My day

Sometimes it is good to sit down at the end of the day and reflect. What did I accomplish today, with the Lord's help? How did we as a family work out our salvation in fear and trembling? Did we grow in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ? Was there joy and laughter in the home? Did we nurture one another?

Rick and the big boys were on the truck and pressure-washing the bins today. Linda and the girls headed off to piano lessons, leaving Christopher at home with me and the dogs. (Well, not all of the dogs...Fatty and Abe were let out together at 5:30 this morning, so they were off gallivanting. They came home, late this evening, worn out and filthy, but with happy doggy faces. I imagine the creek and the woods had lots of adventures for them.)

We have no hot water downstairs right now, because one of our pipes sprung a leak. We assume it was during the really cold spell, when the wind was howling and we could see our breath in the bathroom. I left the tap on at a trickle, but neglected to consider that the bath pipes might freeze. After I complained to Rick about a hissing sound for a few weeks, he told me that nothing was wrong, and I was to stop worrying. He sent Daniel into the basement to make sure the sump pump was clear of debris, in anticipation of the spring thaw and flooded basement that we always get. Daniel discovered the leak, and turned my hot water off.

So, doing dishes means running upstairs and coming down with buckets of hot water. The guys pulled the wall apart yesterday, intending to fix the pipe. So, Patrick loaded the dishwasher...we were going to get our hot water back. He should have remembered the old adage, "Never count your chickens before they're hatched." Rick didn't feel well; Daniel couldn't repair the pipe without him...so today I had the pleasant task of not only washing the breakfast dishes, but all of the dishes from the loaded dishwasher as well.

Critter dried; I washed. As we worked, we chatted. Christopher told me about a book he is reading. I asked lots of questions to determine if he is following the plot well. Then, I asked him if he could recite Psalm 23. NO! He couldn't. I think he forgot it, from lack of review. So, we repeated Psalm 23 a few times. I explained the imagery of the Shepherd caring for His sheep and providing for them through the valleys and beside the still waters. I explained the purpose of the rod and the staff, and by the time the dishes were done, Christopher could recite the entire Psalm. We reviewed it when the girls got home, and throughout the day. He learns fast, and I am certain that he will remember most of it tomorrow.

We then went out to the computer and found a medieval castle to construct. Here are the instructions for building a Medieval Castle.

The girls told me all about piano lessons while we put on a load of laundry and folded clothes. We tidied the upstairs (bedrooms, bathroom, hall, laundry room) while Linda made lunch. At lunch time, we read a Bible verse, prayed, and chatted while we ate.

After lunch we continued cleaning. Yesterday's activities had meant lots of mud was tracked into the house, so we scrubbed the kitchen floor, did the dishes, vacuumed the living room and family room, then the children headed outside to clean the yard, taking advantage of the beautiful, sunny day the Lord blessed us with. When they came in, they began work on the castle. I kept working while Linda showed her siblings how to colour the bricks to make them look two-dimensional. The children worked diligently, colouring and cutting and pasting, and got most of it done.

Meanwhile, I worked on finances and did more laundry. I had meat thawing for supper, and asked the girls to peel sweet potatoes. Linda put the chicken on to cook, and baked cookies for dessert. By the time Rick and the boys got home, the table was set and supper was ready. It was so nice to welcome them home to a clean house and the smell of dinner in the air.

What did we accomplish today? With the Lord's help, we deep-cleaned most of the house. We did school-work, reading about castles in the encyclopedia and online, then worked on the castle project. We memorized (or reviewed) one of the most beautiful Psalms in the Bible. We have socks in our drawers and dishcloths in the drawer. We ate nutritious meals and enjoyed each other's company. We learned that tracking mud in over clean floors results in discipline for not being careful. We worked together, laughed together and loved together.

Today was a good day. What makes it especially good is that it is my second daughter's 30th birthday! Happy Birthday, Heather!!

Lord, thank You for this day. Thank You for giving us joy in our work, and for giving us sunshine and spring weather after this long winter. Thank You for giving us a sense of accomplishment when we look back at the end of the day. This is one of Your many mercies...You are always good to us.

I pray You will bless Heather richly as she goes through this year. May she grow in grace, and in the knowledge of You as her Lord and Saviour. May she raise her children to know You and love You. Give her wisdom, Lord, and grace to live her life in a way that pleases You.

In Christ, I pray. amen.