Nuggets Along the Trail: Pace

Saturday, July 2, 2016

Pace

Back to last weekend, heading north Saturday morning to MN for Leah’s testimony and baptism.

Glad to have my cousin Jenn with us.

Beautiful view from our host’s backyard.

Wonderful hosts: Mitch & Abbie, Monty, Mattie, Mylie, Marty, Cooper, and Cambry.

Heading home again, this time with A. Sarah with us.

Short fast weekend but oh so blessed!!

Monday -

Ohhh Monday. So much to do. House trashed, mail and email to take care of, lots of bags to empty, lots of laundry to do, and lots of beans to pick. And cherries. Things to put away. Van to clean out. Groceries to get. Supper to make. And some very tired kids to boot = sleeping troops! Aaagh, how to get everything done??!

PACE.

Slow but steady wins the race. When things look so overwhelming that I hardly know where to start, I just start with one thing. One bag emptied. One load of laundry started. One room picked up. Get that one thing done – don’t look at the rest – and then get one more thing done. And one more. And one more. Looking at all the mess/work can short-circuit my brain, but God doesn’t expect me to do it all at once. He expects me to keep at it, He expects me to pace myself so I don’t burn out, and He gives me lots of grace and help to get ‘er all done. Just one thing at a time. Space out the tasks. Pick beans. Do some laundry. Get kids started snipping beans; help them awhile and then everyone take a break when beans are ready for blanching. Beans can be blanched tonight when the troops come home (or the dad if you don’t have older kids) – they don’t all have to be done before I take a break. It could take me two hours to pick cherries, or I could set the kids at it at night for half an hour – four kids for half an hour, done. Sometimes it’s hard for me to wait because I want it all. done. now! but that is really pretty self-defeating because at my ripe old age I can get exhausted and thus grumpy and thus oh my, what a ball of fun I am then. Just ask my crew – it does happen. But if I can force myself to PACE myself, and not go 90mph, and wait until my worker bees get home, and not wig out because I have so much to do, why, things go much better. Life is so much smoother, so much sweeter! I’m more rested and I think I’m a little nicer that way Smile .

One more thing – by law, employees are entitled to paid breaktimes. It only makes sense. And so I am entitled to breaktimes also. And so are you Mama!!

Back to Monday -

That night I put a crew to work picking -

and blanching.

Tuesday –

more cherry juice to the freezer,

and a cherry pie.

Wednesday -

piano lessons, kids picked more cherries, and I pitted while kids swam with cousins and friends.

Also Wednesday was memorable because I turned 47. It was a wonderful birthday, with many happy birthday wishes from special friends! I am blessed.

Thursday -

applesauce. Thanks Jesse for helping us cut before you headed to work!

Thankful for Jenna’s help too -

and of course the smiles of this precious little guy significantly upped the cuteness factor of the day!

Smile

Jenna had no sooner headed home with her boys than the drizzle turned into a downpour. Beautiful!!!

We ended up with 1.5” for the afternoon – WONDERFUL!

Thursday afternoon – more beans to pick, and then a crew to help snip/snap them after supper.

Friday –

beans to do (forgot picture) - blanched some and canned some both – and what a gorgeous day to do it on. Sunny, high of 78* or so, cool breeze blowing in the window, perfect day for the hot steamy job of canning and blanching. Then barely time for chores after lunch before heading to the the 360yc company picnic which was thoroughly enjoyed by all. Absolutely beautiful afternoon/evening to be outside, wonderful time with friends/family on bouncy houses, knockerballs, bags, kites, fishing, eating ice cream and all sorts of other goodies, fabulous fireworks show at dusk; and to top it all off, Dan&Anne were here overnight which hasn’t happened for a long time and which was such an incredible blessing to us. Our loving Father gives us lots of nuggets along the trail, but Leah’s testimony/baptism weekend and last night with Dan&Anne were some of the most special. We are so undeserving of His love and grace and can only marvel at His goodness to us. After an exhausting week of harvesting the fruits from His hand, the blessing of the picnic and our fellowship with loved ones was a wonderful close to a busy week - - -

Kind of - - -

Saturday - - -

that rare cool cloudy day which was perfect for butchering. I only got a few pictures because I was busy working. I got kicked off the cutting table because I’m the slowest cutter Smile which was fine with me; I’d much rather be the runner anyway.