Day One of our Journey - The Day of Rest

I guess I should begin by making sure that I communicate clearly. This is now my journal. A way to look back and reflect. A way to see blessings and some not so great decisions. A time to learn. This is MY and my family's learning. Therefore, when I write posts, I am writing for my family and my opinions of my life. I would never tell anyone how to live. My hope is that through my writings, you will be stretched and maybe find some new ways of doing things. If you don't, that's fine too. You can just sit back and call me crazy. It's OK, I have already heard it a few times. :)

How fitting it is to start this journey the day before the Lord's day. A day to worship the Creator of all things, relax and reflect. A time to rejoice in praise and rest while rejuvenating our mind, body and soul. It is fitting because it's the foundation, the backbone one might say, of setting up a productive and God-filled week. A week of hard work and staying on track. A day to be thankful for the blessings that abound.

The Sabbath has been abandoned. We fill our schedules and we run, run and run some more. If the Lord of Lords, the God of the Universe, had to take a break after six days of hard work, why would I think that I would not? Am I super woman? Do I have more strength to continue? God did not take the day to rest because He was tired. I really don't know that He gets tired. He's amazing and perfect. I think He took the day to reflect and look back on what he achieved during the days before.

The first step in our journey is to embrace the Sabbath. Go back to how the Lord would like it.

I will be working very hard (and it will take some preparation) to not cook, clean, use the computer or internet and abstain from places in which someone has to work on the Sabbath. Is that extreme? Some might say it is. However, as you can probably tell, I am an extreme person.

I also know that for some, the Sabbath is not Sunday. For that, I totally understand. Find a day during the week that works for you. A day where you can look back at the six days before and know you've done your best work. A day where you can put everything aside but your love for your Father and family. Relish the moments. Enjoy the day. Relax.

Observe the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Work six days and do everything you need to do. But the seventh day is a Sabbath to God, your God. Don’t do any work—not you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your servant, nor your maid, nor your animals, not even the foreign guest visiting in your town. For in six days God made Heaven, Earth, and sea, and everything in them; he rested on the seventh day. Therefore God blessed the Sabbath day; he set it apart as a holy day. 

                  - Exodus 20: 8 - 11 (Message)

What about you? What does the Sabbath look like for your home? 

Dreams Become Reality

Let's just get this out of the way... I am twenty-eight years old. I feel much, much older but I guess in the whole picture of life, I'm not really that old. Maybe it was just the toll three boys took on my womb. I swear I had soccer players before they were born.

With feeling old and being a mama of young chickens, the feeling that this is all life is and that there isn't time for your dreams to unfold engulfs your mind. That is the battle in which has been raging at the forefront of my mind. Add that to the fact that I have no self-confidence and I feel people will laugh at it, and I'm stuck. I'm in this limbo of wanting a dream, yearning actually and the feeling that I don't know where to begin and it's silly. I feel like I have multiple personalities. The devil versus angel on the shoulder. The same old debate. I know others have it. I know I cannot be the only one...

It is time to take a stand. A time to hold fast to the promises of God. It is time to put on my big girl (hmm....) panties and take hold of my life. I am tired of living life, scratch that riding the wave of life being scared.

With much prayer and a passionate heart, I am embarking on a new journey. A journey in which I will finish and see to the end with the Lord's help. A journey that will redefine me and refine my family. One in which we will grow.

My dream involves bringing all my passions to one place... A farm. A piece of land. A place where my heart can soar and peace engulfs me.

I yearn to live off the land. Be self-sufficient (to a point.). Raise our kids along side of my husband. Be free of debt and worry about money. Give continually. Share my passion of raw nourishing foods. Teach others. Raise free range beef. Work hard and love harder. Be content and peaceful. Look at the windows and see the hard work.

And mostly... I want to share my journey. I want to be a testimony to God's enduring promises. I want the Lord to use me. I want to live daily in His grace and love and share it with others.

So... With that being said... I am back. I am going to write. I am going to share the ups and downs of our journey. I am going to share and pray that this blog portrays me... A Jesus lovin', help-meet to Andy, mother to three amazing boys 'burb girl and her journey to the land. The land she feels in her heart she can find peace. Will you journey with me? Will you pray for me? Will you laugh with me through the ups and downs - mistakes and blessings? Will you lovingly hold me accountable? Will you DARE to dream with me?

Once again, pull up a chair. I know you're tired. Open your eyes to the possibilities of your dreams becoming reality. And will you dream big with me?

Jesus isn't in the Manger - A Christmas Tale

As I sit and reflect on Christmas a couple of days ago and the time leading up, I am sad. I am disappointed. I was blessed but something was missing. Someone was missing. I misplaced Jesus. He not only wasn't in the manger, He wasn't at the center of my thoughts.

Every year, I begin to prepare for the Advent season and every year, it seems, I get off track. The hustle and bustle is more than I can take. I give up before it even gets started. I am overwhelmed. I am saddened by the commercialism and materialism. I stop. My excitement wanes. I hide.

For five days we ran back and forth, each moment slammed packed with another celebration. Another place to be. It was too much. By Christmas morning, the boys were holding on to the door frame and we were pulling them trying to get them to go to another event. They just wanted to be still (How often can you say that for boys!?). They just wanted to play. It broke my heart but I had to get us to the next place.  If we weren't there and there on time, someone might be angry. Someone's feelings might have been hurt.

As I sit here and reflect, I cannot help but wonder where Jesus was in my celebrations. Only speaking for myself, He wasn't at my heart and mind's center. Jesus was missing from the manger. The reason my heart yearns to celebrate was not present.

I cannot help but wonder how many people especially mamas feel like this during the Holiday season? How many feel that Jesus was missing from the manger? And as mamas and women of faith, how can we make sure our hearts and minds are focused on the baby that lay there?