Thirst

It's a strange morning around here.  My poor husband has been sick all night.  My girls for some reason are ALL sleeping in this morning which means right now it is 8:26 and I'm sitting here all alone.  With my Earl Grey tea.

These moments are rare.  Yesterday I was contemplating how my time with the Lord lately has gotten shuffled into the mix of life.  That's not completely a bad thing.  I love reading the Word with my babies on my lap.  I really love praying while washing the dishes and wiping messy faces.  However I know that at times I need to set aside time just for me to meet with my Savior. 

Yesterday I was reading in Psalm 63.  It begins, "O God, You are my God; I shall seek you earnestly; My soul thirsts for You, my flesh yearns for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water."

I began thinking, why don' I feel like I'm thirsting after God?  As my life gets set in cruise control and I'm rolling along, why don't I feel myself yearning for the Lord?

I reminded myself of my poor little water bottle sitting on the kitchen ledge.

It spends most of it's day there.  I refill it almost every morning, knowing that I need to drink at least three of them to consume a healthy intake of water.  But I am terrible about drinking water.  TERRIBLE!  I just don't feel thirsty.  Even of these hot days.  I don't feel thirsty.

As a result I get major head aches,  my skin is dry and cracking,  my energy is low.  It effects my body in more ways than I'll ever know.  I need water.  I will never be living life to the fullest until my body can function the way it is supposed to; quenched and refreshed.

Just because I don't feel a thirst for God, doesn't mean my soul isn't desperate for Him.  Just because I "feel fine" bouncing through life doesn't mean my spirit is parched.  All it means is that I've grown accustomed to going through life with a constant "head ache", with a dry and cracking spirit.  I've forgotten what it's like to be overflowing with the Spirit of God living in me.  To live each moment completely satisfied with His goodness and grace. 

Today I'm praying that the Lord will open my eyes.  That I will see how desperate I really am.  That I will thirst for Him.  Because He is the only one who truly satisfies!

Fun With Slime

Today was a "Try Something New" type of day.  We decided upon "Slime".  If you're going to try something new you might as well try slime.  Especially since I had just stocked up on glue from the back to school sale at Wal-Mart.

You can find the instructions and recipe here~  Slime!

It only takes three ingredients; Glue, Borax and food coloring

Quick, easy, FUN!!!

My girls played with it for at least an hour!  Have fun!

Cousins, Alfalfa and Caves, Oh My!

Last week we went down to southern Oregon to visit David's brother Jonathan, his wife Laura and their three beautiful daughters.  Our girls adore their cousins! 

Talia is only two months older than Ella and the big girls all loved playing with her!

Eliana (Ellie) and Esther are only three months apart and they have always had a special bond with each other.  They were making each other giggle the whole trip!

Baby Tirzah is growing up so fast!  She was full of smiles the entire time.  It felt so good to have a baby to hold and smooch on! (My baby is growing up WAY too fast!)

Laura fed us like kings (hilarious I know).  She is such a good cook and we were completely spoiled!  The girls got to help Uncle Jonathan make ice cream one night!

On Saturday it was "Bonanza Days" so went went downtown and watched the parade.

Our girls had almost made a dent in their candy from the 4th of July so this was very providential.

With eight girls seven and under it was a party all the time!  Jonathan is working on his in-law's farm this summer so while he and David weren't moving wheel lines and swathing they took the girls on dirt bike rides through the alfalfa fields.  The girls loved it there on the farm.  It was so beautiful!

Sunday afternoon, before we came home, we went to the lava beds just across the California border.

It was a fascinating place.  So barren yet beautiful. 

 

Auntie Laura stayed with the babies while the rest of us went down the explore the first cave.  It was so incredible to think of the lava that flowed through to make these caves.  The girls LOVED trying out different paths and seeing what holes we could all fit through.  Only Ella was a little distressed that she didn't have her own flashlight.

Cousins in a cave!

Happy little "Spelunkers"

It was such a blessed trip.  We came home feeling refreshed and encouraged in spirit even if we were a little tired out physically.  There is hardly anywhere in the world that I feel as at home than with them.  We love you and miss you already!!!