Changing Seasons

The change of season has come fast and furiously. Only a few weeks ago we were basking in the heat of a late summer, enjoying a bumper crop of green beans and cucumber. All that seemed a distant memory as I donned rubber boots, rain pants and a hooded jacket for this morning's chores. I wasn't the only one to notice the abrupt turn. The goats were huddled together inside their stall, avoiding the wind and rain entirely. The pigs only ventured from their shelter when they realized I  had a fresh bucket of slop for their enjoyment. Cobie (the horse) peered out from her stall to the rain outside, neck long and low, ears back, eyes squinted. The sheep, usually indifferent to inclement weather, had carefully sought out a dry spot under one of the large trees. Even the chickens were apprehensive to venture further than the overhang of their coop in search of fresh greens and grubs.

The garden too spoke of the change. Wet, browning leaves and stems bearing the final beans of the summer harvest, wilting squash vines revealing large fruits ready for picking and storage, limp potato plants of the remaining undug tubers.

On one hand, mornings like this leave me longing for dry summer days without the responsibilities of homeschooling and the confines of a schedule. The fall has always been the season that I have struggled with long dark days and the feelings that such days provoke. Yet I feel joy this morning because I know that God has created each season with a unique purpose. Each season holds its own lesson and its own story that our Creator has crafted to speak of His glory and to reveal His truth. So, today I choose to embrace this next season and all that God has in store.

a parenting book worth a read

Parenting can be a challenging business. There are no hard and fast strategies of how to raise your children, and seemingly as many different theories and books on the subject as there are stars on a cold, cloudless night. The bible clearly states that children are a blessing and that parents are to love, discipline and teach them. However, in this world of conflicting philosophies and ever changing recommendations by "parenting professionals", choosing who to follow can be a dizzying prospect. Most parents are desperate for their children to succeed but aren't even sure what they mean by success.

I have my own opinions and experience on this subject but am not an expert so am often afraid to voice them. I am reluctant to criticize other parents when I haven't walked in their shoes or lived in their homes. In my own desire to be politically correct I have remained silent when my heart has cried to God over the brokeness I see in families. I know that the problems are largely systemic and can't be solved with simple band aid solutions or how-to-parent manuals.

So, having said all of that, I am now going to boldly say that I am LOVING this parenting book I have been reading! It speaks from an attachment perspective and holds to the conviction that the breakdown of parent- child attachment is the root cause of many other parenting issues. The book is called Hold On To Your Kids by Gordon Neufeld and Gabor Mate. Of course it is only one theory on the issue, but one that I think is brilliant. I won't try to give my own description of the book because I could never do it justice. Check it out, it is well worth a read.

Growing

I have been watching with curiosity the growth of one of the pumpkins in our garden. It is the fruit of a runaway vine that has climbed and clung to the fencing in its pursuit of more sunshine. Interestingly, it began growing in the between the wires and now finds itself limited and strangled by those wires. I am not sure why i am so intrigued by this squash, but I am curious to see what will become of it- and the fencing it is fighting against. Will it continue to grow and become warped and contorted by the wire? Will the wire bend and snap under the pressure? Or, will this little pumpkin just whither and die?

I feel like this plant is a parallel to many of our human issues. We struggle to find our own path yet become strangled by the very things we thought would give us freedom and fulfillment. So, what wire fence am I climbing? What external supports am I attempting to wrap my tendrils around? If it is anything other than the Rock of Ages it is sure to fool me, fail me and leave me lifeless.

These boots are made for walkin'

These boots are made for walking and running and jumping and skipping and everything else a five year old might need to do. It doesn't matter that the zipper is broken and the toes are scuffed. It doesn't even matter that we are going to the beach and that boots aren't the best choice of footwear. Nope, none of these things matter when you are five and your favorite pair of shoes are pink cowgirl boots.

Oh, to be five and carefree. To wear what you want to and not what others think you should. To only think about the next few minutes or possibly the next few hours but certainly not worry about the next days, weeks, months and years. To just live in the moment, thankful for all that God has given and completely trusting that He will continue to provide.

To be five and excited to embrace another day in your pink cowgirl boots (without socks)!

Does the SPCA offer a club card?

We are on a first name basis at the local SPCA thanks to our old yellow lab. I can assure you this is not a good thing. If they offered a frequent flyer program or issued tax deductible receipts for impound fees then then sting of repeated "pick ups" wouldn't hurt so much. Needless to say, they don't have a club card so we need to figure out a better system of pet confinement. You would have thought that after 13 years either we would have smartened up or our dog would have tired of running away. Regardless of his arthritis and large growth on his back leg, he can't seem to resist the temptation of roaming the neighbourhood scoping out garbage. To make matters worse, the SPCA is located less than a half kilometre from our house. How convenient.

On his most recent visit the kind ladies had a soft heart and (after my sob story) said "how about we just pretend he never came here today".

"He's old, somedays he barely makes it off his bed" I told them, "our other dogs are always fenced or contained but this old guy is clearly not a public hazard".

So, this morning when I went for a run with our other hound and her sister in crime (my sister's dog) I had to make good on my declaration that I always contain these pooches. The fact of the matter is that when I run with them I don't usually use a leash. But now that the SPCA has given me a free pass I had better follow the rules more carefully. As I was dragged down the road by 200 lbs of fur sharing a single leash I regretted my claims of being a perfect pet owner. Great, now I am the neighbourhood weirdo who is too cheap to buy 2 leashes so instead risks life and limb taking 2 massive dogs for a run on what was designed to walk one cocker spaniel. I did my best to control them but have to confess that my bylaw following persona only lasted until I reached the trails at the end of our street. "The SPCA isn't open until 10" I told myself "I will figure out a safer method and turn over my new leaf tomorrow". I guess that I will be making a trip to the pet store today. Arrggh.

The best curriculum choice

Here I sit enjoying a little break at a coffee shop (by myself), sipping on a warm and soothing cup of chai. Mmmm. My hubby volunteered to solo the after supper clean-up and bed time so that I could get out for a bit. I came here hoping to do some planning for the fast approaching school year and to read my bible without distraction.

On my drive here I had some time to pray silently and to ask God what He would desire for my children this year. I have 3 kids school age this year so I want to start the year somewhat organized and with at least a rough plan of our goals for each subject. Most of my books have already arrived and our school room is looking neater than it ever has!! Still, I find myself asking "so I have the book curriculum but how do I really teach my kids to love Jesus and desire to serve Him"? I often hear people talking about character development of their children. Sounds great. So I prayed to God as I drove asking Him to direct me to curriculum or studies that would help us with character development.

His answer came to me as I sifted through blogs and articles online with sweet chai spice still on my tongue and warm in my tummy. "I don't want children with good character, I want children who love me. Character is the fruit, we first of all need a healthy tree. Jesus did not come to change the outward but to renew the inward." I know that there isn't a workbook or a curriculum that will satisfy this. I need to rely on His word in the bible and daily prayer and submission to His spirit. He wants more than boxes checked off and learning outcomes satisfied, He wants all of us.

Home sweet home

Holidays are great but it also feels good to come home. It is especially nice to come home in the summer to blooming flowers and an abundance of fresh veggies in the garden. Thanks to a great drip-line watering system and some faithful family, our garden stayed nice and lush in the heat. What a treat to feast upon homegrown peas, cucumber, zucchini and tomatoes. We were also spoiled this morning with a visit with family and some freshly cured bacon and farm eggs. Yes, it is good to be home!

I am mindful at the same time not to hold on too tightly to my treasures here. I am thankful for the temporal comforts we have but they won't last eternally. God keeps reminding me of this truth and my need to focus on His unfading truth and treasure and not the things that "moth and rust destroy" (Matthew 6:20).