A new school year has begun!

School ~ Day 1, August 22, 2011

New beginnings are so much fun. I remember well, what it was like on the first day of school. The first day nervous jitters, even if you are returning to a familiar school. It is always the same, but for some it is worse than for others. Some children worry about everything and others seem to go with the flow.

This year, I have a Sophomore in High School. Wow! Did I really just say that? I remember my Sophomore year of high school and it is unimaginable that my little girl is old enough for THAT!!! Since we moved over the summer, she is attending a new high school. She does have some friends at this school and that is a huge blessing for her and for me. The school is also only two blocks from home, which is also a big blessing. The one thing that I know and count on for the first day is that good or bad, it will pass and we will all get through it. I know that our worst fears seldom happen. Since I have not received a phone call and she has not returned home in tears I will take that to mean all is well. She is my child that tends to worry about everything and everything is a big deal. As much as I would like to tell her it is no big deal, and I do at times.... I also know that if it is a big deal to her, it is a BIG DEAL. She is much more capeable than she thinks she is and I am confident that she can handle most any situation that comes her way. Can't wait to see how her first day went.

My son, is going into the 7th grade. Again, did I just say that?? It seems I just brought him home from the hospital. He is in his second year of middle school and is returning to the same school he went to last year. He is much more confident and self-assured than his big sister. I seldom worry about him because he seems to have no fear. And yet, as we sat in the loop at school waiting to drop him off, the first day jitters hit him too. He thought maybe, he could just duck down in the seat and not have to get out. I assured him he did indeed need to get out and that all would be fine. Middle school still scares me. I hated it when I was in middle school, I hated it when my oldest was in middle school and I still hate middle school. However, my son is smart and caring and confident. All of those things put together tell me that he will be able to figure out where to go and how to get there and he will be one to help another who has lost their way.

I still have one more year at home with my baby. She is completely lost. Today is a very quiet day as it is just the two of us and our dogs. I normally have a little girl here that I babysit and today she did not come either. So, my sweet little girl is wandering. It is kind of sad. I am excited though because I will have some one on one time with her this year and I aim to treasure every second of it. She is growing up so fast, right before my eyes, just as her older sister and brother have done and although I would love to stop time and not allow it to happen, I know it is the normal course of action and it is what is best. Next year at this time I will have three kids to herd off to school and three different schools to visit. What a day that will be.

I forgot to take the famous "First day of school" picture. I did the same thing last year and promised I would not do it again. So, I hope to catch them both when they get home. It is amazing how distracted I can get in the early morning rush or in the afternoon excitement of a first day. But, as my husband reminds me, he doesn't need pictures, he sees them every day. He is a hoot!

I hope everyone has had a successful "First Day of School" this year. Stay tuned for more excitement from the school Daze!!!

Early Mornings with Dad

I am not, and have never been an early morning person. I believe a good 8-10 hours sleep is mandatory and I do not think 8 am is an unreasonable time to be awake and start my day. So, although, it is not early, I do not consider it to be sleeping late either. Funny how God brings into our lives the very opposite kind of people.

One of my fondest childhood memories was spending time with my dad early in the morning. Looking back on my childhood, my best memories are all wrapped up in my Dad. He was teaching me so much more than I ever imagined. My Dad was almost always up by 5 a.m. He said it was because his back hurt, although I seldom recall him complaining about any pain. He always seemed to be strong, solid as a rock and bigger than life. He was what I referred to as a gentle giant. He was a very kind and humble man with amazing strength both physically as well as personal. On the weekends he would get up and the two of us would listen to "his" music. He loved country western music and his favorite was Hank Williams Sr. We would start listening to sad songs. Songs about death and loss and we loved every minute of it. To this day, I love to listen to sad songs. I love songs with a story. My dad gave that to me. I do listen to a different type of music. I still love country but the country music of today is NOT what my dad called "real country music". Those times with him were so precious to me. Unbeknown st to either of us, it was during those moments and those songs, that I think God reached down and touched my heart. You see, so many of those songs taught a life lesson and my Dad and I would often talk about them. I would ask why or what did that mean and he would proceed to explain to me what the song was about. One such song I recall talked about being careful of stones that we throw. I had no idea, that many years later I would learn through God's word that it was also a biblical truth. You see, none of us live life without faults, failures, short comings, well lets just be real..... none of us are without sin. I hear so many people tell me they have no desire to attend church or become Christians because they have seen "those" people and they leave little to be desired. I know what they mean. Some of the nastiest people have been the ones that are Christian. The ones who go to church regularly, are in leadership, etc. It seems that somewhere between learning of God and walking with God they have come to feel that they are superior not so much to non-christians but to each other. It has caused me to do a lot of praying about the condition of my own heart. Because as a small child I learned through music and my Dad, to be careful of stones that I throw. Unless I have made no mistakes in my life, be careful of stones that you throw. You see, I have enough issues of my own, that I don't need to be concerned with how another is living their life, unless it impacts mine and then I have the right to handle it with love and grace. My Dad believed in letting others live their lives and not to pass judgment upon them. We all come from different backgrounds and are raised differently and if it is not something we are comfortable with, move on and let them be. I so love my Dad and miss his simple way of life.
My Dad was a man that worked hard. When he was not at work, he kept busy about the house. He always had some project in the works. He loved to work with wood and I believe he could build anything. He had massive, huge hands. Not big like basketball players big, but short and thick. I have never met another living person with hands like his. They were like vise grips, hands of steel. Yet, he could hand craft the most delicate things. He was simple in so many ways. He wasn't out trying to make the most money and have the most toys. He kept himself busy with his life at home. He had a garden every year and spent much of his time working that and providing for the family that way. We also raised rabbits when I was young and at some point he would butcher them and we would eat rabbit. It was not my favorite meal. He also loved dogs, which may have a lot to do with my strong desire to have a dog right now. I know they brought him many hours of entertainment and love and it was fun to watch him interact with his friends. I do not ever remember him concerning himself with anyone else as far as to criticize or condemn them for how they live. He just did what he needed to do. He loved my mom and treated her well. He showed her respect. I do not remember my parents ever fighting, I am sure they must have, but it was done in such a way that it did not effect us. I was never really fearful of my Dad but I had a fearful respect for him. It took a lot to make him angry but I did get to see him angry on occassion and it was a frightening ordeal.

Wow, all this to say that it was in the early hours of the day when I would spend time with my Dad that my Heavenly Father was molding my young heart. I learned so much more by the way he lived his life than I did by any intended lesson he had to teach me. I learned that it is early in the morning when there is not another soul awake, the birds are still sleeping in their nests, the sun has not yet risen, and the world is still, that God speaks to my soul the loudest. My Heavenly Father is a morning person too, and he desires to spend time with me early in the morning. I just need to wake up. To be still and listen.

So much wisdom, so many blessings, so many mornings that I have missed. Is it any wonder that I am now called to be up early and alert to watch Aubree? I believe God has planned it this way for a reason. He is calling me to himself. Here I am Lord.

Micah 6:8 ~ He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.


I now look forward to the early morning hour. Time to watch the world wake up and know that I was awake to walk and talk with God before the rest of the world has captured my attention.

I miss my earthly Dad every single day. It has been heartbreaking to see how he was respected and loved in life by so many and treated so disrespectfully and without care in his death. It seemed that his life meant very little to the ones he lived for but I treasure every minute I had with him. He taught me so much about life and about people. He lived his life with a sense of humor. He learned to laugh at things that would send others into a tailspin. He was easy to be around.
I am so thankful that I knew the love of my earthly father in such a way that it pointed me to a deeper love for my Heavenly Father. I have been doubly blessed.

Dog Days of Summer ~ 2011

The Dog Days of Summer

So many changes have taken place for our household this summer. We have moved into our own home. That is so wonderful and exciting and, well, just plain exhausting. In addition to a new home, we decided it would be wonderful to expand our family and add t

wo new additions. Cooper, a beagle mix and Mia a pug.

They have enriched our lives so much in such a short time. We originally went to look at a pug and when we did Cooper, (Arnie at the time, we changed his name), found Aaron or Aaron found him and it was instantly a match. Cooper needed a boy and our boy needed a beagle. Needless to say, the pug we went to look at was

not a good people dog and was ruled out before we even got there basically. So, we went home to think about what to do. Aaron had the saddest face and demeanor for the next day thinking he would never see his dog ag ain because he knew his mom and sisters had their hearts set on a pug. I have wanted a pug for the longest time and I swore I would not stop til I got one, although, I almost gave in and gave up on the pug. Then Dan decided that we could get both. He still can't believe he ever agreed to it but we didn't wait for him to come to his sen

ses and change his mind. So, we ended up with two dogs and we got them both the same day.

Cooper: Cooper is a beagle mix. He has a very deep, hound dog bark but rarely barks. When he does it is adorable. He was scheduled to see the vet to have a tooth pulled a few days after we got him and as it turned out, he had 9 teeth pulled. So he has not quite been himself, which of course we don't know what that will be just yet. He seems to love the back yard. He also ha

s taken to sleeping with Aaron in his room. They both seem to be very happy with the new living arrangements. Cooper is a gentle, loving dog. He loves to cuddle and love on anyone that will have him.

Mia: Our little pug is fun-loving and energetic. She loves to play with her toys. She is all personality. I am not sure but she seems to be part dog, part pig, part cat and part people. She is so much fun to watch and she keeps us entertained. The kids are already annoyed by having to help her fish the toys out from under the couch, that is her favorite thing to do... hide and seek I guess. They are both potty trained and I am so thankful that we do not have to deal with that kind of mess. Just as Aaron laid claim to Cooper, Jessica has declared Mia to be her dog. Truth is, they are both family dogs but they do sleep with Jessica

and Aaron.

It has been so hot here in TX with temps over a hundered for the last 35 days or so. It is exhausting just to exist. So, being locked up inside the house with a/c is not nearly such a drag when we have the dogs to keep us company. Justina was so afraid of dogs and she has had to learn that they are not going to hurt her. Now, she loves them just like the rest of us, and they love her and are extremely gentle with her. Justina is intrigued that Mia's tail curls so she can be found trying to straighten the curl right out of her tail.

I am so thankful for finding two dogs that are so loyal and loving and fun. They are a perfect fit for our family. We are learning that life doesn't have to be so complicated. The life of a dog is so simple. Love others and they will love you in return. Set a routine, eat breakfast in the morning, play a little, sleep a little, love the kids, play a little, sleep a little, eat dinner, play some more and then sleep. There is a good balance between playing and sleeping. However, there is the undertone of a job. They see their people as their job. It is their job to make us happy and to protect us to the best of their ability. They do not care what we look like, they don't hold grudges or demand something in return for their love. They just simply love to be around us. How easy is that. To love someone just as they are, simple and uncomplicated with no conditions attatched.

If all we do in a day is feed the dogs and play and sleep, we are happy too. We do not need tv or video games or swimming pools or tons of activities to keep us happy, just two sweet dogs that love us like we are, warts and all.

I remember having a dog around when I was growing up. We always had at least one dog, usually more than that and as many other critters as my mom and dad would allow. I know that on some of the days when I was sad and lonely there was always a pet to love me and reassure me that it would be better. When life was going well, they still loved me. And it wasn't just me, they loved everyone in the family. I have always known that a dog is man's best friend and I am so glad that I can now give my children that kind of friend. I hope it helps them learn to love others and to be loyal. Such wonderful qualities to have in people and in animals.

Summer is coming to an end, despite the high temperatures. The kids will soon return to school and life will take on a new routine. A new schedule and the clock will rule our lives once again. Time to get up, time for school, time for dinner, time for homework, time for church and extra curricular activities. The lazy days of summer will be over and we will be more pressed for time. The one thing I know I will be able to count on is that my kids will always have a friend waiting for them at home. It can make all the difference in the world.

Thanks for letting me introduce you to our family. I hope you have a four-legged friend to make your life complete.

Home Sweet Home

Home Sweet Home, how sweet it is!

We are unpacked and settling in to our new surroundings. It has been exciting and exhausting. Each day brings about new challenges and new projects. As I was unpacking and trying to figure out where everything should go, what looks best, what fits best where, what is most functional, etc. I was reflecting on the sayings about a home... "home sweet home", "home is where your heart is", etc. I camped on that last one for a bit. You see, the home may have changed, but what dwells within is still the same. Our address is new, every room in our house is new and different, but we are all the same. We bring into our home the same things that have always been.... the Reeders. Each with our own unique gifts, talents and issues. The heart issues, the things we struggle with and dream about. So even as everything is different it is all very much the same. Just as a church building is made of brick and stone, it is just a building, the church is made up of the people. Our new house is just a house, we the Reeders are making it home.
So, I knew that I must not let the heart issues have free reign. I knew that I needed to draw near to God more than ever. He must be the one that directs my thoughts, my attitude, my every day. Left to my own devices I am a complete and total mess. It is only by his grace and sovereignty in my life that any of it becomes sweet.
We are still making adjustments and probably will be adjusting for quite a while, but as we do so, I plan to adjust according to God's leading.

And, just so you don't think we will settle into a life of boredom. We will be adding an addition to the family soon. We are going to get a dog and try this one more time. Maybe as soon as the weekend, but we will see. That is new and exciting too. And, before we can completely adjust to having a new critter to love, school will be starting. So there will not be a dull moment and life will carry on at top speed. Catch us when you can!

Packing up!

PACKING UP!

Today is a new day! We are about to embark on one of the greatest adventures in this families life. We have finally opted to buy a home. I absolutely LOVE the way the Lord works. It is something I have prayed for since I first married Dan. Something I knew would be a long way off but I also knew it would happen some day. That day is here!! well, nearly here. We are set to close at the end of the month. Today is the 13th of June! The end of the month is nearly here. Although, we still have 3 weeks to go, the packing has begun.

Packing: This is not a new concept to me, for though we have never owned our own home before, we have moved several times. The kids would tell you we move too often. So, packing should be something I can do with ease. It is just not something I like to do. I must say this for it though, moving is a great way to clean out a bunch of junk. I am not sure why human nature is to save and store. It is not a good thing to do. So, as I start packing I find the stuff that I will naturally keep.... books, pictures, and the day-to-day things that we use on a regular basis. Then there are those things....you know, the ones that you haven't touched in years, have absolutely no use for, but they have a sentimental attachment on your heart. There are those other things that you keep because some day you are going to make something, or use it like you intended, etc. These are often the hardest to let go of, yet, you probably wouldn't miss them if they were suddenly gone. I love to be able to give things away though. Things that you have outgrown, even if it is sad, you can say... I can't wear this anymore. With any luck it is because you out grew it due to weight loss not gain. Then it is pure joy. Ok.... so boxes and paper and tape and marking pen.... and a sigh.

The sad part for this move has been more on the emotional side. As I sit packing up memories of years gone by, looking at old pictures of the kids and how much they have changed and grown and how fast the time has gone by, others have been packing up old friendships they have outgrown. This came as a sad surprise to me.

Friendship: If you are lucky enough in life to find a friend that has seen you through many good times and bad, who knows you well due to years of being with you, I think you should hang on to them forever. I do not think friendship is something that can be outgrown. I agree, that people grow and change and any relationship will have that, but if you are friends, you learn to adapt and love and grow through the changes. I just hate to see friendships tossed aside, left abandoned and cast aside as though they are no longer of any use. If that is the case, was it really a friendship? Maybe a friendship of convenience, something that served a purpose but once that purpose was fulfilled it was no longer of any use to you. That doesn't sound like friendship to me. So, God has been doing a work in my heart. It has come to my attention that perhaps he does allow us to grow close friendships but that at some point it is fully within His will that the two part company. I have several friends that come in and out of my life just when I need them most. They are precious and life long but not the kind that walk with me every day. Then there are those days that I just wish I had a friend to call up and laugh with and vent with and share the burdens of the day with, and it is then that I realize that God did not leave me with that kind of friend. He instead, has given me something more, himself, in the person of His son. It is true that I have a friend. He is with me every single day, all day long. I just too often overlook Him. Mostly because when I start talking out loud with him, people think I have lost my mind. Maybe I have. So, treasure the friends God brings into your life. One day they may choose to walk away. I have no regrets. People are the only thing on this earth that you can invest in for eternity. They matter. They are here to help us become who God wants us to be. So, as I pack up the memories. Some are good, some sad but all of them are here, stored in my heart to teach me and to grow me and to change me. I will accept what I cannot change and change what I can, and that is me.

Happy Summer Days! This summer is going to be busy and fun and hard and exhausting. I should have plenty to blog about and since I will want to procrastinate the inevitable, you may see more blogs in the future days! Stay tuned!!

HOME

I was encouraged to focus my attention on Home. Home, being heaven. I know that this time on earth is only temporary but there is a longing for home. It has been mulling around inside me head all weekend. Have you ever been homesick? I have been feeling that way a lot lately. That longing for a place where you know you belong. Where you fit in and a place you know you are loved and wanted. Home... well, I know there is a place where I belong but I will never find it here on earth.

Turtles... that is what kept coming back to my mind. You know.. they carry their home around with them. In many ways we carry our home in hearts but our temporary home is our shell. Do you ever wonder why it feels like the weight of the world is on your back? Well, like a turtle, we have a shell, a body that is not our eternal body. We take on so much of what the world throws at us. We try to find a place of belonging. If we look at anything the world has for us we will always just add more weight to our bodies. We will never be wealthy enough, powerful enough, smart enough, funny enough, friendly enough, giving enough, skinny enough, beautiful enough... never enough of anything because there is always something more someone expects of us. We are not expected to be any of those things. We are children of God. We are his and he asks us to be light. To love one another and the greatest part is that he doesn't expect it to come from anything of our own, He gives us the love we need to share. Everything we need, we already have, in HIM!!
I think of how we seem to be running a race, carrying the weight of the world on these little stubby legs. Does it ever feel like you are just spinning your wheels and never moving. When we look around at the rest of the world, it seems they are rabbits. Racing ahead of us in leaps and bounds. Running without a care in the world. Mocking us as they run circles around us. The problem is, they are running, to the next big thing out there. You, my little turtle friend, are running home. It is not a race, we will get there when God decides. Until then, he lets our pace be slow. He has much to show us and teach us along the way. Things that are easily overlooked and missed by the rest of the world as they race on. You see, there is a light that guides us as we poke our heads out of our shell.
Does it ever seem that there are days when you just get no where? You are in the same place? Maybe some kids came along and found you, tipped you over and laughed as you kicked your legs in the air hoping to turn yourself upright. Yeah, sometimes our worlds get turned upsided down. Somehow we turn ourselves around and get moving again. And sometimes, all it takes is a friend to walk the So, when I focus on the light, the light of His glory. The new body that awaits, the streets of gold, the mansion awaiting.... well, it gives that little bit of strength needed to take the next step. These shells serve us well, but they are only temporary. They slow us down enough to allow us to see the world around us, to feel the hurts, to see the beauty, to enjoy all that is here and to imagine all that is to come. Journey on little turtle.

If you feel like a turtle, and are longing for a home other than the one on your back... keep walking, keep running the race. Keep your eyes fixed on the eternal not the temporary.

II Corinthians 4:17 -18 ~ For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eterna.

SPRING ~ A season of change

I love Spring ~ It is a season of change for sure. If April showers bring May flowers then we know that with the rain comes growth and growth is painful sometimes, messy and sloppy and well, dreary and gray.

What I love about Spring is not the rain, the mess, the gray and gloomy sky, but the newness, the freshness and the sense of new beginnings. Is it any wonder that Spring is when the wedding season starts, and graduations commence? Life is springing forth all over the place. As I reflect on activities that are about to take place, I had that brand new feel of a fresh rain. Can you smell it? Can you feel the clean slate? The dead of winter is washing away and being replaced with a new start.

Kids are excited and giddy with the thought that school is almost out for the summer. The excitment is contagious. No one wants to sit and study. There are adventures to begin. Not all are graduating, but many are, and with that is maybe some fear and confusion mixed with the excitment. Will I be able to make it in the world? Many are leaving home for the first time to start a new life of college or work. Many are graduating from college and starting life with a "real" grown up job. The great thing is that like a caterpillar changes into a butterfly, these people, young or old, are going to fly into a new life too. It is a new beginning. A chance to start with a clean slate. To move onto to a new journey, a new beginning.

Some are making a life change into marriage. Where life of being a single means becoming one with another. The changes have only just begun. If it were all easy we would miss the blessing. We would miss the growth. I, for one, am thankful for the rain and the times of growth. It is during those dreary times that the most amazing growth takes place. It is painful at times, but the result is so much more amazing than we ever could have imagined.

As many are spreading their wings and getting ready to fly, there are mamma's wringing their hands and wiping their eyes. Letting our babies go and watching them leave the nest is difficult. What a blessing to know that God has given each of us exactly what we need to make these hard transitions.

Soon the clouds of doubt and confusion and fear will roll away. The sun will shine and we will see more clearly the path that God has for us. We will be able to enjoy the light and warmth of the new life. Just know that about the time you start to feel comfortable and think you have a handle on this new life, things will be shaken. In life there is always a storm coming. Are you prepared to weather it? If you know the Lord, the one that controls the wind and rain, you can weather any storm of life.

I have no major changes taking place this Spring, but I see the growth. I feel the tears of joy and fear and sorrow. I walk along beside others, holding an umbrella, or tissue. Sometimes we are called to walk through the rain and sometimes we are the one holding the umbrella. Whatever, the role you are in this year, enjoy the beauty that surrounds you. Take time to smell the fresh, clean air. To feel the coolness of the rain and the warmth of the sun. To see the gray clouds roll away and the blue sky replace them with the shining of the sun. Listen as new life peeps forth all around. Can you hear it? Can you feel it??

Happy Spring!