changed

and so I had

some reclaiming to do.

 

My new/old

spot

was mine

once again.

 

Which called for a complete

clean-out...

cubby holes and

all!

 

Went through every file

and kept only

that which was still

needed.

 

Imagine...

using files for documents...

statements...

and high school

transcripts!

 

Oh...

I had an organizational

system going before...

but I was

the only one who could

figure it out.

 

Now...

 

Space...

to breath.

 

A place...

to remember

and

smile.

 

One quick

addition

 had to happen

before I could

call it

mine.

 

After raiding

my...ahem...

extensive fabric

stash...

 

I settled on my first

quilt project.

 

This table runner

has some years on it...

 

The flip-side

tells that

story...

 

And all those

years...

 make me

 feel right

at

home.

 

Ahhhh...

 

What are you doing this

weekend?

 

{this moment}

 

 

Playing along with soulemama

and friends.

:)

girl's day out

 

 

 

 

Waiting

dipping

running

changing

helping

jumping

dreaming

laughing

bouncing

lounging

planning

enjoying

swinging

hanging

biking

playing

smiling

talking

sitting

nibbling

 

Yep...

it was just

like that.