In the Midst of It

Do you ever wake up in the morning with a thousand thoughts whirling around in your head bumping into each other? This morning I felt like a massive beehive had been stirred and the bees were on a major rampage in my brain. The thoughts ranged from the mundane...I need to do the laundry, clean the house, exercise, get to work on time....to the intense...how is my dad going to respond to chemo today, how can I be supportive to my parents when physcially removed. I will refrain from listing all that was swirling in my head, but you get the picture.

As I sat and attempted to pray, which I might say was difficult with all the buzzing thoughts, I remembered how God had spoken to me recently right before my dad's surgery. He used a line from a song that was the theme of a Bible study I was in at the time.

"I'm finding myself in the midst of You. Beyond the music, beyond the noise. All that I need is to be with you. And in the quiet hear your voice. Word of God speak, would you pour down like rain, washing my eyes to see your majesty. To be still and know that you're in this place. Please let me stay and rest in your holiness."

My prayer to God that day was "No matter where I am, I am in the midst of You. Nothing can separate me from you and your love. Lord, help me to get that. Turn my attention to you. Right now I'm realizing that you have placed me in this season of life in a busy place. It is an opportunity to live in the midst of You in the midst of it."

So much of life is "in the midst of it". "It" can be pretty much anything. You fill in the blank. No matter what our "it" is. No matter how we feel. God surrounds us and is bigger than our "it". He wants us to see Him. He wants to speak His truth in our circumtances.

Happy Easter!!

This Easter is shaping up to be unique. David and three of the kids just headed out to church. Me and Little E are going to hang out at home in an effort to avoid the spread of germs. Last night he left some presents in his diaper that we are choosing not to share with friends at church. And, he has a hacking cough.
Rather than dressing up and heading out the door, I'm dressed in comfy clothes and settling down for a few hours just me and Little E. Really it is a gift to get to hang out with my little man and enjoy him. He is a delight! He laughs. He plays. He snuggles. He tickles. He is such a joy and I know we will have a good day. .
And even though we will not be in the presence of 1,000 of our closest friends I believe that Jesus will enjoy hanging out this morning with me and Little E. So, I'm going to turn on some music and celebrate the life of Christ with my son. He is Risen!!
Happy Easter!!

Innovation!!

You may have heard of job sharing, house swapping, but many of you may not have heard of dog sharing. Well Hotel Smith has a new venture undertaken to combat the incessant "When are we going to get a dog?". We have agreed to be a second home to our friends Matt and Ari's dog Marley.

A few weekends ago Marley came for a visit. He didn't know what he was getting into!! He spent all day Saturday outside playing with the neighborhood kids. We sang to him (badly) which drives him crazy. He's pictured here plumb tuckered out asleep with Clara.

Snow Day!!!

This past weekend it snowed!!! Snow is rare in our neck of the woods so when it comes we really appreciate it. We all had a blast. Saturday morning we went back into the woods with our neighbors. It was breathtaking and a little Narnia-like.

The kids have their favorite (little) hill that we went to for sledding. Of course, Hannah and Clara were pros. Noah found that he REALLY likes to sled.

Elijah was game. He kept up with them all, BUT EVERY time he went down the hill he closed his eyes. It was hysterical!!

Finally, he asked if he could go down on his tummy. We said "Sure". And he did. On his tummy, WITH NO SLED!! He thought that was GREAT!!