Fishing Poles

My heart is so full it hurts tonight.  Many thoughts....


We have this friend across the ocean who is seriously struggling to put food on the table per meal.  Him and his wife eat once a day in order to save money to help the "poor".  

I've been pondering this for awhile now, but keep shoving it to the back of my brain because it's so overwhelming.  Tonight I walked into my crowded closet, with my crowded bookshelves, the brick a brack, the clothes that don't fit and I don't like but keep anyway... and said "Oh my God forgive me."  There is nothing wrong at all with stuff.  Not at all.  Stuff is good, and stuff can really bless people.  However what is the point of my stuff?  (Mine I'm talking about not yours)  If my motto really is Love God first, and love other people... There really isn't anything wrong with money or stuff, however I would like my stuff and my money to be used to bless people.  


Soooo....  That means putting on another pair of glasses to see the world through.


For example, I won't stop going out for coffee with people.  Because that is using $ to build relationships.  However I don't think I'm going to buy new books anymore, when I can borrow the same book at the library for free.  I'm crossing a few things off of my wish list.  Who needs more cranberry glass?  I have no place to put it anyway.


Dave and I have this vision of this fund (maybe we shall call it the fishing pole fund).  Where someone with a brilliant idea can take out a "loan" to buy a resource producing tool, then pay the "loan" back into the fund for someone else's turn.  Our friend for example across the ocean has a brilliant idea for a fishing pole, but has no cash to purchase it to feed his family.  There are many such programs being put into place across the world, maybe it is our turn to start one in this particular spot.


Funny coincidence is in family Bible Story two nights ago we read about the woman who gave her two coins, all she had.


No, I am not taking on a vow of poverty.  I'm actually asking God to make us rich.  Please Lord, I would like to help a guy buy a fishing pole.  And in the meantime I listed a few things for sale on Amazon....


PS:  anyone want two bins full of blue Christmas decorations?  I've decided to keep the red ones.  (YES I have two sets of Christmas decorations!)

I'm Thankful....

My heart has been so full this week, my head full of thoughts. I'm thankful for so many things, and a little peeved about a few others.

School starts next week. AHHHH I am NOT ready! Summer has been so fabulous, does it really have to end? I will miss the sound of laughing kids drifting through my kitchen window! I will even miss the "Mommy what can I do, I'm bored" during naptime when the little ones are sleeping. This year we couldn't do an official "vacation" so we made it a point to plan little fun things all summer long. Camping, "sleep overs" at Grandpa's house, picnics, museum, the park, fishing, McDonald's Play Place... I must say it has been the most glorious summer of my life.

And it all culminates this weekend with a trip to Denver to the zoo and aquarium. Bless my dear husband who dug out his preciously saved cash which he has been tucking away for the last year to buy an ipad. He is saying goodbye to his savings just so we can go see the "tigers and sharks too!"

Speaking of which, I am thankful for him. He put an island of flowers in our back yard this spring. Every once in awhile I find a bowl of flowers on my windowsill. :) Last Saturday he packed us up to go to Ouray to see Box Falls. He HATES hiking, but off he went to the bottom lugging our 22 lb. light 9 month old. Then at the bottom there was this high voice "I want to go up there too" pointing way to the top of the mountain to the bridge over the falls. So UP the 120 steps we go and on UP the mountain (still carrying Mr. Lightness) to see the top!

Cannot imagine what life would be like without my family. My throat chokes up at the thought of school starting again and the house falling a wee bit quieter for the next 9 months. What am I going to do when Kaiden goes off to kindergarten in 5 years?! I can't imagine being done with babies, though yes I know my house is full up to the brim and yes how would we afford another one, and yes I am over 35! Another one would probably have to sleep in the closet. And it's quite ridiculous to go there again when it's so very hard for me to keep my pregnancies. But the thought of being done?! WHAT??!

Course it's not all roses, but I'm thankful for that too. The times of high frustration with 3 little ones are teaching those same 3 little ones how to call out to God for HELP when the baby won't stop crying. They see their mommy's tears when she asks forgiveness for "not talking nicely to you". My beautiful 6 year old is forcing me to deal with my demons of feeling ugly and fat and depressed as I WILL NOT pass that on to the next generation. As the minister said Sunday I will face my struggles instead of rebuking them and figure out what God is trying to show me about His character today.

And now I must stop my rambling and put on my "Financial Administrator" hat. Again, I get frustrated at working for someone else 2-3 hours a day when there is laundry, fresh air calling outside, and a book to read but thank you God that I get to work from home with my baby crawling around my feet.

Tonight when we sit down to Bible Story and my children pray for Christine and Eliash who we support halfway around the world, I will again be thankful that we have a house, way too many toys of which I am at a loss how to organize the boy's bedroom, the struggle with laundry since there is more then one outfit, and so much food that I need to clean out the fridge. For I am blessed, and for that I am thankful.