Monday - When Little Things Are Really Big Things!

Morning Mosaic

 Inspiration

Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.

1 Corinthians 5:16-18

Reading and Learning

Brain research tells us that when we actually speak out loud what we are grateful for and name the positives of what we see even in a negative situation, it reduces stress and boosts the neurotransmitters dopamine and serotonin, which give you a sense of well being.

pg. 49

In the Kitchen

Yesterday Michael baked cupcakes to take share with the other volunteers at the Food Pantry where he volunteers two afternoons each week. This morning he iced them and put sprinkles on top. The preschoolers helped me make Peanut Butter cookies that we enjoyed for snack this afternoon.

For lunch we had baked chicken, cucumbers (pick from the garden this morning), green beans and crackers. For dinner I had a baked potato with sour cream and cheese, pepper slices and a sliced fresh peach.

Over the weekend I canned twelve half pints of dill pickle relish and this morning I processed four more pints. I think this will be the last of canning cucumbers for this year, as the vines seem to slowing down production to just enough to eat fresh before they go bad. 

Outdoor Fun

The little kids helped Michael pick up some pears that had fallen from the tree. These were taken to the chickens for them to enjoy. I'm hoping to start canning pears by the end of the week.

Slug friends and human friends! 

Other Fun

Michael did a good job feeding the real baby and the kids practiced their feeding skills on baby dolls and stuffed animals.

On My Mind

Today, as I'm looking at the things I'm grateful for, the seemingly little things that are really the big things, I realize again how truly blessed I am. Here are some of the "little things" that God has blessed me with.

All these kids - from infant, to toddlers, to preschoolers, to a teenager. I get to enjoy facilitating, participating in, and observing the joy of discovery and learning each day. They remind me every day to laugh and show me the wonder in the world that I would easily miss in my hurry to get the next thing accomplished. And with a wide range in ages and personalities, there is a wide range of experiences to share. 

My furry and feathered friends that alternately make me laugh and exasperate me. I love waking up in the morning to hear the roosters crow outside my window. I love Bear's sleepy stretches and sudden exuberance each morning when he realizes he gets to go outside and play (which translates to barking wildly at the cats) now.  And the puppies' excitement when the see me coming to greet them is contagious. I even have to laugh through my exasperation when Bear insists on catching that fly buzzing over my head even if it means jumping on my face while I'm half asleep.

I so enjoy watching the garden grow - hunting for cucumbers in my rediculously large cucumber patch (the fact that the weeds have totally gotten ahead of me doesn't help!), waiting for the tomatoes to ripen, pulling fresh carrots and turnips to eat. Picking pears from the tree in back yard. Picking and drying the abundance of plantain that grows in the yard. These are blessings I am grateful for every day. 

I am grateful for this house I get make into a home. It is so far from where I want it but each day I get to make it a little more the way I envision. 

And I am so grateful for the people God has put in my life - the people I can call or text any time with a thought, a funny experience, a silly meme, a nugget of wisdom, a special verse, a prayer request, a praise for a prayer answered. I am grateful for fellow believers to worship, learn, pray and share life with. I am grateful for the people who come into my house each day as we share the awesome responsibility and joy of caring for these precious children.

I am grateful for bird song, that first cup of coffee in the morning while sitting on the porch watching the sun come up, the cat who winds around my ankles every morning as I enjoy that cup of coffee, smells of good food cooking, the pop of jars lids sealing after long hours of prepping and canning, laughter at random things, beautiful music, good books, wildflowers, butterflies, the smell of rain.

And I want to be sure to savor these moments, be fully present for them, and not miss any of these little things that are really the big things.

Today's Quote

Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things.

~ Robert Brault