Today is a new day with a continued project. I was lucky to happen into a 'bushel' of apples and now am continuing into the third day of making applesauce. I like making 'product' with what nature supplies. Product that I can shelve and retrieve at random to be enjoyed in the years' cold days. As I've stood for hours peeling, dicing and cooking my apples thoughts keep pouring through my mind. I'm a very visual person when in deep thought so these thoughts have almost become reality making me quite anxious for all the new possibilies. Of course I'm not invincible and have to put aside many such ideas, if not just 'till a future year. But I admit my heart-strings were recently pulled and now I believe this is what triggered my frame of mind. I will explain.
I visited an organization that offers a wonderful service to the dear ones in our community. The name is Family Building Blocks. I was able to take a tour of their facility and was near tears the entire time present. They told stories of clients that had come in hopeless and broken but were brought into the program to be taught and healed of past addictions and wounds and then to be led out towards education and unity in their new formed families. I'm talking about single mothers needing support and teaching, and young addict couples needing direction and a parenting figure. The teachers work with the children and the parents to form new relationships that are statisticly proven to last. With lack of any better way to state it - it's beautiful!
And why is this so on my mind? I'm still trying to figure that out. I too have a family I'm focusing on and believe with my whole heart that this is where I am to be...but...am I being pulled towards something else? Being blessed with simplicity and family and love! is what I look forward to daily. Society makes me struggle to hold onto my family given responsibilities; it grabs at what I provide and promises an easier day if I let go. So many people have been sucked into that 'society' lifestyle but I just cannot let go. The picture is becoming bigger to me!
The bigger picture:
I see the beauty in working in my garden, providing home cooked meals and goodies. I see the rest in seeing my family healthy and strong from the garden grown and home canned foods; and from the camping trips and outings in mother nature. And then you can't beat the time spent talking through long driven trips to unknown locations or just sitting around the dinner table where everyone is available and there to listen and talk even if no one wants to or sees the need to. Presence in so important.
Now the outer borders of this picture:
God didn't just form families to be self-focused. He planned communities and churches to be your family extensions. We are told to take care of the sick and homeless and poverty stricken. We have a responsibility to care for more than just who's right here. That's my bigger picture. And now I can pull in one of my mind's "visual pictures". Imagine a link between self-sustaining people in the community and those who are so lost. Those young single mothers and addicted couples may feel more connection with life and love and God if we were to reach out to them and let them experience our simple lives. Teach them to bake bread or can applesauce...teach them the reward in going to the park with a child or taking a family walk. Give them the opportunity to grow a garden. I suppose it's similar to a child mentor program but instead you're mentoring a family. And what do you get out of it? Maybe a bigger family!
It's still in the thought process....it's not exactly easy to see an idea with no experienced plan and then step out on a limb to accomplish it but with the support of my family it can be done. After all that 'limb' we'll have to step out on is much sturdier than the limb on which the one we reach to help clings.
Don't figures from speech motivate!
I hope I'm not alone here!
I
I visited an organization that offers a wonderful service to the dear ones in our community. The name is Family Building Blocks. I was able to take a tour of their facility and was near tears the entire time present. They told stories of clients that had come in hopeless and broken but were brought into the program to be taught and healed of past addictions and wounds and then to be led out towards education and unity in their new formed families. I'm talking about single mothers needing support and teaching, and young addict couples needing direction and a parenting figure. The teachers work with the children and the parents to form new relationships that are statisticly proven to last. With lack of any better way to state it - it's beautiful!
And why is this so on my mind? I'm still trying to figure that out. I too have a family I'm focusing on and believe with my whole heart that this is where I am to be...but...am I being pulled towards something else? Being blessed with simplicity and family and love! is what I look forward to daily. Society makes me struggle to hold onto my family given responsibilities; it grabs at what I provide and promises an easier day if I let go. So many people have been sucked into that 'society' lifestyle but I just cannot let go. The picture is becoming bigger to me!
The bigger picture:
I see the beauty in working in my garden, providing home cooked meals and goodies. I see the rest in seeing my family healthy and strong from the garden grown and home canned foods; and from the camping trips and outings in mother nature. And then you can't beat the time spent talking through long driven trips to unknown locations or just sitting around the dinner table where everyone is available and there to listen and talk even if no one wants to or sees the need to. Presence in so important.
Now the outer borders of this picture:
God didn't just form families to be self-focused. He planned communities and churches to be your family extensions. We are told to take care of the sick and homeless and poverty stricken. We have a responsibility to care for more than just who's right here. That's my bigger picture. And now I can pull in one of my mind's "visual pictures". Imagine a link between self-sustaining people in the community and those who are so lost. Those young single mothers and addicted couples may feel more connection with life and love and God if we were to reach out to them and let them experience our simple lives. Teach them to bake bread or can applesauce...teach them the reward in going to the park with a child or taking a family walk. Give them the opportunity to grow a garden. I suppose it's similar to a child mentor program but instead you're mentoring a family. And what do you get out of it? Maybe a bigger family!
It's still in the thought process....it's not exactly easy to see an idea with no experienced plan and then step out on a limb to accomplish it but with the support of my family it can be done. After all that 'limb' we'll have to step out on is much sturdier than the limb on which the one we reach to help clings.
Don't figures from speech motivate!
I hope I'm not alone here!
I
