I Read Too Much

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy , peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. ” – Galatians 5:22-23 Just a couple of days ago, I shared with you all how much I hate Christmas.   I know.   I went there.   It was as if all of the joy for the day had been sapped out of me and there wasn’t anything left for me to do but grin and bear it, so-to-speak. There are a few things I want to pass on now that the hustle and bustle are over and a certain level of normalcy is returning.   Before I do, I need to let you know it is only through hindsight I can see what I am about to share.   None of it was in the moment, even if I did have the faint awareness of it during the time. On Christmas Eve I had the blessing of a good friend come and help me clean up the house and wrap the gifts Santa was leaving for the Littles.   Now this friend has many years of following and listening to God’s still small voice as s...

I've gone back over a few things that I wrote for myself, those letters during the early months of the ex-Mr's journey elsewhere.  I marvel at the clarity I had during such a tumultuous period of my life.  Seriously, I sounded put together.  I sounded like a woman that really did know what she needed, or rather, where she needed to go.  I looked up and in for those answers.  I sought.  Continuously.  For strength and guidance.  I followed a pattern in those days, the ones between February and a couple weeks ago.  A clear pattern.  Actually, it became all the more earnest until June.  I broke in June.  I  used to pray people.  Daily.  I scrawled notes in the margins of my Bible, I penned letter after letter, I journaled extensively, all with the same theme - Father, guard my heart.  I knew.  I had been told.  I felt it.  Mostly, I knew especially when I stopped the waterfall of tears and...

and all through the house.  Not a creature was stirring....WAIT????!!!! WHAT???!!! Heaven's yes they are stirring.  I can't get these littles to calm down to save my life.  You'd think I bought them each a case of pixie sticks and a 2 liter of Mountain Dew with a Monster chaser and sent them upstairs.  Now, I know, it is all just nervous energy.  The excitement of starting another  school year.  The joy of getting to see some of their friends again after a long summer of not seeing them.  I get this.  I do, really.  After all, it hasn't been THAT long ago since...ha!  Who am I kidding?  It has been 18 years since I've had a "first day of school" - in the traditional sense at least. This is a milestone year in our house for many reasons.  For happiness' sake I'm going to start with the positives.  They are all tear jerking in some manner or form.  I'll shed tears tomorrow.  I know.  Yes, I...