The Middles (once the Littles)

Some moments the competition can be strong. You have no idea how alike you really are and that can make for some clashes.

But you can’t stay annoyed long because you need each other. You have this bond creating games out of thin air together. Laughing in hysterics over movie quotes repeated for the 19th time in a row but still absolutely hilarious to you both. You have jokes only you two get. Story lines that entertain you talking for hours on end about fantasy castles, imaginary animals and lists of future pets. You have such similar interests, similar play needs and similar attention spans.

You both have zero barriers or hesitancy to play with anyone: young or old, regardless of whether they speak your language or ever will. You both don’t see barriers, just opportunities. And yet you always play together with a new friend. Always inviting each other to go meet the new friend. You are a pair that comes together naturally.

And how I love to watch you both play. You can always create a game anywhere.

Sisterhood is truly a gift from the Lord and I’m so blessed to see how He has given you to each other.

And how you have received His gift with joyfully open arms.

I absolutely love getting a front-row seat encouraging your love.

December 30, 2021 0

The Bigs

Sometimes you annoy each other. You sure know how to push each others buttons like no one else can.

Sometimes you just want some alone time. Time to learn and discover who you are as independent people.

But it’s a treasure to see how you always come back together after your short stints of “human nature”. 😉 You always seek each other out to share your thought, hearts and dreams together. You constantly choose depth and togetherness over the easier options of selfishness and competition.

I love that you both don’t remember a time without each other.

Sisterhood is truly a gift from the Lord

and you both choose to wear it so well.

I absolutely love getting a front-row seat encouraging your love.

December 28, 2021 1

Pullets

Remember the chicks one overjoyed new nine year old got for her birthday?

Well, much like that nine year old, they’re growing by leaps and bounds. Therefore, they outgrew the small chick cage and moved on to the yard version outside.

(Lady checking on the chicks during a rainstorm after we put a tarp on part of their cage for a rain shelter. She’s a sweet and gentle “mama dog” to any animal we happen to bring home.)

With quadrupling their size, our happy pullets then moved on to the deluxe coop recently. They seem to really enjoy the bug buffet in there. And while they flew the coop into our larger yard a couple of times on the first day, they’ve since settled into their new, expanded bird sanctuary as their home.

We have it in the books to upgrade the hutch to an enclosed laying house before heading to South Africa at the end of next month (and about the earliest the pullets could start laying), but for now the old cage is a good perching place and rain shelter.

Since we don’t have chicken predators within our property’s walls, the fence is there as a courtesy idea to keep dogs, rabbits, chickens and children from mingling 24/7 (especially when we have neighbor kids over to play) and also makes for easier future egg collecting (less daily Easter egg hunting throughout the yard 😉). Our dogs have very little interest in the chickens, honestly, and have accepted them as “just another one of us” like our bunnies that have free reign in the yard with the dogs.

(Sometimes the bunnies come up on the porch and peak in through our “floor to ceiling” windows to see what we’re up to in the house. Hehe.)

(Eating the dog’s leftover food while the dog watched at a distance without a care. 😂)

(Feeding the Marshmallow a mango while Shadow came over to say “hi”.)

Yeah, the chicks have grown into teenager pullets, with all their awkward feathers growing in patches like a bad haircut. Haha. But the love for them hasn’t changed one bit. 🙂

(Éden posing with “Sunny” [in memory of her beloved duck from the States].)

(They even tolerate being interrupted to be pet sometimes.)

And this chick mama is still loving her babies as much as ever before. ❤️

October 20, 2021 0

Their Normal

I love how this is their normal.

(Helping Eden with her reading comprehension summary)

(Then Eden copying her summary work into her journal.)

They know school doesn’t look like this for everyone – some even remembering firsthand what private school looked like in our developing country. (No, private school wasn’t traumatic, but it did give greater depth of gratitude, to the oldest two particularly, to enjoy having the freedom to have a say in some academic foci choices. )

But I really love how they remember and will remember their schooling together.

Listening to the next youngest reader in the household. Patiently investing when they could be done with their own schooling faster and pursue their own interests.

They have seen how others stopped to invest in them. And they are willingly interruptible.

(She tracked down Eden to share a funny part of her reading DVD with her – and naturally furries were added to the experience.)

(Waiting patiently for her help with a puzzle when it’s easier to do it yourself.)

(Sanding and refinishing the table together.)

(Finishing painting the shelves when Eden grew tired of her turn.)

(Inviting Hannah to come explore the anatomy model with her at a little science museum while on vacation in South Africa.)

(Working together to make worm composting bins.)

May the invitation always be open to learn from those older and younger than you, ladies. There is much to learn in slowing down to the pace of another beside you.

Afterall, it would be sad to miss the hidden blessing of investing.

What a privilege of a normal, my ladies. Thank you for using it well. ❤️

October 8, 2021 1

According to the Pace of the Children

I must confess, Jacob’s not my favorite. Every time I read the Word and come across Jacob’s story, I’m reminded that I don’t really enjoy the guy. Maybe that’s harsh? I’m not meaning to be harsh, I mean I only know what the Word records about the man, but what it records isn’t exactly flattering. Sure we could go into a long conversation about his sibling rivalry trickery, his selfish promise to the All-Powerful God after his crooked-neck rock dream, his marriage selection flaws, his trickery of his Father-in-law, his poor leadership of his wives… the list goes on. But today as I read Genesis 33, I was reminded of one thing that I’d like to take away from Jacob’s story.

See, it actually comes from a super flawed story that’s unfolding regarding meeting up with Esau again after fleeing Esau’s decently-justified rage of his stolen birthright by whom other than our “hero” Jacob. Understandable Jacob is nervous about this upcoming encounter. Maybe he’s relying on his own deliverance again instead of the Deliverer’s. So he stacks up the “greeting parties” with plans to be able to flee if Esau attacks the front parties, valuing his life above them all by holding up the rear. Each wave of workers and dependents bringing Esau a gift- maybe an attempt to soften the blow.

Cowardly move? It could appear so quite easily. But maybe culture is also wrapped up in it. Maybe there’s some protocol for meeting a potential enemy who’s blood related? 😬

Much to Jacob’s sheer gracious blessing, the Lord defends his lacking servant and moves on Jacob’s behalf to protect him from Esau’s anger, even permitting a more friendly encounter from the previously divided brothers.

Jacob’s response when asked by Esau if he’s like to accompany him back “home”? Verse 13-14 says, “But he (Jacob) said to him (Esau), ‘ My lord knows that the children are frail and that the flocks and herd which are nursing are a care to me. And if they are driven hard one day, all the flocks will die. Please let my lord pass on before his servant, and I will proceed at my leisure, according to the pace of the cattle that are before me and according to the pace of the children until I come to my lord at Seir.”

Was Jacob really concerned about preserving his legacy, his livelihood ? I’ve heard many an argument for Jacob’s secret plot, evidenced by him never actually returning to Seir and therefore some have concluded that he had a hidden plot the whole time to ditch Esau.

But I do find it interesting how Jacob’s speech appears to be very humble in this moment and appears to be focused not on his own good but the most frail among the traveling party.

Maybe the guy is genuine. Maybe he’s tricking again. And it’s in these moments that I am thankful again to not have the job of being the judge of the heart of man. Yet here I do find a reminder even through one who doesn’t quite make the list of “follow my example” encouragers.

The flocks and the children “are a care to” Jacob (vs 13). And I admire that he was willing to stoop to a leisurely pace of the frail cattle and the children.

How many times in our busy lives have we asked the most frail among us and the children to keep pace with our strides? There is much to be done. Many tasks that need our justifiable attention.

Yet here is a reminder to pace myself according to the children. Stopping to tie a shoe. Or look at a bird chirping in a tree just because it’s pretty and worthy of being studied for a minute. Not having an agenda or a schedule that cannot be altered. Not seeing them as a burden or an inconvenience to productivity, but as an opportunity for leisure… leisure together.

And just maybe when we stoop to serve the smallest among us we will see that we needed their joyful discovery pace all along.

Will you join me? Will you take up their pace?

January 18, 2021 1