the good things in life....

Good food. I try. Fruits and veggies and meat...a little bit of dairy (half and half in my coffee, and occasional yogurt...) There are all sorts of regimens and programs out there, but I am just trying to stay away from sugars and grains. I never thought, a few years ago, that I could live without bread. But here I am, alive and happy.

Don't get me wrong, I did crack into the chocolate from France...honestly, Paul hugged me and said, "Sweets for the sweet." And they were sweet. Lots of my kids were here from their weekend away in Ottowa, so I had help...thankfully! I know better than to open a bar of European chocolate when I am here by my lonesome.

Yesterday was a brilliantly beautiful day! We had blue skies and warmth...in the sixties anyway. It was a day for hanging clothes out to dry, and putting on shorts to get a little color on my shockingly white chunky legs. The princesses have had their cousin Dani here for the weekend, and they have been playing in the woods. They set up a campsite in the woods, because they got lost from their real campsite...so they have made a bed of grasses near the creek, and have buckets and an old tin pail, and made a spinning wheel from an old stroller wheel...what they need to spin at a campsite is beyond me, but they have been having a blast out there. Muddy girls. I visited and admired their site, then we tromped through the yard and marveled at the bike that grew into a tree. Actually, the tree grew in the middle of the bike tire, but either way, it's pretty cool. It's in the way back yard, and I guess it's what happens when one leaves a bike out in nature.

Paul joined us outside. He was foraging for edibles. He has been reading about the different plants that grow naturally and how they are healthy...he was like a little kid when he discovered something he had been looking for. Here, taste this, he would say. Um, it tastes like grass. He said it was really good for you. It TASTES really good for you. Anyway. He is funny. He thinned the raspberry bushes and planted the blueberries I got him for his birthday. The girls and I got rakes and shovels and helped the creek flow better. I was mud up to the ankles. The dogs were horrid, they slopped through the creek, and would even lie right down in it. They were so muddy! They weren't allowed in the house all day, until I gave them baths, which I finally did. Duke is so good, he climbed right into the tub and sat down. I told him over and over what a good boy he is, he loves me. Outside, he would follow me EVERYWHERE. If I walked ten feet, he got up, followed me, and would lie down again. Paul realized what he was doing, and told me to walk over a bit...and sure enough, Duke got up, walked over to me, sat down, then settled with his head on his paws...keeping an eye on me. He did it for the entire day. It didn't matter if Paul was wandering around in the woods, Duke stayed with me. I hadn't realized before how much he is MY dog, and believe me, I appreciate it. It makes me happy.

We also cleaned under the deck. I asked Paul if we please could, it's a big job for just me, and Paul is a better helper than the kids...he didn't complain about it at all. And believe me, there was plenty that COULD be complained about...I mean, if your mirror breaks, do you just put the broken mirror under the deck for the glass to fall all over? Apparently. Anyway, we got it all cleaned up, and it made me happy.

We had broiled steak for dinner...it was a cheap cut, of course, London Broil, so I marinated it first. Paul doesn't like commercial dressings or marinades with soy in them, so I made my own...a splash of white vinegar, some olive oil, an egg, and some roast beef seasoning, lots of pepper, and a pinch of salt. It was pretty yummy. We had it with lots of different veggies...but no potatoes or rice or bread.

People think religion is hard and heavy and rules-y. But when one is thankful, is that hard and heavy? When one chooses to judge oneself instead of others, is that heavy? How about when one chooses to bless instead of curse. Or not return evil for evil...or to overcome evil with good....or to not be anxious for tomorrow...or to trust in the Lord with all of their heart and not lean on their own understanding...is it hard and heavy to live like that? Is it difficult to be with someone who lives like that? Absolutely not! More and more and more, I am enjoying my husband. He simply will not let the cares of this life weigh him down. He fights against complaining and unthankfulness, and he is a joy to be with. The way he lives is such an encouragement to me...to believe with all of my heart that each and every trial that comes my way is weighed and measured, and is for my absolute best. God knows what I need, and He will never leave me or forsake me.

It doesn't magically make everything easy-peasy. It's a fight to say NO to sin. But it's a fight well worth fighting! Jesus said, "Follow me!" His yoke is easy and His burden is light. Lying and backbiting and lusting after money and people and power and being miserable and discontent and worrying...who wants to be bound by those things? not me. I am so thankful that God has been so good to me...when I see my kids grow up and choose to follow Him, to live purely...I get a glimpse how it must be for God when I make good choices...

Life is short. When I stand before Him on that day, I certainly won't wish I had been mean and backbitten more. I won't wish I had had more money and a bigger cleaner house, or that I had aged well and looked spiffy. If I have any regrets standing there, they will certainly be that I wasn't faithful to that still small voice from heaven...that would speak to my heart about my own behavior...

So today will be a good day. Camille is up now, lying on the couch with a book. It is rainy today, and I have already been out and about, driving Jonathan and Kathryn to my brother's house to watch one of his grandchildren while he has eye surgery. Char is still in bed, I will have to make sure she isn't on her tablet, it IS a school day. Jon and Kap will have to make it up later.:)

Suze is still in bed too. Seven of my kids went to Ottowa for the weekend to baby sit for families there as their church had a big feast...hard to explain, but my kids came home with all their babysitting stories, and were blessed so much.

Anyway...time to get moving...