where the grass is greener

where the grass is greener:

(the following post is both actual and metaphorical.)

3 years ago, God provided this home for our family. just like any home, it has its great things and its not-so-great things. it has a lot of space, but also a lot of things that need fixing. it has a lot of yard, but also very little grass and absolutely no landscaping. and while we are certainly thankful for all the great things about the house, as humans, we tend to become wrapped up in our discontentment with the not-so-great things, so the lack of grass has been a source of frustration for us. rob has researched the best kinds of grass, we have priced sod, planted seed, removed trees, compared options, and dreamed big. we have also quite honestly coveted many of our neighbors yards. but like all things, grass is time and money. both of which we always seem to run short on. and in truth, its not that we're short on them, but that we have chosen to use those resources for other things. like food. for our children. but I digress.

anyways, these last couple months I have noticed something. regardless of our not-so-green thumbs, the grass is actually starting to grow. and I think its because it's getting water! haha. amazing how that works! but we didn't put in a fancy sprinkler system. instead, we took on two extra toddlers who love to play in the sprinkler. we have spent more time in the front yard in the last 3 months than we have in the last 3 years combined. much of that time with the water on. and slowly, but surely, those little runners of greenness are trying to take over our yard.

now don't get me wrong. the weeds are certainly present. and there is a lot more ground to cover, and I am not by any stretch of the imagination saying it will EVER be ready for Better Homes and Gardens. nor am I saying we can leave the yard unattended. there is a lot of work to be done, always. BUT..... I will say that as we have reluctantly but willfully put aside our efforts to build our own kingdom in order to further God's kingdom, it's been amazing to watch HIM make the grass grow anyways. and it will always be greener, where it gets water.

dog days of summer

And so it begins. Summer. Where boredom meets creativity, causing mommas of boys everywhere to take a collective gasp. I look over from my chair, and there's my eldest, sitting on a ladder, calling the play by play of a scooter race. From the part that clearly states, "do not sit here."

BUT...... If I go over there and get on to him for sitting there, I have yet again stifled his creativity and that game will be over. So at this moment I am choosing to risk a backwards fall from 4 ft in favor of him building relationships with his siblings. In favor of his freedom to entertain himself. In favor of me not being the dancing monkey all summer. In favor of not getting on to him for something I told him to do 2 minutes ago, which was to "find something to do."

Now..... With that said, if the ladder were six or seven feet, my decision would change in favor of not having to find a babysitter while I take said eldest to the emergency room.

So. The struggle is here, mommas, and the struggle is real. But let us talk to Jesus in it. He will lead us in these decisions.

And in case you were wondering..... He didn't fall off the ladder, but also no one won the race, because bc both racers crashed and burned on turn 5 on the last lap. No ER visits, just bandaids and cold water. And the play by play guy sure did look like he was having fun waving the flag.