True Grit

Last weekend Steve and I watched the movie True Grit. The original John Wayne version is better, but that's just my opinion. Those western movies make me pine for the past.  I've always had a bit of a fascination with pioneer people. Like this lady here. Can anyone compare with Ma Ingalls?  She was the Martha Stewart of the plains, only better.  Ma never went to jail :). I remember being sorely disappointed when my mom revealed to me that people in those days did not have pretty skin, perfect hair and white teeth - if they had teeth.  Bummer.

 

The pioneers were so courageous, industrious, persevering and often downright fearless.  When I have bouts of self pity as I agonize over the fountains of laundry cascading out of the hamper or another dreaded trip to town with the clan to run errands, I just think of all those pioneer women, who in cumbersome corsets, with calloused hands braved the exhausting endeavors of homesteading.

Both of my parents were raised on farms.  It's impossible to rest on your laurels when you're raised on a farm...or if you are raised by people who were raised on a farm.  I tried some of that laurel-resting in my youth, and was very unsuccessful. Canning, sewing, painting, mowing - you name it, we did it. If there was work to be done there were kids there to help.

Now, my mom could kill, dress and fry a chicken at the age of 9.  If I could have done that at the age of 9, I would have expected a trophy, demanded an allowance and voluntarily submitted my picture to the local newspaper.  She just knew how to contribute, how to be helpful, and so did my dad.

The value of hard work and dedication demonstrated to me by my parents and grandparents has served as a great motivator when I have been faced with tasks which require not only a creative mind, but a lot of endurance and the application of a little "elbow grease," as my dad used to say.

Now, don't get me wrong, I l-o-v-e to have help, and if I could have my way, there are just some chores that I dream of conquering in a Jetson-type world. Having a space-age gadget to stylize my mane and wardrobe, tackle the laundry, and suds up the dishes at the same time would be out of this world (wink)!

After living in our former newly-constructed/landscaped home in Johnson County suburbia, it's been so good for the boys to be a part of the process of making a home a home, from the ground up. For the past nine months, I have been channeling Caroline Ingalls - you know, moving to the country, not having a lawn, dirt caked in the windows, critters in the house (besides the kids). Minus the washboards, cow milking and a fiddle playing, curly-haired hubby, were practically twins. Oh, and I don't have any girls.  Ok, were not really the same. But, kinda.

In the summer, my abode is a tad neglected, because I prefer to be outside working in the garden, planting flowers, snapping nature photos and hiding from...I mean playing sports with the kiddos. One of the big DIY projects we are tackling as a family is landscaping around the house.  

How do you do this, you ask, with a newborn baby??  Very, very slowly and patiently.  With a plan, the right tools, and an army of boys bribed with the promise of unlimited popsicles, anything is possible.

Before taking on such a project, be sure that you have:

Muscles,

More Muscles,

A tractor-driving Christmas puppy??,

An ancient rusty roto-tiller named Bessie who requires at least 10 minutes of brow sweat and naughty words to get started. (Handy for teaching the boys a lesson in perseverance while you run into the house and grab a hops and barley based refreshment for you and the hub.

  

And finally, don't forget...

Free and abundant entertainment for those who might otherwise be underfoot or trying to "trim" the newly-purchased plants. May I suggest,

worms??  We love worms!

And, we love a dad who will listen to endless stories about worms!

Laurel-resters are not allowed. Even if they are resting on the deck that they built with their bare hands. Beat it, Mr. Laurel-Rester.  

I am sure that in no time at all, my freshly planted knock-out roses, sprays of lavender and

mounds of day-lillies will soon blossom and bloom with the best of them....

Ok, maybe not, but one can dream can't she?? Here are just a few more flash-cards from my imagination...

I dream of greenhouses like this one!

And, this one too!

This serene spot just screams, "Hey you, get your little laurels over here and park it!"

Beautiful!

Gardener's never lack creativity!  Flower power!

Didn't you ever see the Jetsons?? 

Do you think Rosie can pull weeds??

On Our Anniversary...

Last night I was up with my restless little Charles and together we watched the clock tick through nearly every hour.  At one point, afraid that I would drop him from my droopy arms, I turned on the TV in an attempt to stay awake.  (It was either that or finish off 1/2 of the apple pie I made for supper.  Tempting, but tastier at 3:00 p.m. with a cup of coffee.  Snack rules do not apply to me - just one of the perks of being the queen of this ranch!) 

Unfortunately, there's not much on at 3:00 a.m. except infomercials and the news.  So, opting for the news, I listened half-heartily as one anchor reported some staggering facts about marriage in the USA today.  Her unfortunate statistics reminded me of a clip I once saw of Oprah Winfrey who said something to the effect of, "Marriage is not necessary for couples to be happy.  In fact, I think it's an outdated concept...."  

Oh, my.  I didn't get the memo stating that Oprah is the new authority on relationships and that God put an expiration date on sacramental unions.  Good grief.

Tomorrow Steve and I will celebrate our 11th anniversary.  

I'm pretty sure that I could compile a colossal list of quotations, documentations and objective reasons why couples do need marriage, communities need marriage and the world for that matter needs marriage.  God has written the desire for covenantal relationships into our very being. It's all a part of His perfect design for humanity.  

Yet, words aren't enough these days to convince the world that there is such a thing as objective truth and that there is beauty in that truth. Actions will always be a stronger catalyst for good and for persuasion. Hence, the crucifixion.  God didn't just tell us he loves us, he showed us.  So inspired the wise insights of good old Ben Franklin who once said, "Well done is better than well said."  That's some good stuff, Ben.

Honey, today on our anniversary, I want to thank you for asking me to be your bride. (Remember our engagement picture, before we had wrinkles, pudge and weird skin things due to a lack of sleep and perhaps too much beer???  I did say perhaps!)

Thank you for fulfilling your "I do's" each and every day.  For still calling me beautiful when pony-tails and no make-up are the best that I can do.  For cherishing my quirks and not asking questions when I need to watch Pride and Prejudice or Anne of Green Gables with a mountain of popcorn for the millionth time.  For wearing your "Super Dad" cape and coming to the rescue with your humor and fun when the boys have squeezed every last drop of spunk out of me....

Most of all, thank you for knowing that you are not my ultimate end nor my ultimate happiness, but encouraging me to seek that which is our ultimate end, our ultimate happiness - Life in Christ.  For choosing to love me, our children, and our life with every breath even when life seems suffocating - and for drinking in life's fullness when blessings abound.  For giving without the expectation of receiving and sacrificing without counting the cost. In doing so you are showing the world through our marriage that love is real, it is true, it is good and it is beautiful.

May, the desire of our hearts, today on our anniversary and everyday, be to put our love into action with the hope that you and I might one day hear our Lord say, "Well done, my good and faithful servants."

Love feels no burden, thinks nothing of trouble, attempts what is above its strength, pleads no excuse of impossibility....It is therefore able to undertake all things, and it completes many things, and warrants them to take effect, where he who does not love would faint and lie down.  Love is watchful and sleeping, slumbereth not.Though weary, it is not tired; though pressed, it is not straitened; though alarmed, it is not confounded; but, as a lively flame and burning torch, it forces its way upwards and securely passes all.   
~ Thomas A Kempis (1379 - 1471)