Jason's Kitchen and Kids: 2014

Monday, October 13, 2014

A small note

Search your heart several times a day, and if you find something that is disturbing your peace, remember to take the proper steps to restore the calm. ~ Francis de Sales

Wednesday, September 24, 2014

There are so many things to be thankful for. However, of late, I've been giving energy and thought to the things I want changed; to feelings of unfamiliarity and isolation, to the feeling of being on the outside looking in, judgement of how we should be treated and welcomed.

I'm hoping for and going to work towards finding balance as my feelings of loneliness and judgement deserve acknowledgement just not so much focus. And an excerpt from Courage to Change helps:

If I am always reacting, then I am never free.

Losing (and then comparing) the familiarity and relationships from our east side communities and entering into new communities -- 2 schools, neighborhood, church, town -- is taking a little toll. My heart aches a little with the feelings mentioned above. But alas! Again! Help from above in the form of God Calling and Streams in the Desert:

SitD
I came to learn that a place of isolation is often the most useful place of all in this diverse world. Its harvest is more rich than the seasons when the corn and wine were the most abundant.

GC
Be full of gratitude. Wing up your prayers on Praise to Heaven. Take all that happens as My planning. All is well. I have all prepared in My Love. Let your heart sing.

'Let your heart sing' -- sounds so joyful and nice! My heart feels heavy much of the time -- maybe it's just learning the words right now... and soon it will in fact sing (:

Unfortunately, I couldn't get a posed picture of Graham on his first day. He was in a zone and has handled all of the changes like a champ. He started in August so we were commuting his first week of school...way to go Graham-bo! Proud a ya.

Sunday, September 14, 2014

Making time...

We've moved! It's here and it always felt so far off...

We're on the tail end of the higher hectic stress of it, albeit stress still looms...

Though I feel there are one million things to do, what matters is the walk down the path that He has uniquely for each.

This morning I'm compelled to share a paragraph from Streams in the Desert that is so beautiful, calm and simple...the opposite of how I feel when I am in the midst of trouble. God, grant me the calm and my eyes on You to remember and practice this:

Yes, there are many crosses, and every one of them is heavy and painful. And it is unlikely that I would seek out even one of them on my own. Yet Jesus is never as near to me as when I lift my cross, lay it submissively on my shoulder, and welcome it with a patient and uncomplaining spirit.

Huh, whoa, yaaaaa...much needed reminder and lesson. Can I learn it? IIIIII hope so. xoxo, hh

Wednesday, May 28, 2014

Spring is {finally!} in the air!

Day to day...sometimes moment to moment...life goes up and down and back again and all around. Sometimes I feel gray on auto-pilot, and others I feel light and see details with an optimism and calm that is so refreshing and so foreign on those gray days...and I must admit, some days I'd like to (and sometimes do ) : slam doors, cry, scream and walk away.

Rising above circumstances, staying present and connecting with God -- all words to live by that I've heard and briefly contemplated plenty over the years. As these years roll by, the words mean more and more, and I try to really listen and fuse them into my days. And it's tough...it's certainly not a cure-all for the gray (dark would be a better adjective for some) days but it provides me more awareness and hope for trudging through them.

If I can lasso my stray and selfish thoughts, sling 'em at His feet -- get present, take a deep breath, be thankful -- I can sometimes bring myself back to lightness and humility and connection.

Most people's life's works produce ultimate highs and lows as well as everything in between. Here's a little update about my life's work:

Graham, as many an 8 year-old, has entered the spring dual sports zone. Last week Thursday at 6pm, he had a baseball game, soccer practice and first communion rehearsal. First communion took precedence hands-down and both sports were, conveniently for Graham's schedule, rained-out.

Estelle is fully immersed in the Disney movie's, Frozen, culture, of which seems to be epidemic in little girls. Though I cannot help smiling and feeling my heart warm at the flamboyant dancing and belting of 'let it goooo! let it gooooooo!'.

Ambitious, energy- and action-packed Jason tore his achilles tendon in late March! What a shocker -- but -- in typical Jason-fashion, he's really confidently yet humbly and strongly cruised through all of the steps so far and seems to be progressing even better than predicting with PT.

Probably most of these posts talk at some length about busy-ness! I won't break the trend -- a facebook 'friend's' post:

Stop the glorification of busy

"NOTHING....is becoming rare and precious. Everything is hype, noise, desire, desperation, speed and greed. We in the modern world are good at 'doing,' but anemic at 'being.' Entertainment, busy-ness, texting while walking or even driving...'Efficiency' is an addictive myth based on our fidgety fear of opening up. We can not 'do' properly until we can, first, 'be' fully. Practice doing nothing - then - we can accomplish...ANYTHING."

A lot of bouncing around (the pictures themselves are out of timeline, too!) -- now some pictures of Jason's fine foods but mostly of the kiddies and the last few months. Some quantity here: