November 17, 2007 - Warm and Cozy...

I am sitting in the living room on my daughter's small laptop computer.  I am enjoying the warmth of the fire from the woodstove.  It is crackling and popping.  Just a warm and cozy atmosphere this evening. 

Life has been so busy as of late, that I've had hardly a moment to slow down and just enjoy what God has blessed us with.  I love this time of year.  Well, I love many times of the year, each for their own unique blessings that they add to my life.  I choose to think positively about this, rather than only enjoying only "one part of the year!".   Right now, I am thankful for how life in our family slows down and we get to begin the season of settling in.  Shorter days bring in cooler days and longer nights.  The season of camping is done.  The garden is tilled under.  The sheep are coming off of the pasture for their winter season of alfalfa hay.  The broiler chickens are almost ready to go to get butchered, and then chicken chores will be slowing down for this winter season as well. 

With less to do outside, we find more to do inside.  More time to cozy in and cuddle.  More time for crafting and baking.  I love baking in the winter as it warms the house and the smells are wonderful. 

As I've said recently, I am deep cleaning/ decluttering the house.  I am refinding a love for this home that has burdened me so much the past couple years.  Instead of having to remind myself of the need for contentment, I am finding contentment.   I was reading a recent Above Rubies magazine and it was talking of having contentment in smaller spaces.  I laughed... for so many years, I have yearned for smaller spaces.  I have large spaces, but they are just awkward.  I do have little for storage spaces, which is probably more the issue of my discontentment. 

I love small cozy places... my dh loves large open places.  And in looking at my home... we have both.  We have some smaller rooms which I love... they just bring contentment for me.  We have large living areas that bring rest to Dh as well.  What we struggled over was the clutter that was invading our restful retreats!  Dh doesn't like the books... they drive him silly.  As a homeschooling mom, many of you can probably relate to me... I LOVE books.  I now am taking those books and placing them into the areas that I find restful and keeping them out of the large open areas of the house where Dh finds his refuge.  I am finding the need to downsize, but I am content with that as well.  I am honing down my hobbies and that has made it easy to downsize some of my books, keeping those that are useful.   Anyways, I am digressing...

As I am typing, we are watching a home video of my 15yo's 2nd birthday.  She will be 16yo next month and we are giggling as we are watching this birthday party from so long ago.  My husband's grandfather is in the video and he passed away many years ago, the girls do not remember him, but we have precious video of Papa Odom.  The video is in our first home, which is fun to remember as well.  Oh, if we could relish each day as it came, instead of needing to be reminded of the blessings we partake in each day!  

As the clutter is departing from our home, I am finding it easier to enjoy the moments of each day.  And to think, I used to think all the clutter (stuff) was a blessing.  How wrong I was!  Maybe it is age, but I don't think so.  I really think of the past years and see when we had little... we relished in relationships and enjoying each other and each day.  As we got more stuff, our time was spent taking care of the stuff and there was little time to enjoy each other.   Praise God for new learning.  I pray I remember this as time goes on, so that I can enjoy my time in doing things other than "cleaning" or "rearranging" stuff. 

Well, the woodstove is dying down and I need to restoke it.  I also need to do a set of chicken chores before it gets too late and finish that with supper.   Then I will sit and play the rest of the evening with my little ones. 

Warmly, ~Melissa

• Post A Comment!

Comments

November 17, 2007 - Untitled Comment

Posted by TheWedhornFamily

_____xxxxxxxxxx______xxxxxxxxxx
___xxx pass xxxxxx___xxxxxxxxxxxxx
___xxxxxxxxxxxxxx_xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
___xxxxxxx this xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
____xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
_____xxxxxxxxx heart xxxxxxxxxxx
______xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
_________xxxx to xxxxxxxxxxx
___________xxxxxxxxxxxxx
_____________xxxxx all x
______________xxxxxx
_______________the x
_______________xx
_______friends__xx
_____________x
_you_______x
_________xx
___care_xx
_____xxxx
__x about x
___xxxxxxx
____xx the xx
______xxxxxx
_most!!_xxxxxxx
_________xxxxx
_________xxxxx
________xxxx
_____xxxx
HAVE A WONDERFUL THANKSGIVING
MY DEAR FRIEND !!!
MISS CHARLOTTE

• Permanent Link

November 17, 2007 - Hmm..

Posted by blessingsbaound

I felt like I was joining you and hearing the crackle of the fire and sipping my tea while listening to your ponderings! We are blessed dear Sister! With much love, Mrs. Joseph Wood

• Permanent Link