Rodeo

Wide eyed my boys watched the ropes fly, the sky dim, the horses run.  

Night fell and it was time to take them home to bed.  Their minds running with cowboys and ropes.

Serve

I stumble and trip over myself too often, looking for ways to serve self instead of selflessly serve.  My oldest son calls for me to come and eat.  He tells me he has made dinner for me.  

His excitement permeates the room and he places the pan on the table.  "Eat" he says and waits expectantly.  Self serve me and a small child with a desire to serve.  

He blows on his dish to make sure nothing is too hot for me to eat.  

John 21:15-17, and Christ says "Tend My Lambs" " Shepherd My Sheep" "Tend My Sheep"... and we are called to follow Him and this means washing feet, washing dishes, cleaning spills... this means serving with love.

Breeze

After all the heat, the wind blew in.  Cool air riding in gentle waves, washing over us all.  

 The fields have long resembled winter in this drought, in the heat.

Excitement rides in with the cool air.  My arms have goosebumps this morning... skin not used to 60 degree weather. 

We play outside and laugh with joy.  

Wheelbarrows and Boys

To have these small, beautiful, moments.  We laugh as they clamber into the wheelbarrow with their rainbow of cars.  Cars and trucks that belonged to my husband.  

Youngest holds the helicopter into the air with wide eyes.  He watches it fly and I watch the sparks of imagination.

Precious are these moments of little boy dreams.  We sit under the oak tree for shade and watch them dream, fly, laugh.  

Come Near

"... Don't they come from your desires that battle within you?" James 4:1

All that selfishness.  All that anger.  All that Worry.  

"Come near to God and he will come near to you..." James 4:8

Freedom. Peace. Joy.

15 Minutes

The mornings have been coming so quickly.  I close my eyes, cheek on pillow, and too soon I hear the sound of little feet running.  The morning waiting outside my window, child climbing bed to see if my eyes are open.  The time here goes by too quickly.  A mist a vapor.  

15 minutes at a time. I am going to start there to rise earlier and seek my Lord.  "I rise before dawn and cry for help; I wait for Your words." Psalm 119:147

Inspired here.

Heat

The heat pours down on us every day.  In the morning and evenings we sneak outside to see if we can adjust to its temperature.  We give our plants a little water.

We sit and breathe in the rich outside air.  We enjoy being outside for those brief and precious moments.

I remember a story from Corrie Ten Boom, her sister telling her to thank God for the fleas.  Which book was it in?  Was it in The Hiding Place?  He works in mysterious ways.  I praise Him that all things are in His mighty hands.