At Peace

Have you ever had a time when everything seems to be swirling around you, but you feel totally at peace?  

With the beginning of a new school year smack-dab upon me, it seems like the details of life are endless...all of the things that need to be done are lining themselves up--seemingly on their own--on my to-do list.

You know what I mean.  

I'm sure you've been there yourself.

You may even be asking, "Been there?!  I'm always there!"

Carrie and I attended the Women of Faith convention a couple of weekends ago.  There we enjoyed Sheila Walsh with her beautiful Scottish accent.  She was so easy to listen to...not only because of her accent but because of the Word she proclaimed.

One thing she said really stuck with me.

It went something like this...

The burdens in my life...the weight of my life...had become so heavy that I cried out to Jesus and said, 

"I am going to take You up on Your offer.  

I need to take You up on Your offer!

I want to exchange my burdens for your peace!"

Matthew 11:28-30

 Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.

I am determined this school year to cry out to Jesus daily and "take Him up on His offer."

I am determined to meet with Him each morning so that I can collect my daily manna and use only that which is for this day!  To see that His mercies are new every morning and that He gives me His strength for this day.

Psalm 143:8

Let the morning bring me word 

of your unfailing love,
   for I have put my trust in you.
Show me the way I should go,
   for to you I entrust my life. 

That, I know, is one of the reasons that I felt so peaceful yesterday.

Another reason is that I am sure that our homeschool group leaders are praying daily for this group and the families involved.  The presence of God was something very powerful yesterday as the children met as a group yesterday afternoon.

It began with a picnic outside of our new host church.

Peacefulness seen in the warm sunshine filtering through the shade of a big old tree...

Peacefulness in a little boy's voice expressing thanks, "Thank you for bringing me here, Mommy.  Thank you for my crunchy strawberry sandwich (he is a strawberry jelly on crunchy peanut butter sort of guy)."

Peacefulness in that smile...

and that one...

and that one...

 Peacefulness in watching your kids mingle with other kids who love and accept them.

After lunch we went inside to enjoy
the Utopia Wildlife program.

Utopia Wildlife rehabilitates wildlife and educates the public about wild animals.

My pictures are not the best...I couldn't figure out how to get a good one.

No flash=blurry.

Flash=too dark.

Here is a Screech Owl.

Did you know that they don't really screech?

This was William's favorite (along with the opossum).  He loved its great big eyes.

Here's the Barn Owl.  

Did you know that he can hear a mouse's heartbeat 

under a foot of snow?!

Amazing.

And the Red-Tailed Hawk.

Did you know that most of the time he stays in one location to hunt for food?

He can see movement as small as a child's eyebrows moving way across the room from him.

Ah...the Peregrine Falcon.

Did you know that they enjoy eating smaller birds?

Like pigeons?

Sometimes they attack the pigeon with such force that they knock their heads off.

So...if you ever see a pigeon's head just lying on the sidewalk, 

that would be the work of the Peregrine Falcon.

This particular falcon has killed two of its mates.

It no longer shares its cage.
Life lesson, I think.

Josh moved to the front row so that he could see the animals up close.

Matthew wasn't interested in getting closer.  He tried it, but he soon came back and sat on my lap.

It might have had something to do with the talk of head-snapping.

Funny thing.

When this animal came out of its crate, I said, "Oh!  I don't like 'possums!" 

When I see them at the side of the road...or in the middle of the road, my toes draw in--they actually curl up.

It just happens.

They are so creepy!

But this one?

I actually thought it was kind of cute.

So did the kids.  The 'possum won "favorite animal of the afternoon."

Did you know that 'possums don't play dead on purpose?

They actually faint "dead away" from fear.

They can be out for up to four hours!

Don't hurry too quickly to make 'Possum Stew from that road kill you found this afternoon.

Another life lesson.

Enough with the 'possum.

"Teach me to snap, Mom."

We now have a snapper in the family.

Practice makes perfect. 

Enjoying peace...and life lessons...and snapping 3-year old fingers,