Thoughts on my mind today

Life is busy and good.  We have managed to escape the sicknesses that seem to have plagued many in our circles. 

I noticed the first sign of spring yesterday.  It wasn't dark at 4:15 in the afternoon!  It actually wasn't dusky until just about 5.  That makes my heart light and happy.  The hope of longer, warmer, brighter days to soon come.

{08.2013}

I am thankful though, while the rest of the country eastward seems to be in the thick of snow and ice, we have had a pretty mild winter so far.  I know the kids are hoping for some more snow. I'm just glad that the days aren't frigid.  At any rate, I am well stocked with an arsenal of things to keep us warm and cozy...coffee, and cocoa, and whipped cream, a wonderful assortment of tea, a woodstove with plenty of wood for it, and cozy blankets. 
You know what else I think is cozy?  Houses with lights on inside.  There is something so cheery about seeing a house aglow with warm lights. Have you ever thought that too?  I often feel a smile beginning when I am driving home in the dark, and I see houses lit up from the inside with a gentle glow.  It's just friendly that way. 

Anyway, January in the Northwest is often a harder month for this California girl.  I am thankful for the little glimpses of spring that the Lord brings to my attention.  Before I can blink we'll be there {in spring}.  Before we get there, we have several birthdays we will celebrate, garden plans to make, chicks to prepare for, and much homeschooling to accomplish.  And that's just our home.  There are so many people I know with genuine needs.  I want to help, to encourage, to be a blessing to them, but how?  I don't have answers for how to balance it all. 
 
Sometimes, I need to remember this: 

Wherever else, far away or near, you pour the bright beams of your Christian love, be sure you brighten the space close about you in your own home. No goodness and gentleness outside will atone for lack of love at home."   ~J.R. Miller

But then I need to remember to look up and out and realize there are needs beyond my four walls.  I want the Holy Spirit to press the needs, which I can meet, on my heart.  

I am often asked by people, "How do you do it all?"  Can I just be transparent here?  I don't and I struggle with that.
And just about the time I think I might have it all juggled, life begins to blur and I need to remember this little nugget of truth.

"The life of faith is lived one day at a time, and it has to be lived--not always looked forward to as though the 'real' living were around the next corner. It is today for which we are responsible. God still owns tomorrow."   ~Elisabeth Elliot

Plans are good, lists are helpful. Even though I purpose to keep a calendar that is not cluttered with commitments, life is still crazy busy with a houseful.  And so it goes.  The challenge:  to bless my family and bless others all the while knowing my limits. 

Just thoughts on my mind this morning.