Life in the Country

Today started off as one of those "you are really glad you got out of bed days", chatting with friends via phone & text (yes at the same time - thank God for 4G) all while enjoying my hot cup of green mint tea....yum! Oh have I mentioned how much better I feel since I have stopped drinking coffee!
I began looking forward to my "to do list"~ at this point you are wondering what is on her to do list that she is so excited about? Well, today is jam making day!
I discovered the love that I have for canning in October when I bought a box of organic peaches from Utah.  Knowing I only have a couple more jars left and loving fresh jam; I set my mind to find some fresh fruit this spring to be canned.  I found those fresh deep red strawberries that you know are just bursting with juicy sweet flavor and wonding if these will make it in my home till they can be canned.... Well today is the day & yes they survived the weekend with the children in & out of the frig... Halleluja!!!
The tops have been cut off, they have been sliced & cooked, they have been lovingly placed in jars & sealed... Now I am waiting for them to cool to place into the cabnet for our enjoyment later.

It's just that simple and it's the simple things that are usually the most rewarding.  When I first canned it was not as simple as it looks now.  My first batch of peaches did not set and we used it for ice cream topping... I failed to read the instructions (I tend to be the kind of person that jumps in with both feet then asks questions).  Yes, today I read the instruction before I began.  I use the recipe from the pectin box.  I do not have a bunch of fancy canning equipment just a large boiling pot (think resaurant size), jars, lids, fruit, sugar & a box of pectin.  And WALA ~ jam ~ homemade! Best of all, the cost is realatively low & I know what is in my jars!

I'm still here

Yes, here I am and another year has past and another New Years' resolution that I am trying to remember to hang on to and...  You know the feeling when you wanna do that thing you set your mind to and gave up on or got busy in another area of life and it kinda fell by the way.
So today I am feeling good (no fog) and I am trying to reorganize my life, which means put those things that are important first.  Worshipping, spending time with God, keeping myself healthy and allowing that to flow into other areas of my life; family, business & church.  At this point you ask "how"... I say "good question".
I think first we all have to allow ourselves grace in the midst of life and realize that we have off days but that we are not charactierized by those.  To remeber to get up and keep going! I had that today it started out as an "off day" I was going to spend in my pj's another day in front of the computer playing video games and I heard or felt life and remembered what God had spoken to me about who I am.  He said you are faithful.  I thought how can I be faithful, I am sitting here wasting time playing video games.  I knew in that moment that He is looking at the end results and that I am not characterized by my mistakes or my short comings.  Those are learning moments but that is not who I am.  I am who He says I am and that gives me hope... so in this moment I would like to pass hope to you.  Who does He say you are? A fisher of men, a friend, a worshipper or someone that just sits at His feet.  Whoever He calls you to be... be that.  Allow that to flow into every area of you life.