Rainy days and mondays...and tuesdays...and wednesdays...always get me down.

It has been raining for days...I know we need it, but, invariably my mood goes south when we have days of gray cloudy skies. I also have some chronic pain issues that get worse during this type of weather, so that doesn't help my mood. What about you? Do you want to crawl under the covers and hide from the world on days like this, or do you embrace cold, rainy days? My friend, Lydia, loves the rain! She feels cheerful, and treats herself to some good puddle-stomping fun! What I love about this even more is that Lydia is in her 20's! I know, you thought it was no big deal, she must be 6, right? I absolutely love that Lydia still goes puddle stomping, and even if she is alone on her college campus, she splashes with glee! I have tried to be more like that, but, I seem stuck in wanting to hibernate, drink cocoa, and wrap in a fleece blanket when it rains! While I am hiding, I try to remember to pray, to thank God that I have a roof over my head, a fleece blanket to wrap in, and cocoa in the cupboard. Maybe rainy day moods are a way God gets me to spend more time with Him, to pray more, to try to be thankful. Today I prayed for my students, who have their final on friday, for my sister to sell her house, for my mom, who is watching some of the grandkids, and for several serious illnesses I know about. Well, gotta go! Cheerful voices just came in my door...the kids are home from youth group. Blessings, friends!

Visiting Samuel

The handsome guy in the middle is my son, Samuel. We spent the day with him on saturday, at Harrisburg Discipleship Center, where he is currently in training for a YES team. YES stands for Youth Evangelism Service, and is a part of the Mennonite Church's programs for missions. Samuel has a 3 month intensive training before he leaves for a 9 month mission trip with his team to Albania. He had to turn in his cell phone, and leave all video games, Mp3 players, etc. at home. If you knew my Samuel, you would realize what a sacrifice this is! He has been a trooper, and is faithfully digging in to what God is trying to teach him during training. Samuel graduated from Northumberland Christian School as the  Salutatorian, with a 4.00 grade point average all through high school. He deferred his acceptance to Grove City College for a year while he goes on his YES trip. Emma is considering doing the same type of thing after she graduates in may. It was so good to spend time with him, we have missed him so much! We took him to Chocolate World, Friendly's, and the mall. Julianna's boyfriend, Jed, came up for the weekend from VA, where he is attending grad school. It was great to have him along! He is the handsome guy on the far right.  More later!

Going on a mission!

I leave tomorrow with my husband, 10 year old daughter, and 2 others to travel to the MAMA project in Honduras! This photo is from one of their recent trips. This is a typical home made of scraps. Our teams set up medical clinics and pour cement floors for the people. The new floors will prevent the houses from being wet and muddy during the rainy season, which will contribute to less medical problems for the families. I will take loads of photos and share when I return.

Goldfinches

Yesterday morning we saw 5 goldfinches digging seeds out of the purple coneflowers. What a lovely view from my kitchen window! Last year I cut back all the flowers after they bloomed, as an older woman told me to. This year I haven't had a chance, and my coneflowers and daisy's have grown wild and free. My sister, Kelly, encouraged me to keep it that way. She said it looked like a fairy garden. The time of pruning will come, but for now...the birds can have a feast!

Spring!

Spring has sprung! While most people see dandelions as invasive weeds, and violets as pretty, but annoying....I see beauty and opportunity! My friend made dandelion jelly, and said it tasted like honey. I looked up recipes online, and found a plethora of recipes for jellies and syrup made from violets, dandelions, rose petals, and mint! I want to try them all! For now, I am picking when I can grab a few moments, and storing the blossoms in the freezer in ziploc bags.

Let the sunshine in!

Ah...sunshine! Warm early spring sunshine sparkled over our corner of the world today. It was almost 60 degrees, but the bright rays made it feel much warmer. I am so ready for warmer weather. It was so nice to see people in the streets, either pushing strollers, jogging, or being pulled along by an eager puppy! My problems don't seem so big on sunny days, I have more energy, I even plan huge projects for the summer with absolute glee. I think if I were more more faithful in my walk with God, I might feel like this even on rainy days! Sometimes I forget Who is in control, and I try to worry about everything on my own. When I really hand my burdens to God, I feel so light and free.

Easter Candy

So, I was really craving these delicious chocolate bunnies that I bought my kids. I bought them the best ones, imported from Switzerland, and I was just drooling thinking about how good they would be. Of course, I didn't buy one for me, I'm trying to lose weight after all! Well, After I saw several of the kids nibbling on their bunnies, I nonchalantly asked my youngest if I could have a little taste. Maybe some kids don't like to share, but not her, she often gives away her entire treat to someone just to be nice. "NO, Mom!" she firmly said, "it's MY bunny!" Bummer, just let it go, right? Not me, "Oh, c'mon, honey...just a teensy taste?"No go. Of course, this just intensified my craving. Finally when no one was looking I grabbed a bite of one of my oldest kids' bunny, he went back to college without it, so I figured it was fair game.... YUCK! After all that emotional hassle, I didn't even LIKE it! I sort of forgot that I don't really like the taste of European chocolate, I'm somewhat of a chocolate snob I suppose. I wonder why we do this to ourselves. We tend to build things up in our minds until the real thing (event, holiday, food, present, whatever) can't help but be a disappointment! I will try to tell myself that whatever I am looking forward to isn't going to be as spectacular as I imagine it in my mind, and hopefully then I will only be pleasantly surprised. Luckily,the only thing I can get excited about tomorrow is the laundry!