Spring Mix

As I was cutting some lettuce spring mix, I noticed quite a few spider webs.

All that means to me is that there are spiders in my salad!

This added a new dimension to the meaning of "salad mix".

Then I found a grasshopper.

This adds another new dimension to my now, quite literally, springing mix.

Mmm!

Looking Forward

I get nervous whenever my dad preaches. Maybe it is sympathy nervousness, maybe it is because he is not traditionally a public speaker- he is a farmer. But I think the main reason I get nervous when he starts to preach is because without fail, he includes stories of his children. Most of the time they are stories I would rather not have published, but I suppose it is good to have some real life object lessons.

While he was working on his sermon this week, I was trying to pry him for what his sermon was about and what illustrations he was going to use. This time, I offered him one about me. (Why not... he would have found one about me anyway??)

It is a farming principle: Whenever you are looking forward and not backwards, you will have better outcomes. Your rows will be plowed straighter, plants will be planted straighter, and more produce will be picked, etc.

This is where my story comes in.

Whenever I am picking asparagus, I often have to lean out of the seat on the asparagus picker to reach asparagus or try to pick a whole cluster all at the same time. But... I often miss a few. And whenever I miss some asparagus, I try to turn around and grab all that I missed. The only problem is that the picker keeps rolling. And then I keep missing asparagus because I am turned around backwards and not looking ahead so that my hands will be ready to snap all the asparagus that is coming my way. I only look at what I miss and I get behind. And on occasion, I will roll right off the picker and onto the field. Yesterday I did that and landed in the mud. Flat on my back. Good thing it was only a few inches from the ground!

Don't turn back because he missed something. Keep looking forward, with more determination than before. Keep going and don't fall off the picker.

My dad tied in this story with his sermon. Wherever we are looking and focusing on, that is where we will go. Why focus on where we don't want to go/what we don't want to be like/do? We need to focus on looking foward: looking to Christ.

A Day For Mom

Today actually wasn't too different than any other day. In fact, it was so much like other days, I didn't know what day it really was. Monday? no... couldn't be Tuesday. Oh! It's Sunday.

And Mother's Day.

Everyone thinks that they have the best mom. I am of the same opinion. She deserves the "Best Mom in the World Award". Yes, there is such a thing. Check it out here. But really? This website it pretty lame. You can nominate yourself. Buy yourself a "Best Mom in the World" t-shirt. yep- that's about it.

My mom is more than that.

Here are a few of fascinating items that my mom does/is that makes me proud:

1. She has 6 children.

2. She is hip. (She drives a suburban with a sunroof- & Sarah Paris tells me that is cool, so it must be true.)

3. She became vegetarian her senior year of high school.

4. She likes weeding flower beds.

5. She sings awesome harmony.

6. She arranges flowers for weddings.

7. She loves accounting and paperwork (some genes didn't get passed on...)

8. She is the best cook in our house (& there are a few good cooks around!)

9. She makes visitors at church feel welcome.

10. She is good at plumbing.

Among many other things.

I love you, Mom!

p.s. for another great tribute to my mom, check out my sister's blog.

ha.

I smiled as I glanced at my last blog post. It has been almost a week since I finished school. Boy, was I busy!

ha.

While my parents are vacationing in FL and while Andrew is missionarying in Tanzania and while Elisa is money-making in TN, Luke in I are lettuce-ing and bok choi-ing in OK.

Among other things. Like picking 60+ crates of produce and then standing up and while stretching my back, seeing the most beautiful Oklahoma sunrise. Nurses that work 12 hour shifts don't get to be outside. Farmers that work 20 hour shifts do.

But the dishes are undone. And so is the clean laundry.

The lawn needs mowed, CSA orders filled, paperwork done, customers helped. Asparagus to be picked. Twins to corral.

Combed hair? nope. Shower? quite unlikely.

And the parents are coming home tomorrow. oh boy.

Mark 6:31

"Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest" Mark 6:31

The disciples separated their souls from God and built of self-sufficiency. We think our life is busy! Look at the life of Christ. He was the busiest of all. We think that we don't have time to pray. Jesus spent hours praying. Mercy. How often I trim away my time with God doing things on my own agenda. Lord, let me rest in you.

Take some time to read Desire of Ages chapter 38, "Come Rest Awhile". It is powerful.