Showing signs of Summer-itis

On these rare, warm, blue sky spring days in the Northwest, I tend to get Summer-itis. 

I lay in the hammock in the back yard and stare up through the Curly Willow tree at the sky. I daydream about harvesting goodies from my (hopefully) full veggie garden boxes while the kids play in the splash pool. Of warm days running errands with the windows down and the wind blowing the kids' hair. 

I daydream of the smell of the strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries that I hand pick with the kids at my local farmer's. The birds chirp, the wind gently rustles the tree leaves while parents teach their children how to find that perfect berry. 

Yep, I have caught Summer-itis. Big time. I know this warm, spring weather won't last so I try to enjoy it while it is here. And I am thankful and excited for what is to come with summer. So, what do you daydream about when you get Summer-itis? 

(musings on) Hurting Hearts and Hope

Some horrible things happened last week where many died or were seriously injured. A bombing, a fertilizer plant explosion, a big earthquake in China - just to name a few. That doesn't even include the every day happenings that are closer to home and just as horrible. People killing each other, kids hurting other kids, children never given a chance a life because of abortion, all kinds of abuse, addiction, and natural disasters. Many start questioning the point of it all; the point of this life. With all this going on, many start losing hope. So I ask you, Where is your hope right now? Mine is in Jesus Christ. Jesus asked us to follow Him. 

Mark 1:17 & 18 - And Jesus said to them, "Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men." 

Immediately they left their nets and followed Him. He asked and they followed. There was no big, long discussion on what He expected of them. He said, "Follow Me." Are you willing to leave your current life behind and let Him guide you? We strive so much for success, a comfortable life, a grand purpose that you will be remembered for but these don't bring hope to us like a life lead by Jesus. 

John 10: 25-30 - Jesus answered, " I did tell you, but you do not believe. The works I do in my Father's name testify about me, but you do not believe because you are not my sheep. My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand. I and the Father are one." 

I want to have hope. I want to be His sheep, to hear and listen to His voice. I want to leave behind my old life and follow Him to where He wants my life to go. I love these lines from the song, Hosanna by Hillsong United. They say it so well.

From the song Hosanna

"....Open up my eyes to the things unseen

Show me how to love like You have loved me

Break my heart for what breaks Yours

Everything I am for Your Kingdom's cause

As I walk from earth into eternity"

More lyrics: http://www.lyricsmode.com/lyrics/h/hillsong_united/
YouTube video of Hosanna by Hillsong United here   

Earth Day 2013

How will you

Ducks swimming in a pond in Seattle, WA.

Baby ducks taking a break from swimming the Kenai River in Alaska.

 get outside

Variety of color on the blooms at the Woodburn Tulip Festival in Oregon. 

Sunset in Maui, Hawaii. 

 and enjoy

Perfectly calm waters and big, beautiful mountains in Alaska.

New growth after a wildfire in eastern Oregon.

 God's wondrous creations

A beautiful show by a Peacock. 

        

A waterfall off the Hana Highway in Maui, Hawaii.

this Earth Day 2013?

A river runs through the evergreen covered hills of eastern Oregon. 

A bright red tropical flower on the Hana Highway in Maui, Hawaii.

What wonders the eyes see, the skin feels and the ears hear in this big, beautiful world that God created and that we get to enjoy the very short time we are here! And what wonders await us when we get to be with Him again.......

Television Wisdom Wednesday: A Prayer

I was just thinking about this movie the other day. I hadn't watched it in a while and thought I would like to again. And what do you know, as I was looking for something to watch while doing a project today, there it was on the channel guide. Divine timing? Maybe, who knows but it provided today's wonderful Television Wisdom. (wonderful in my opinion anyway!)

From the movie 

The Book of Eli:

Denzel Washington as Eli - 

"Dear Lord, 

Thank you for giving me the strength and the conviction to complete the task you entrusted to me. 

Thank you for guiding me straight and true through the many obstacles in my path and for keeping me resolute when all around seem lost. 

Thank you for your protection and for your many signs along the way. 

Thank you for any good I may have done. 

I'm so sorry about the bad. 

Thank you for the friend I made. 

Please watch over her as you watched over me. Thank you for finally allowing me to rest, I'm so very tired. But I go now to my rest at peace knowing that I have done right with my time on this earth. 

I fought the good fight. I finished the race. I kept the faith." 

Do you love this prayer? I love this prayer. I hope to live in a way that I could say a similar prayer when it is time. I feel, so many times (every day even), that I am not 'living up to' this prayer. Do I even know what task God has given to me? How would I know what that task is unless I spend every day in the word like Eli did in the movie? Have I ever knelt down and prayed to God that He reveal what my task is in my time on this earth? How about you? Where are you at? I know, so many questions but they are questions we all should be asking ourselves, aren't they?

Random Photo: Dreaming of Hawaii

Maui, Hawaii

The warm waves greet the sandy beach again and again 

as I lay on my towel. 

I soak in the sunshine and the spirit of aloha. 

The sounds of laughter and memories being made fill the air as does the sweet smell of a beach barbecue. 

I venture to the water to wash away the stress and tension of life.

I find peace and rejuvenation. 

Aloha Hawaii

until next time....

Television Wisdom Wednesday ( a day late): A Good Woman

From the show Duck Dynasty:

Phil Robertson - "If you can find a nice pretty country girl that can cook and carries her bible, now there's a woman."


I think this should be the start to what defines a good woman but somewhere along the way we lost this woman. We traded her in for what is convenient and serves our self, not our family. We need to find the balance. That is my opinion anyway.

A little Easter and Spring Break Fun

Hey ya'll! 
I missed my Television Wisdom Wednesday yesterday so I will make up for it today. We are on spring break this week and have been keeping busy with Grandpa in town. We went for a drive and checked out a fish hatchery one day. The kids squealed happily when the fishies were feed and were all jumpin' around. Cuteness! We spent a day just playin' in the back yard, enjoying the sunshine. We even got in a little yard work and veggie seed planting. (That made this momma happy!) Today, since it is yucky and rainy, we went to OMSI (Oregon Museum of Science and Industry) and learned a bunch of scientific stuff. The kids love testing out all their hands on stations. Oh yeah! This past Easter weekend we had a bunch of fun too! Saturday friends came over and we colored eggs. Then the kids had a hand full of egg hunts in the back yard. The kids played, the moms chitchatted - we all soaked in the sunshine. Easter Sunday, we put on our Easter best and went to church to praise Jesus! After church, it was off to Nana and Papa's (my parents) for traditional ham and sweet potato dinner. Then more egg hunts, more sunshine soakin' in, and we even visited with a gardener snake that lives under their deck. All in all we have had a busy week and just haven't gotten to the computer much. As much fun as writing on my blog is and chatting on Facebook with friends is, being outside, in God's creation, with family and friends is much more fun. (and for the little ones, sooooo important) I hope ya'll had a blessed Easter weekend and a great spring break! ~ Erika