Life in the Sticks: A Day in the Dark

Ok, so I keep intending to return to blogging more frequently, blog ideas float around in my head often, and still somehow I do not post them.  That being said, I do enjoy blogging so here is one that I've been thinking about since last weekend....

Living out of town has it's advantages, plenty of room to run, no need for shades to keep your neighbors from peeking in your windows (accidentally or on purpose), wildlife viewing, lots of quiet...I love it. Up until now I have mostly blogged about the positives, it does, however, also has it's disadvantages. Take last weekend as an example, we went without power for a solid 16 hours. Maybe not such a big deal to many of you, but less than a week away from solstice in Alaska meant we *literally* spent most of the day in the dark. The lack of water, use of a refrigerator, cooler temperatures, cold food I can handle, even the toilets being un-flushable (while gross) doesn't send me over the edge, but a day spent in near darkness is tough to handle. You would think we were prepared for such an occurrence, knowing we live in an area prone to outages (although up to this point we have had only one other outage lasting this long) but, as it turns out, we are not. One lantern, a few candles and a flashlight was all we had to keep myself and four kids (I was plus two) from tripping all over and illuminate some kind of entertainment for us all (my poor husband spent several hours working by headlamp on our new heating system in our shop).
The kids were pretty good and we held up ok, even had some laughs together. We spent hours coloring, playing board games, the kids played in their tent with the lantern, sat together playing a new iPad game all about words and imagination, had dinner by candlelight....all in all not a bad day. I confess though, when the lights came back on (right after David enjoyed a "yummy" freeze dried dinner haha) I danced around the house in excitement. Despite being a decent day, perpetual darkness can really start to weigh you down, I hadn't even fully realized how much until the lights lit up my dark home.

There really is something about light over darkness that brings life to your heart. I suppose that is why Jesus used light when talking about himself. We wander in the darkness of this world, thinking we are living well, making due with what we have but when the light shines into our life suddenly our hearts are lighter and we see what we have truly been missing. 

"Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, 'I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.' "-John 8:12 (NLT)

Cards by lantern light

Coloring by candle light

Joshy being silly with the candle, looks kinda freaky haha 

Abby & Isaiah, cousins & buddies since birth

And there always has to be a "silly one"

Cutie Lila Mae

These Are a Few of My Favorite Things...

I have been pretty quiet on the blog front. I've had plenty of ideas to blog about, just haven't taken the time to do it. I love to write, but I'm slow, that in combination with my desire to spend less time on the computer has resulted in few blogs in recent months. I'd like to do more but we'll see if I can get quicker at putting my words on "paper", so a post doesn't take me an hour :).


Anyway, lately I have been overwhelmed with thankfulness. The past 18 months has brought so many wonderful changes in my life, not outwardly, but inwardly and the result has been a joyous journey. I just wanted to share a little of that thankfulness in the form of a list of little things that pour an extra measure of joy into my heart...

• When Jesus hears me speak something out loud or in my heart, things that weren't a prayer just little desires and answers...for example, I have been in a bit of a romantic tizzy of late. My husband, whom I love dearly, is not the romantic type (I think most men aren't) but I have been daydreaming of some beautiful love letter from his heart to me. The other day in my bible reading I read (in the Message) Song of Solomon 2:17- "Oh dear friend, my fair and beautiful lover- come to me! Come, my shy and modest dove- leave your seclusion, come out in the open. Let me see your face, let me hear your voice. For your voice is soothing and your face is ravishing". Wow. What a love letter! I truly believe God spoke these words straight to my heart this morning, because I needed it. I have lived much of my life in seclusion, not on purpose really, just shying away from a lot of things. Part of the journey I've been on is walking out of that place of seclusion and into the fullness of joy God has for me, the fullness of love, the fullness of purpose. What a treat from a loving God!
• The look in David's eye when I say something rather silly and he wants to tease me but is debating the wisdom of it. 
• My boys encouraging one another, even if it means they just lost the game they were playing. 
• Isaiah, after solving a puzzle on a Wii game we play together, informing us he is a "genius". Or when he tells his dad, who is trying to give advice on said puzzle, that he "knows what he is doing". 
• Joshua repeating himself when telling me something exciting until my level of excitement is equal or greater than his own. 
• That my little wiener dog following me around, sitting at my feet, never leaving my side, when men he is not familiar with are in our home. I love he thinks he can protect me and I know he would sure try if he needed to :)
•  David's hands being so large, that my (also rather large) hands feel tiny and petite in his
• That after years of poor sleeping (that is an entire blog unto itself:), Isaiah often asks for "five more minutes" of sleep before getting up for school in the morning. 
• Turning on the radio and finding a song playing that is exactly what you need to hear
• Hearing my kids talk to themselves...like mother, like sons 
• Asking my kids "who loves you?" and their first response being "JESUS!"
• Hugging my hubby and sons
• Getting the giggles cause I'm way beyond tired
• The night sky here in the winter- WOW
• The wonderful insane excitement of my children when we set up the tree each year!
• This one is going to sound weird, but I don't care :). The smell of David's mustache, weird right? But it has smelled the same since the first time I ever kissed him, it's not a smelly smell (duh) nor is it like roses, it's just him and I love it. 
• Christmas trees, Christmas lights, Christmas music, Christmas movies...I love this time of year!
• Getting together with old friends and laughing like no time (or kids, or stressful jobs, etc...) has passed between us. 
• Dancing with my kids the way my daddy used to dance with me.
• Hanging out with my family all together, taking a moment to chuckle at how crazy it gets and to remember old times as well
• A house full of kids, cousin's, friend's kids, etc...I want my house to always be the place they love to come (even when they are teens and pretend they don't or think it's "boring":)

So there you have it, just a few of my favorite things. There are many, many, more I could list. I probably already did too many...how many folks are still with me here at the end? :) All of that to say this, remember to be thankful. A heart full of thanks doesn't have room for anger, bitterness, resentment, self-pitty, etc...It's a lesson I am still learning but I am thankful God has helped me a long the way. He is good, ALL the time and the thing I am the MOST thankful for! Happy Holidays everyone!

"Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever... Give thanks to the God of heaven, for his steadfast love endures forever." Psalms 136:1, 26

Alaska night sky