Simply Summer

Yesterday was an all around good day. I found myself on multiple occasions thinking about how much I truly enjoy being around my kids--while that's a general truth, there are days when I secretly wish I could put them (or me!) on a bus! So days like yesterday really are a gift, when everything "clicks" and I truly feel Spirit-filled. What a blessing! All too often I am me-centered instead of Christ-centered, and my responses are less than "fruity" (Galatians 5:22-23).

We didn't do anything spectacular. The specialness of the day came from interacting with my kids, not feeling pressured by any time constraints, and taking the time to marvel at how God is working in their lives. We spent some sweet moments around the breakfast table discussing and practicing passages for Bible Bee memory work. Then we went off to the library to get our summer reading logs before school let out. Unfortunately, I did not realize that the library hours have been cut and are not really in an intuitive pattern--we were there at 10:30, and it didn't open until noon. Since Lucan had just awakened from an early nap, I hated to pack everyone up and just go back home, so I drove to the Dollar Tree.

It's been a couple of months since we did some shopping for Operation Christmas Child, and the kids are always excited to shop for their one "free" item that I let them pick out. They were so well-behaved, and I truly enjoyed being with them and listening to them interact, pointing out items that a sibling might enjoy, and talking excitedly about what they might do with this or that. We passed a couple of ladies who were talking animatedly and completely ignoring their three children, who were jumping out at people at the end of the aisles and waving flags vigorously, making much noise in the process. I skipped that aisle, and we continued on. All the kids were quietly walking along with me, not grabbing things or fighting (which does happen--don't get me wrong!), and we passed an elderly lady who stopped me and complimented me on the kids' behavior, having just passed the rowdy bunch a couple of aisle back herself.

We finished our shopping, maneuvering our two carts through the check-out line with minimal disturbance, and then we took a vote and decided to go back to the library before going home for lunch.

I actually got a book for me! I plan to read Amazing Grace: William Wilberforce and the Heroic Campaign to End Slavery by Eric Metaxas, having watched the movie with Ted over the weekend. The movie, by the way, is very good--if you haven't seen it, rent it or borrow it! The kids did well at the library also, and we happily drove home and looked forward to our reading time in the afternoon.

As Lucan napped and the older kids spread out around the house to enjoy their new books, Kenna sat on my lap and we read for 1/2 hour together. I realized that it had been a long time since I had read more than one book to her at a sitting, and I relished the time to cuddle her and interact with her without feeling rushed to get somewhere. She was so sleepy, but alas, she did not nap. I fear her napping days are just about over! But she ended up helping me make bread and prepare dinner, so at least she wasn't whining or getting into trouble!

After dinner Charis and I went to the PEACH used curriculum sale. I spent a whoppin' $7.50, and I got a lot of great stuff, including quite a bit of free items. Charis took her spending money and found some things she wanted as well. We stopped by Walmart on the way home to get a few things, and then I treated us to drinks at Sonic. It's always fun to treat Charis--she gets so excited over small things and is verbally thankful. She kept exclaiming what a fun girls' night out we were having, and my heart was full after spending time with her, too.

We needed summer; I realize that now. I was getting too caught up in "doing" and not taking enough time for "being."