Life in Nebraska ....

 I just read a prayer from an old devotional I had sitting around here.  One phrase in it said, "for our lack of inner steadiness we ask pardon".   And later on....Give unto our or souls calmness sufficient for life's unrest.       Those are the things I want more than anything. Steadiness and calmness inside. And to come out in Joy and kindness.  Christ in me!    Sounds high and lofty but really it's just real.  It's what it is.  I've been enjoying the freedom of that....being steady because of what Christ in me is doing and trusting that.  The babble and noise and bickers and unrest of relationships all fades when I  stay right there.

Keagan and Shaunti had some sort of obstacle course show going on here.  Shilah went out to watch and take pics.  Shilah and Bruce and family came to see us.  We spent one day at the zoo and day just hanging out here.  What a lot of fun every one had!  Except for Laife got sick on their last day here.  Felt so bad for him!  ??? I don't know either.... Determined to be as cool as Shaunti and Keagan.... Mid Jump.... At the zoo. Bruce doing his move that made the gorilla MAD.... My boys in awe of him and it.  I begged Mathias and Keagan to take a detour with me into the garden of senses at the zoo Lunch a the zoo.  We  were able to run our day smoothly at the zoo with them....The kids all did so good.  Look who's tired.  Looks who's tired but won't admit it.  Happy Birthday to Shaunti!  Cousins.  They even look like ...

        Ah!  This is where I've wanted to be but can never get here because of so many other things pulling me.  And then I realize I'm procrastinating on fb or other places because I don't want to work either.      We got back home a week ago from Camp meetings in North Dakota.  I hadn't been there for almost 20 years.  I found it interesting how they go on every year for years in the same way.  They told us they have hosted the camp meetings there for 43 years.  It's a small little Mennonite church in North Dakota that has been hosting these meetings.  The meetings are in a tent now instead of a little chapel up on the hill.  They still have the same campfire on the last night to sit around. They youth aged kids still play volleyball every moment they can.  The kids under youth age found things to do like ride bike and play football and soccer and watch each other.       By Sunday...

Bug Man found a butterfly or moth.... She's just always beaming and bouncing for me.  Yes, we three are just the coolest. This is what he does ALL THE TIME.... The love between these two is mutual....Snickers gets as many beams and love as I get from Jeanie. Mathias had a fever this morning.  So when all our entertainment left for church we made our own entertainment.   He really  wasn't feeling that good.   Tools of the trade. First Sunday Dinner with just us at our new table. Six year old with mulberry war paint....taking something apart again... If you look ahead to the next ten years or look behind at the last ten how would you do life different?  I'm remembering again that this is IT.  This is my time.  I'm intent on enjoying and noticing and making sure it's valued NOW.  Because this is my time....the moment God is giving me now.  I sure love my family! ...