Wednesday May 4, 2011

right now, i should be doing a lot of things.
like putting away groceries or laundry.
i should be washing my kitchen floor.
i should be baking cookies for cell group tomorrow night.
i could be cleaning up my neglected bathroom.
i could be mowing the grass.
i should be deciding on what type of flowers to buy for the ladies at our church for this Sunday.
but……
after a morning of trying to visit with a friend while our children were all a clingy, whiny, and hungry mess, and after trying to purchase groceries with kids in said such state….my gumption is depleted.
i have decided instead to make one of my amazing Cherry Limeade’s, scroll through some pictures, and catch up online.
i’ll have plenty of time later today to work on my ‘chores’. my husband will be working late, and somehow, on those days, i always end up having more time for chores.

chores, schmores.

that’s what i said on Saturday too.
me, the girl who packs more things into one Saturday of the hubster home, than i should for the week.

me, the girl who takes nary a day a year away for herself.
me, the girl who is slowly, inquisitively learning from a friend, new ways on how to be a friend.

 

for my birthday last fall, Lor gave me a handcrafted gift certificate to take me to Longwood Gardens for the day.
and, Saturday, was the day.
and, what a gloriously beautiful day it was.

 

made-to-order pretty.

over-the-top-inspirational.

beings we are in the middle of a major backyard project of replacing our over-grown hedgerow with a privacy fence, and since that will give me more flowerbed space, i was super excited about the prospect of getting some new ideas for design and new ideas of different plants to add to my collection.

i came away with both.

and, i came away refreshed and rested.

even tho’ we walked all day long, and even tho’ i was sore the next day, i was rested.

rested inside because of the being surrounded by God’s beautiful creations combined with man’s ingenuity.

if you are at all a fan of gardening, or just enjoy the beauty of God’s creation out-of-doors, you really should make Longwood one of your must-see places. i’ve been there several times, but the last time i was there, was not so great…..i got SICK out of nowhere, and ended up leaving the group i was with and being taken home.
so.
it was good to be there and ENJOY it this time.

/////////////////////

and, while i’m on ‘random’….
a few things that i’ve either found thought provoking, or was provoked to think….

“And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.”  ~Anais Nin

 

i think that as we engage and participate in the activities and events involved in praying for our hurting brothers and sisters, we feel their pains and hear their hearts in ways that otherwise we would not.
and, as we feel those pains and hear those hearts, it softens our hearts.
it draws us toward our God not only on their behalf, but it softens our hearts toward other people who find themselves in similar situations.

it softens our hearts and brings to the surface our own pains and needs, and we find ourselves being drawn to new and healing pieces of the heart of God that we have not experienced before.
it builds our faith as we join together in prayer for a common cause.
it draws us in, makes us a part of the story.
even if it doesn’t turn out how we pray it will.
even if it goes otherwise, it impacts us in ways that we remember.

praying for someone can impact us so that we share with future generations what God did in our lives through the situation we prayed for.
it impacts us and calls us to something more.
something higher…

Him.

~R