Lots of Links...

...and some lilacs, too!  

We are blessed to have two varieties of lilacs in our backyard: a lighter kind that blooms first and, according to Josiah and David, has a nicer, stronger scent, and a darker kind that originally came from my mother's Aunt Ruth (I think).  I always look forward to our lilacs blooming and always cut some to bring into the house for bouquets.  This year, however, their season almost got away from me.  Because of the rain we've been having, I had not gotten out to the bushes to cut any until today.  When the sun peeked through, Josiah and David and I eagerly went outside; and as they raced around the yard and played all kinds of imaginary games, I examined the lilac bushes.  To my dismay, all the lighter ones were well past their peak, and the darker ones were almost too far gone, too.  Regardless, I did cut two bouquets of the darker kind

 (which are my favorite anyway) and brought them indoors to beautify our kitchen and living room and to continue one of my springtime traditions.  :)

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Every so often, I run across something on someone else's blog that I want to remember--a post to return to in the future as the subject comes up again or as my mind revolves around the theme another time--something that makes me think.

Mostly for my own benefit, I'm going to list some of these links here, just so I can find them the next time I'm scratching my head wondering where in the world I read, for example, that insightful article on birth control culture!

Facebook - Kate's blog included this post in which she linked to some others' writings on the subject.  Jo Ann wrote this list of reasons she doesn't do Facebook, many of which I feel like I could have written myself.  I'm not anti-Facebook; I think it has a valid place in society and can be a tool for good and--face it--it's a part of life for the younger culture, a part that we'll never totally get rid of.  Jeff is on it, and occasionally he emails things to me that people have written to him there, and I'm happy about that.  But I'm also happy that I'm not on it because if there's anything in life I don't need, it's yet another time-waster having to do with the computer!  :)

Family issues - So much interesting stuff I've read recently!  Where to start?  Let's see... Crystal linked to this post from Jess which quotes Alistair Begg (a preacher I first heard--and quickly grew to respect--when I worked on staff at Camp of the Woods) discussing the topic of caring for our parents as they age, specifically addressing the expectations of parents that their children will care for them in their older age, but those same parents put their children in childcare at a very young age and weren't able/willing to make the sacrifice to care for them at home during the early years.  I agree with Alistair's point, but wouldn't have expressed it quite like he did!  Anyway--food for thought!  Kristal posted this letter, "Dear Fruitful Vines," :) originally written by Jeff Pollard, and subsequently posted by Doug Phillips on his Vision Forum blog.  I was especially encouraged by this line: "Waddling, as your body bears the children God gave you, is holy."  Although I haven't hit the full-on waddling stage of this pregnancy, I know it's coming, so I plan to keep this quote in mind to encourage myself that I'm engaging in God's beautiful plan as I waddle through the last weeks of pregnancy!  :)  Relating to pregnancy, this short video on Muslim population demographics was a sobering look at how the birth rate has declined--beyond recovery--in Europe, and the same trend is happening in America as well.  This directly affects the world in which our children and grandchildren will live, a world in which Islam will almost certainly be the major world power.

Latest favorite quote - Amy B.'s comment in this post from Margie.  From a book called Little Boy by Alison McGhee and Peter Reynolds comes this gem:  "Little boy, you remind me how so much depends on days made of now."  I haven't read the book, but I like this quote!  "Days made of now..."  Yes, that's what I want to keep in mind as I go through each day.  Each once-in-a-lifetime, irreplaceable day in the lives of my precious, no-one-like-them-in-the-whole-world sons.

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Lastly for tonight, before I turn my attention to other things (like sleep!), I was honored recently by Kristen who gave me this blog award! :)  Thank you, Kristen!!

This is an award for gratitude, and it honestly took me a little while to figure out what the graphic had to do with anything.  Finally I realized that it must be referring to the whole make-lemonade-out-of-lemons thing.  I'm quick like that.  ;)

One thing that truly helps my level of gratitude is this blog!  First, as I write about the events, big and small, of my daily life, I find myself much more able to process them and gain a healthy perspective about them, even about the hard stuff.  Second, as I read back through former posts, from recent days or from several years ago, I find my gratitude rising as I am reminded of the multitude of joys I've experienced...and sometimes my level of thankfulness increases simply from reading about difficulties that I previously endured but no longer am confronted by (for example, one of the boys being in a hard stage, but now he's matured out of it).  :)  Third, the community aspect of blogging helps me to be grateful as I'm constantly reminded of the other women out there, often in similar positions.  I feel like my arms are lifted daily by the encouragement I receive from those who read and comment on my blog, as well as the inspiration I gain from reading others' blogs .

Ah, there is so much more to say about gratitude!  Ultimately, it comes back to my relationship with God, and I often think of the verse (Nehemiah 8:10), "The joy of the Lord is your strength."  I would add to that: the joy of the Lord is my gratitude!