Warm Days, Dirt & Tractors

Warning: Many pictures showing a little boy playing in the dirt. You might be bored. Or, you might want to join him. :)

Last week we had a tropical heat wave of 40's-50's. It was great! Especially for a certain little boy who loves to be outside and play in the dirt. The warm up had softened the top soil and there was still plenty of mud for enjoyment.

 

He had no idea I was spying on him from inside the house. 
 

 Then Dad came home and the dirt was promptly left.

A chance to go with Dad in the tractor is rarely passed up.
 

Then later in the day, look where he showed up again. :)
 

He just makes me smile. 
 

The filled wagon was then dumped in another part of the garden. He probably started to fill it up with the same dirt. He's ready for the Army. Or, a government job. ;)

This week however, it's back to -2. But, spring is only three weeks away...maybe...

Who Cares.

I have spent too much of my life caring about what other people think.

Too much time wasted:

•  worrying that I was misunderstood in a conversation (i.e., explaining everything I did and why)
• worrying that my home didn't have "curb appeal" or was well presented for guests so that their first impression wasn't one of an unswept garage and disheveled mess (living in rural SD brings lots of dirt)
• worrying how my son looked to other people (cleanliness, whether his clothes were current and not dated because of gracious hand-me-downs and thrift store finds, etc.).

Over the years I have been slowly drifting away from putting energy into worrying about these pointless things. 

• Why do I find it so necessary to explain why I had a second helping of some delicious item at a meal? 
• If my ranch house isn't as presentable as a northern Chicago suburban house why did it matter?
• When my son has been blessed by clothes that I didn't have to buy, or wear a coat to do chores in that I used at his age, what does it matter what other people think?

Most of the time, no one really cares anyway. However, this was still difficult for me to grasp in my own brain.

Then I had a second child.
For me, having multiple children has helped me to see there just isn't time for frivolous things, especially worry, which I'm not even supposed to be doing anyway! 

                                

⁴ Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! ⁵ Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near. ⁶ Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. ⁷ And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.  Ephesians 4:4-7

My mind seems to have been so much more at peace lately. Why? Because I'm choosing to not be anxious and worry, to lay these things down at the feet of the One who is more than capable of taking care of them, whatever they may be. His peace guards my heart and my mind because I've sought to be obedient to Him.

When I am tempted to worry that:

• I wasn't able to fully give my side of an opinion in the midst of a conversation;
• trying to make sure someone had correct facts about something that I was actually an expert on, or so I thought,
• I didn't get the garage swept before Bible study, or a visitor coming to stay with me for the first time,

I think to myself, "Who cares? If I am giving of my best, what does all else matter?"

Often when I haven't been able to give my opinion in that conversation it was a good thing because I would have spoken too quick, or maybe too harsh. Or just to satisfy my ego. 

No one sees the time I spent taking care of my children, the spilled milk, the terrible diaper, the immediate needs that didn't give room for the chance to clean the garage. 

If I put such weight in what is thought of my appearance and yet disregard a chance to teach my children thankfulness for what God provided in clothing, I have put something that will pass so quickly over obedience to the Eternal God.


If I am giving of my best to the Lord as I live this life and am misunderstood by it in what I said/did, it is not my responsibility to make sure that everyone in the world is OK with me. As long as I am being obedient to God's Word (in the proper context of the Bible) then I'm really not going to care what I am thought of.

In the midst of not caring I still try to maintain a giving heart-doing the best that I can with the time I have been giving to 1) bring the Lord honor, 2) to take care of my family and the home He's given me, 3) love my neighbor as myself.

When I have company coming over, I do want to have clean dishes to serve them a meal on and freshly washed bedding and cleaned room for them to stay. These things are being hospitable, which God has also called His children to do. When my husband comes inside from the bitter cold, I do want my home to be warm and inviting to him (this included a non-critical spirit/attitude) even more so.


I generally know my conscience well enough to know when I am in an estranged relationship that needs to be remedied. I do my very best to fix my end of that relationship.

As I parent my children, or keep my home, or whatever it is that I am doing and know in my mind that I'm am striving to please the Lord and be obedient to His Word I don't really care if I'm disagreed with or misunderstood in how I'm striving to be obedient to what God has called me to do.

It is God Whom I serve, not man. As a believer of Jesus Christ, it is His words that I want to be the most concerned with listening to.

Do I always perfectly obey Jesus? No, unfortunately, but I am learning and growing. He is willing to give me another chance, and another chance and still yet, another chance.

How freeing this is to only be concerned about pleasing God and not man!