You gotta read this

I am reading the greatest book. It is called Heaven is For Real by Todd Burpo. He is the father of a four year old who during a serious illness spent some time in heaven with Jesus. It is an amazing story. Go to your Christian bookstore and get it soon. You will be so uplifted and encouraged. It is a #1 New York Times bestseller. A must read.

About that STUFF....

OK...here is my story and I am sticking to it. AFter everyone left on Sunday, I just felt I had so much to say, so many feelings to share and I have missed blogging so much. So for the first time I tried to blog from my ipad. But I could not figure it out--I could not figure out how to get to the posting part--it would not work. Until nearly 11pm when I talked to Jenny for help and found out how to do it. By then my brain was already in bed so I decided to follow it, not knowing that somehow the blog had published with title only. So that's my story and I'm stick in' to it.

My name should be Mary Martha

I struggle with the Mary/Martha syndrome. When family or company is coming I stress out over trying to have the house look perfect, having plenty of food prepared, and trying to figure out ways to entertain them and make them comfortable and enjoy their stay. BUT, when they are actually here, I suddenly go brain dead and dive into a fog of denseness. I just get so caught up in my joy and desire to visit and chat and listen to them talk with each other and watch the kids play that I just forget about everything else. I mean, all week I have gathered treats for the kids, thought of games to play or places to go, meals to fix.....my menu plan looks really good....but what do I do but sit on the couch and ignore everyone needs. I simply fill myself up with their presence which delights me so. So when the visit is over and everyone has gone home and I am cleaning up I slowly discover the popsicles unopened in the freezer, the boxes of kid treats still in the pantry, the new butterfly net I forgot to bring out, the bacon and pancakes for breakfast that never happened, the photos I wanted to share, and dozens of other like things. Then I feel so guilty like how bored everyone must have been, and what a terrible hostess I was, and how Alisa must have felt yesterday at lunch when she was here and there sat a cake in front of her while I told her of all the strawberries we picked...but did I offer her cake??? No, I was too busy just enjoying the visit. I feel like such a Mary. But before anyone arrives I am such a Martha. Why can't I just combine the two in perfect harmony? Whenever the guests or family have left to go home, I always feel such an emptiness and sadness.....even though it is good, and as it should be, and all is well, and even though I am exhausted and welcome the quiet time alone, there is that longing for them in the pit of my stomach....and a guilty feeling that I just didn't do enough, that they feel neglected somehow, even tho I know that is not the truth and that all is well. I am just a bundle of mixed up feelings.

So, I will just say to anyone reading this that comes to my home to visit.....PLEASE, PLEASE for your sake and mine, ask me for something to eat and drink; ask me if I have anything new for the kids; ask for a piece of that cake sitting in front of you; help yourself to any food you can find and understand that the menu plan might be divine but reality is not; know that at some point before folks arrived the house was clean and tidy; and know that my heart desires so to serve you and minister to your physical needs but the brain neglects to carry out those tasks because I just so enjoy spending time with you and listening to you and laughing with you and showing you my garden and animals and talking and talking......and playing Scrabble on our ipads while sitting right next to you.

And family, especially Tammie, I must confess and ask forgiveness for this same feature of mine carries over when I come to your house and get so carried away with the visiting and fun that I do not help out like I should in the clean-up process. I am so bad about that and I will make a concerted effort to change. AS I so appreciate the clean up help I receive when we are all at this house. So a big thank you to everyone for your splendid job in clean up this weekend. I am most grateful.....but it made the wonderful weekend fade away much too quickly.
And I will have to add that their are some good friends who know me well enough who feel right at home coming in the house when we are not here to return some things and have no problem helping themselves to a piece of cake and leaving us a thank you note for it. Now that's my kind of people! I love it. So the purpose of this blog is to let you know, friends and family, when you come here...help yourself and make yourself at home and do not hesitate to jar me awake and ask me to remember what preparations I made for your visit. And be prepared to go out to eat when I realize I forgot to cook your meal. I love ya'll so very much.

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