Yup! Life's a Struggle. LOL

Good morning son! So, how's the weather in heaven this morning? LOL Does the weather even change there? I doubt it, since heaven is a perfect place why wouldn't the weather be perfect all the time. But then again, everyone has their own idea of what perfect weather is now don't we. BUT, I don't think weather is something you even care about in heaven now is it? 

Aaron & Kristin, February 17, 2007

Today is a quiet day at home working in the studio and staying in to stay warm. Six years ago on this date things were quite a bit different. We had friends and family visiting from all across the United States and everything was in a frenzy. It was you and Kristin's wedding day. It was so great to share that day with friends and family. Dad and I have some great memories and we were so happy for you and Kristin. What a special time that was. I have never seen you happier or surer of yourself or what you were doing. The day was beautiful weather-wise and the ceremony was wonderful. Dad and I were so proud of you on that day and always. February is a very full month of memories and special days. Happy 6th Anniversary.

Valentine's Day has come and gone for 2013 and preparations for Easter have begun in our home. I pulled out my "Easter eggs", "carrots", and "chocolate bunnies" yesterday and began the decorating process. Today dad is going downstairs and bringing up the Easter tub. This will be the first year in several that I've decorated for Easter. I've missed it. More about that later. By the way, how WOULD I get your Easter basket t to you? LOL

Dad and I are working toward economizing in our home: more than usual.. I must say, Pinterest is making it quite simple. While shopping over the last several months we've noticed ,more than usual, we come home with less and less food in our bags but our costs stay just as high. When we come home and separate out food from cleaning supplies and toiletries there is very little groceries. Everyone is experiencing the same thing. Costs have just gone up. So, we're seeing what we can do to take the costs down.

For instance, yesterday dad asked me to pick up shampoo for Jamison. I had seen a dog shampoo recipe on Pinterest so looked it up. Simple. 

Dog Shampoo and Cleaner

Not only will your dog LOVE you after this quick DIY Dog Shampoo and Cleaner, but so will your wallet for it doesn’t get much better than this. Simply take 1 cup dish soap, 1 cup white vinegar and 1 quart of warm water and mix. Make sure that it’s all mixed up, and if you want to get fancy put in an old shampoo bottle, or just mix in with bath water for your dog and lather up that stinky puppy. Let it works it’s magic for about five minutes, then rinse and enjoy a clean, odorless dog!

It is the best we've ever used and for a couple of dollars made enough to last a year. Certainly beats $5/bottle! I love little tricks like this to save some bucks. You were always great at this.

 

I hit the Dollar Store yesterday, I was looking for core board to make dividers for my kitchen drawers, and came across flower seeds. As I told you, dad and I are starting our own seedlings this year. Flower seed packets  are 99 cents each. I bought them yesterday, 4/$1. How amazing is that! Bargains. I love bargains.

 

Liquid soap is another that we spend tons on each year. Guess what? Yup! It's simple to make for pennies a batch. Guess what I'm doing next week.

 

All this being said, it continue to amaze me how God continues to put people and things in our lives just when we need them the most. I know it might seem ridiculous to some to think about God being involved in things like Pinterest. I'm not saying God created it. I'm saying God directs us to the tools that make the most sense to us. Sure, I dream when I'm using it but I've found so many great shortcuts and recipes that are saving us quite a bit of money too. And for that, I'm very grateful. 

How long was it that I fought the idea of having a dog. Especially a dog in the house. But the Lord knew what we were going to need. Jamison was meant for our home and our lives. The timing couldn't have been more perfect. I can't imaging our lives without him.

 

God's timing is perfect. Most of the time I would argue that even with myself, but I do really know it to be true. I am not a patient person but sometimes we end up in a situation when patience is the only answer. Sometimes we find ourselves in a place when there are no resources or means and patience and waiting is all there are. I think the growing comes in places such as these. I mean growth at any point for anything is not easy nor pain free. Think about what a tree has to endure in order to grow. First, it has to be dropped in the right soil. Then it's dependent on the heavens to unleash the rain so the seed can germinate . The hard ground to protect it from the weather and yet the struggle for it to break through so it can breath. The struggle making it stronger. The sun to warm it on it's way but having to be mindful  of the danger too much sun can bring; death. A balancing act to struggle to grow and to do it right so that life is enriched. To bear fruit. To yield that fruit to others so that other seeds can fall and join the struggle to preserve what God began.

 

Our lives are really much the same as the seed. We begin as a seed. We struggle to come into this world, gasping for breath and cry out to let the world know we are here. Just as the earth protects the seed, our family cares for and protects us while we journey through the time that we can care for ourselves. Some have more struggles than others. Most often as we grow and we look back over our lives we see how our struggles have made us stronger. We see how God has provided the tools in our life to make us strong. I really don't know how people who do not have God in their lives make it. It isn't as though He's just there. God has to be invited into our lives. He gave us this thing called "a will of our own". AA has a saying, "What doesn't kill you, will make you stronger". The older I get, the truer this becomes. 

 

As I sit here this morning, reflecting about my life and what it is right at this moment, I know I have the tools and the strength to do what ever it is that life brings. Because I have God in it. I don't know what life holds. I don't know what tomorrow holds. I do know that as grandma so often says, "this too shall pass". But, before it does, I want to make sure through this current struggle that I experience and learn while struggling and waiting so I come out as strong and wise as that seed that fell to the ground.

Until next week, be Aaron, love mom