Light, Love, Hope

Thursday night things were wonderful as my family and I visited the county fair.  I watched my oldest daughter practically floating on Cloud Nine.  She smiled, she laughed, she was herself again.

I was thankful.

Friday came and the winds begin to blow in our direction.  Heavy gusts that almost caused us to lose our footing.  They were so powerful as there was a storm brewing.

Heavy rains came in on Friday night shaking us and creating fear and doubt.  Saturday, the storm was here with full force as we tried to take cover.

The emotional storms of life catch us so off guard.  We can be sailing right on through life just having the best time ever when all of a sudden BOOM … lightning crashes, thunder rolls … and you’re holding on and taking shelter the best way you know how from the storms of life.

You try to talk it out – talking always helps.  Yet, in this case, the person is non responsive.  They clam up, unwilling to help when they have the power to do so.  Unwilling to help ease your mind in the mist of the storm.

And you feel tossed in the eye of the storm.

It whirls around, causing destruction …

That is what not communicating will do.  When you’re in the middle of conflict and the other person refuses to talk or refuses to help – destruction is sure to follow leaving debris in its path.

This is what we encountered.

Sunday we tried to let it go and let God take over.  We offered up our concerns to God in prayer, cupping our hands and handing it over to Him.

Take it, God.  It’s yours.

Monday came, and the storms raged on for my darling daughter.  Tossed to and fro, her mother could stand in the wings no longer.  She had to throw a life preserver.  She scrambled any way she knew how to save her daughter in the mist of the storm.

And yet, she is only one person.  She hopes to make a difference.  She tries with all of her might.  Anything for her daughter.

Waiting now for the storm to pass.  Trusting God in the mist of it all.  Knowing that He will see us through even the worst aftermath of the storm.

With hectic schedules, meetings to attend and carting children to different activities, some times we just need to carve out a time to rest.   Otherwise, we will simply wear ourselves out.

This used to be my life.  I used to run myself ragged going here and there, doing for every one, and participating in every thing.  It began to take its toll, and finally I decided that it was okay to bow out of some things.  I also learned not to over commit myself, and I learned the value of saying, “No!”

I let myself off the hook.  I took the pressure off.  And I allowed myself to just … be.

Taking on less is really a blessing.  It frees you up for the important things, like spending quality time with your family.

I realized several years ago that while we were busy going, doing, and being involved in almost everything, we were missing out on valuable time together as a family.  Yes, we were involved in a lot of good and wonderful things with our church, but we attended different meetings and activities … separately.  We would go into the church building as a family but soon split up to go our separate ways for the morning, afternoon, or evening activities.  Now that I have freed up our schedule, we are able to do things together as a family.

Take today for an example.  Off we went on a little adventure to a plantation to explore all the Halloween goodness they had in store.  On the drive there, my family and I were able to listen to music together and sing along to our favorite songs.  Once we arrived, we sought out fun things to do like the big inflatable slide that my daughter loved or the hayride through the haunted forest that we also enjoyed together.

Our weekends used to be just as busy as our weeks were, but now we are able to make resting and relaxing a priority.  Although we were on the go today traveling to the plantation, we were spending quality time together enjoying each other’s company in the great outdoors.

Do you make having a time to rest a priority?

“Mom!”  she yells from the living room as she continues, “Let’s goooooo!”

My 11 year old is ready for an adventure this afternoon, but it isn’t just any ole adventure.  She is ready for some Halloween fun!

I imagine we’ll begin with the corn maze adventure.  This is where we will surely get lost and have to call for assistance from those looking down from their hideaway spots at all of us below scurrying around like ants after someone has stepped in their bed.  Here and there we’ll go, unsure of the way out, and finally we’ll laugh, look up, and say, “Help!”  Then they will give hints on which way we should go to finally see the exit!  We will run as fast as we can, with great relief, and vow to never do that again … until next year!

My husband isn’t a big fan of corn mazes, by the way.

Next up, I’m sure, will be the duck races.  My daughter likes the old fashioned pumps.  You have to use both of your hands to pump, pump, pump water into a PVC pipe that has been cut in half.  You’ll see the little yellow duck as it gets pushed further down the pipe with every pump you provide.

I can just see her running to the long, high-in-the-sky slide, too!  She loves going through the black tunnel exclaiming, “Weeeeee ….” the entire way down!  She’ll land at the end with this huge smile spread across her face and say, “I want to do it again!”  And … she will.

Then we’ll end up in the pumpkin patch to find THE perfect pumpkin to take home with us.  Pumpkin carving is a must this time of year.  And so we will pick the perfect pumpkin, carve it, and display for all of our visitors to see … right there on the steps of the front porch.  Yes … we … will!

They also have the neatest, largest inflatable “horses” that you can climb up on.  In order to get your horse to walk, though, you have to use your legs to push yourself up and then bounce around the track.  That was THE most fun when we went before!  We had the best time laughing about how silly we looked, especially when one of us bounced too hard and ended up falling off of our “horse.”

OH and let’s not forget the horse swings offered, too!

What could be better than all of this Halloween fun?  A hay ride and then topping it off with hot, freshly boiled peanuts … yum!!  That is a must in the South!

Ah yes, she is ready for an adventure that begins in ….

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