Summer is Ending

The sky has been cloudy all day, but no rain so far. I feel a little cloudy today too. Both the girls spent the morning with their new teachers for the year. I got to see my new classroom where I will be spending my mornings this school year. And I feel hesitant to leave my summer behind. My summer spent falling more in love with two little girls. They are growing way too soon for their dad and me. Their daddy just ordered them the other day to, "Slow down!" I wish I could sit down with my mother over that familiar kitchen counter and talk about how hard it is to see your babies grow up and need you less everyday. How much more compassion and understanding do I have for her now! I wish I would have known then how dear I was to her. Imperfections and all, I was simply her daughter and held a piece of her heart in my naive and inconsiderate hands. One day, I will be able to speak to her again. A day and hour I do not know, I am going to the place where she now lives. Until that time, I will look forward to the future and hope God has for my little girls and trust Him again and again to protect them and guide their steps.

Cleaning is a monster of mine

Sometime when I was a teenager, I was vacuuming one of our home's kitchen rugs with the hose extension. That carpet seemed to become Velcro to any dirt or fuzz that came it's way, so you had to get down on your hands and knees if you really wanted to be efficient. And if anything, I love efficiency. Because I was getting into the cleaning groove, I continued to vacuum the entire linoleum floor with the hose attachment. My paternal grandmother watched me perform this act of cleanliness and she was, I dare say, quite impressed. See, rumors traveled that she had already made up her mind years before that her granddaughters were not the most tidy creatures. To be truthful, I was probably only down on the floor vacuuming because of her visit in the first place.

Well, would you believe that cleaning groove came on me a bit yesterday and I found myself on my hands and knees again. In my own kitchen this time, scrubbing my linoleum with a rag, water and some Fabuloso. You see, I still believe in efficiency. When something is worth doing, especially cleaning, it needs to be done correctly and completely. The problem is, this idealism causes me to shrink back from basic cleaning because my mind turns it into some kind of monstrous task.

On that floor yesterday, I thought back about that story of my grandma and how my effort had pleased her. I thought about how I wanted to clean that floor not just for the necessity, but because it pleases my Father in heaven. In the story of Mary and Martha, I've always felt Martha deserved a little more credit for her determination to get things done. I believe while I'm cleaning the floor, scrubbing the toilet, or folding clothes, I can still commune with God and know that I am pleasing Him both in taking care of what He has given me and in my relationship with Him.

The Chief Cornerstone

The beginning of the school year is fast approaching and my stomach is churning. No, not anything I ate, it is because I will be handing my precious little girls over to strangers to care for them during the day while I return to the work force. I have to remind myself alomost daily that my children are the Lord's heritage. They belong to Him and I must trust Him to take care of them. Even when they are under my watchful eye. Like now when I'm on the computer and Puddin's in the living room playing or something. Take care of my precious babies, Lord.

I have chosen a daycare called Cornerstone. Supposedly they only employ Christians. Hubby leaves all the daycare solutions to me and has trusted me to choose the most economical place. Yeah honey, of course I chose a child care facility based on price. Puhlease, you can't pay for peace of mind and that's why during week one, I've planned to drop in unexpectedly, observe all the goings on and interrogate the staff. I'll update you on my findings.