heard at our house today (HAOHT #62310)

♥  ‘melia told me she loved the beautiful ‘drangeas’ in the front.   I said,  O, ‘melia, it’s hydrangeas — further enunciating: HY-drangeas.   She said, O — no mama, not the high ones — the low ones — the drangeas.

♥  This morning ‘melia told Hannah that it would be 73 grees today.  I think she thinks the de in degrees is sort of an article of speech and not particular to the word degree.

♥  Reminds me of when she used to say, that’s a good dea, when commenting on a thought or idea someone else had — as if to think that *i*dea is only used when expressing an original thought or a personal opinion – thus, the *I*dea.

♥  I so wish I’d taken my own advice and had written down all the cute “ism’s” of each child.   Some “______-ism’s” have remained or have become part of our family vocabulary, but many most have been forgotten in  the sea of experiences once lived.  I know I thought at the time that I’d never possibly forget each cute word or comment different youngers said.  But I didn’t write everything down and I haven’t remembered all the things I thought I’d never forget and I didn’t take enough photographs of things, days, events that would have been perfect moments to capture.

♥  So, today’s welcome home is:

  1. write stuff down.
  2. take a photograph of today.
  3. record a child’s voice or play.
  4. record a prayer request, lay it before the Lord – just watch and see, it will not be unredeemed.
  5. smile.  you look so much prettier that way.

There’s a whole bunch to say…

And I’m trying to consider how I’ll succinctly say each day what I’d like to share with you.  I began blogging some seven years ago and I like to write – I like to encourage and offer hope and inspiration to mothers at home.  I love talking about marriage, motherhood, homemaking, homekeeping and walking with the Lord.  I love to share slices of life and views of the day.  I tend to get wordy at times.  I tend to have strong opinions, etc., etc.  If you’re offended by all this, please find other great blogs to read — there are too many great blogs out there for you waste your time here reading things that might perturb you.

So anyway,  much time was spent writing and reviewing sites, gathering and posting articles, recommending sites and products.  Good things… so many good things.  But somewhere along the way I lost my way – I lost my personal vision and huge responsibility first as the mother of many children and I began to coast — but I didn’t even realize it.  I didn’t realize I’d wandered a bit from my first calling: my husband, our home, my walk, leading our children by allowing my time and attention to be gobbled up by computer, website and internet time… trivial pursuits by comparison to the very real responsibilities of my life.  You know what I mean perhaps – for perhaps you’ve had your own!!

Pursuing good things is truly the enemy of pursuing best things.

Good things are not always the best things.

Doing good does not necessarily mean you’re doing well.
Or right.

We had a great family sorrow — a sudden and sad crisis, if you will, which led to deep introspection, endless conversations and much personal evaluation (and reevaluation), personal examination (and reexamination).  In the end, one of the things I knew I had to do was to hand over my computer to my husband for a time so that I could get my priorities straight — so that I could reorganize my life, my priorities and revisit / rekindle the purposes for which the Lord created me.

So,  here I am today… so wishing I could tell you all I’ve come to understand in the last several months, the culmination of all the sweet hours in the Word, in writing and in fellowship with the LORD — the things I’ve learned, the things I regret, the sorrow, the joy, the pain, the rejoicing.   And for one thing, more than ever, I realize why, 11 years ago, we chose a web name: welcome home.

If you’re just joining me and know nothing of what I’m talking about or even if you’ve been a reader for some time, I pray to be an encouragement to you, to not waste your time, but to point you to the Saviour.  In the course of my writing, I hope you’ll see Jesus in spite of this cracked pot.  I hope you’ll see glimpses of His hand in daily living.  Whether or not  you’re a new reader of my blog or A Christian Home website, I just want to say: welcome home.