Life in the Waiting

This house is the biggest renovation project we've ever attempted as a family. I think of our apartment in Bozeman and all the work we did there. And of our most extensive RV remodel, The Minnie Winnie. Those were a lot of hard work, despite their tiny size. 

Even with those, we powered through them in a week or two. An entire house? Now that's a different story! We are pluggin' away day by day...there so much to process and plan and decide. 

For the past twenty years our house was a rental...the owner LOVED this place and took care of it from afar, but it was in need of major TLC and updating. I knew the moment we stepped in the door for the first time that we would be the ones to make it shine. 

Knocking down walls, closing doorways, adding gas lines, moving electric lines...it all takes time time time. I am beyond thankful that Matt is so confident and skilled at everything that we need to accomplish. 

We are getting closer and the end is in sight...but we've had some tough days lately. It's not all happy flags and sunshine around here. We're a normal family with struggles and trials...just like everyone else.  It's certainly not easy living in 600 sq ft with 5 people and 2 dogs. But on the hard days, we are growing. We re-focus our energy and emotion to settle into a heart of gratitude. 

I've been fighting against those thoughts that we all have in "the waiting". That life will begin when such and such happens. When the house is all done...I can start doing this or that. And to some extent...it's true. A host of options will open up for us after it's done. But I don't want to live in constant WAITING. And wanting. I want to live in the NOW. I know that is what Jesus wants for me as well. Life to the fullest!

I've been reading Shauna Niequiest's book, Cold Tangerines: Celebrating the Extraordinary Nature of Everyday Life...and it speaks right to my heart during this time ( bolded my favorite part):

"...believe that this way of living, this focus on the present, the daily, the tangible, this intense concentration not on the news headlines but on the flowers growing in your own garden, the children growing in your own home, this way of living has the potential to open up the heavens, to yield a glittering handful of diamonds where a second ago there was coal. This way of living and noticing and building and crafting can crack through the movie sets and soundtracks that keep us waiting for our own life stories to begin, and set us free to observe the lives we have been creating all along without ever realizing it. I don’t want to wait anymore.

I choose to believe that there is nothing more sacred or profound than this day. I choose to believe that there may be a thousand big moments embedded in this day, waiting to be discovered like tiny shards of gold. The big moments are the daily, tiny moments of courage and forgiveness and hope that we grab on to and extend to one another. That’s the drama of life, swirling all around us, and generally I don’t even see it, because I’m too busy waiting to become whatever it is I think I am about to become. The big moments are in every hour, every conversation, every meal, every meeting."

All kinds of goodness in that book. And her other books. Check them out!  

And so...I start this day with fresh perspective on life and "the waiting". I will see every moment as sacred, even in the hardest moments where life feels like it's spinning around me, because they are part of my story too. 

Are you in a time of waiting?
What truth have you discovered? 

*Affiliate links above. When you click on them to purchase, I receive a small bit of the sale at no extra cost to you. You don't even have to buy this specific book...you can buy anything on Amazon using this link. If you like reading here, it's an awesome way to help support my blog and our family. Thank you!*

Into the Dark Night : WINNER

Thank you to everyone who participated in the giveaway for the Into the Dark Night eCourse. You all shared your hearts and your journeys so openly. 

The winner for the giveaway is the lovely Amy who shares her heart at To Love. Her blog is rich with lots of good thoughts on Jesus, unschooling, and simplicity. Be sure to click on over! Here is her comment:

Congratulations mama...I know you will love it! I do hope that those of you who didn't win will invest in this amazing gift for yourself and venture into the parts of yourself that are dark. I just received my welcome letter for the course and I am more intrigued and excited than ever about this journey! See you there...

Mountain Magic: Learning in Nature

We are still so in awe of our surroundings here in the mountains. There is a magnetic pull to the rocks and trees...and to the highest heights. If I even utter the word "outside"...the girls have their coats and boots on faster than you can say "fairy house"!  

We were inspired by our dear friends at EcoWomb (the family who is traveling in our Live Lightly Tour bus) who have been participating in Mandala Monday on Instagram (#mandalamonday). I was first drawn to nature mandalas by following @faithevanssills and her beautiful creations. I suggested that we try our own hand at it and the girls got busy collecting little bits of goodness. 

While the origins of mandalas stem from Hinduism, we can find and apply truth and beauty in our spiritual walk with Jesus as well. We talked about the circular beauty of creation and the order of nature. Mandalas (nature or otherwise) are commonly used in meditation. I love the idea of using our mandalas as a path for prayer.

The moss we find on the rocks and trees here is so green and lush! I cannot help but to stop and touch it every time I pass by! I've even taken some inside and added them to my succulents.

While the big girls are busy racing up the highest rocks, Emma has her own agenda. Wandering and weaving through the trees, laying on her back looking up at the sky, and playing with the doggies. 

While we were exploring, we heard the rumble rumble of Daddy's diesel truck. "He's HOME!" ...they screamed. We walked the property together...planning Airstream parking and gardens. I've been collecting a few mountain gardening tidbits on this Pinterest board, but would love any wisdom YOU can share. I'm thinking raised beds and lots of greens and hardy stuff. I have recently been informed that there is a seed shop in Nederland that ships in awesome alpine/cold weather seeds. I'm sure I can find them online as well...but it's a great excuse to eat at Kathmandu! We have lots of late morning and afternoon sun on the south side of our property (right where Matt is sitting in the photo above) and on the 900 sq ft deck. There are even built-in planters on the deck already! Can you tell I'm getting spring fever?

It seems like we find new nooks and crannies to explore every time we go out...and I'm so excited to start trimming and cleaning and clearing. There are several tent spots tucked away in the rocks, as well as 3 look out spots, which we have affectionately named "Moss Rock", "Inspiration Point", and "The Nest". 

As we walk and climb, we discover that we want to know everything!

What kind of tree is this?! What bird is that? Why is there moss there? How does lichen form? Why is it more windy in the mountains? What kind of animal pooped here? How are pine cones formed? What is the life cycle of a pine tree? How does granite form and how does it change over time?  

The mountains are rich with possibility!

This was the view from Moss Rock yesterday...we can see Denver, Matt's shop in Boulder, our old farm, and even Mt. Evans. Pretty much everything. Lucy said she could even see Paris! We are learning new things daily...just by walking out the door. 

What has been your most impactful nature experience lately?