Things That Make Me Smile

It is easy for me to feel bogged down with all the endless projects that I see before me.  I look around the house and feel overwhelmed and sometimes even a little angry that someone actually chose wood  paneling to adorn her walls with mismatched trim and did not let the cat out to urinate when she should have!  But, as my wise husband reminded me, all of this is just stuff and we actually have very little suffering in our lives.  He is right and the avoidance of suffering does not make any of us stronger.  When I think of the people who built this house and imagine what their lives might have been like it helps me to put things in perspective.

I also realize that I have so much to be thankful for.  Gratitude is the key to contentment.  God is so good and He gives us such good gifts.  Sometimes we just need eyes to see them.

I planted these red geraniums in pots to adorn the deck window shelf.  I was thinking that red geraniums were what this outdoor space needed, and when I was at Ace Hardware all their plants were 75% off so I splurged and bought these $1 beauties.  They make me happy and I love to see the two Aunt Telly Squirrels peacefully sharing the shelf with their new companion, North Idaho Squirrel.  Now they are all Haefen squirrels.

This is our living room window that faces the deck.  The hummingbirds are attracted to the geraniums and I am able to get close-up views of these charming little birds when they visit my red beauties.

A little morning card game on the deck

Eleanor and Asa have been very engrossed in building little houses for their toys using bark, pine cones, stones and seeds.

Asa's Jo-Jo's and Ella's princess dolls

Eleanor was meticulously working on this stone path.

A favorite spot that I like to retreat to is "The Landing" which is what we have started calling it.  There are some stone steps below the R.V. pad that lead down to a cement rock slab.  It is a quiet place to read and relax.  Corey and Isaac even installed a hammock next to it.  There is a bordered flower bed filled with weeds next to it that beckons me to plant sun happy flowers and ornamental grasses.

The Landing

When Isaac, Lillia, and Esther were given the task of unearthing rocks from the flower beds closest to the house they found stone steps and Asa found a cute little cement duck that seems to go with the bird bath.  It looks like he has been swathed in a moss blanket and appears to be quite ducky floating in his old bird bath.

Last but not least we celebrated Esther's 15th birthday last month and Lillia made her birthday cake all by herself.  It was beautiful and delicious.

I know that these little things are of small consequence but I do think that these small gifts remind us that God is paying attention and He delights in giving us pleasant, lovely things as well as challenges that help us to trust Him more.  So keep your eyes open and don't miss out on a beautiful gift.