Life Lessons from the Berry Patch

Some Saturdays there is a plan in place.

Some Saturdays the plan comes in the moment.

Like yesterday when my oldest daughter texted me from her favorite place of employment - the local vegetable farm.

Did I want to come pick raspberries? They have more than they can sell.

No need to ask me twice!

Raspberries are my favorite!!!

 

BNH, the chili peppers (our 8 and 6 yr. old kiddos), and I headed out to the patch.

We were given a section in the best row of the patch.

 

The peppers started out just skimming the tops and outside.

That was easiest for them. It was eye view and not a lot of work. 

I told them that picking raspberries is like being on a treasure hunt.

Some of the treasure was hidden and we needed to search carefully underneath the leaves to find all the berries.

We had to show them how to find more by not being in a hurry to move on.

 

How like life!

We can breeze along and think we are getting the best and most out of it by just
 skimming along the surface.

It's easy and we like to look ahead at where the next big berry is.

Wanting quick treasure.
 

Sadly doing that makes us miss much of life.

We miss being in the moment.

We miss the hidden treasure--
Always wanting what's next that might be better.

We get only a small portion of God's blessings because we are too impatient to see
what He has for us if we stay in the same spot.

 

Staying in place and going deeper for the treasure.

Pushing aside the foliage.

Each dense leafy layer.

Knowing that the prickles will scratch us.

Bending down and rising up again. Despite the aches.

Reaching and stretching for each berry - each blessing.

Looking and searching carefully.

Yielding a greater produce because we had lessons to learn right where we were.

So much so, that some spills out of our hands - unable to hold it all.

 

 

Sometimes it is even necessary to look back.

We may think we are ''done" in a certain spot and not want to go back there. 

After all, there can't be much left behind that's worth the trouble.

But when we do, we see a few more berry (buried) blessings.

And a certain sense of satisfaction comes, knowing that looking back can bring it's own treasure - that of seeing healing and wholeness which comes from thoroughly picking through a section.

Some people came to pick while we were finishing up.
They spent 15 minutes. They skimmed.
Maybe that's all they wanted.
But for me and for my family,
I want more than the skimmings.
I want all that God has for me - for us,
even if that means sometimes feeling stuck in the same spot,
  getting scratched and bloody, and hurting from the stretching process.
I want more than 2 pints.
I want 22 lbs.

 

I want all of His good measure of great treasure.
~~
Victoria

 

Mom, You Have a Letter From South Africa!

Those were the sweet words I heard last week when my daughter called

up the stairs to me!

 

In this age of email and texting, getting "real" mail is such a treat.

But getting mail from South Africa is like frosting on the cake and sprinkles too!!

 

Sweet Cucki sent me a little love!

Sweet little notes, a post card of an African kitty ; ) and a lovely doily she made.

 

She was so thankful for a couple of things I sent her that she gifted me back!

It was so thoughtful and completely unexpected.

 

When I was a freshman in college, we got a new student the second semester. Since it was such a small school, it was a big deal. But it was an even bigger deal that she was from South Africa.  I think she came from somewhere near Johannesburg. She had blue eyes and blond hair - a German African, who spoke English, German, Afrikaans and a couple other languages as well.

She was a few years older than all of us girls and we looked up to her godly character.

One thing I distinctly remember her saying in her very unique accent was,

"You are a gem!"

Ooohh! Being called a gem, implying being precious and of great value, when you are a young and rather insecure 18 year old does your heart some good!

 

I don't know if calling someone a gem is a South African phrase, but I am going to use it for a certain South African we know and value.

 

CUCKI, YOU ARE A GEM!!!

Thank you, again, for your gift and kindness!

Love you, Girl!

 

Victoria



Friends and Friendship

Do you see that little intro over on the side on my blog where it talks about me

 being an amiable who likes to get analytical?

Well, this is one of those posts.

Purely analytical.

 

I have been pondering friendships lately. And I have been wondering what really constitutes a friendship and calling someone a friend. 

 

My husband calls everyone his friend. It's "my friend Paul" at the garden center, "my friend Glenn" our state senator, and "my buddy Steve" in the admissions department at our 2nd daughter's university. I gently chide him that none of those guys really are his friends.

BNH gets what I mean and agrees, but he is a friendly guy.

So to him, if he is friendly to you, then you are his friend.

 

For me, it's a different story. I think that in order to call someone a friend it's got to be somewhat of a two-way street. It's not just what one person can get from another. The relationship is intentional and mutual. It is giving and nurturing a friendship as well. I am just more...hmmm, what's the word...cautious? guarded? hesitant? careful?

 No, those aren't quite right...measured, that's the word.

I am more measured when calling someone "friend."

In talking with my oldest son about this just now,

we concurred that the difference is in the way the word is used.

Using the word "friend" generally, like: "Hey friends, thanks for reading my blog today."

Or personally, like: "Hi friend. I've been thinking about you a lot."

 

So being the personal term user that I tend to be, 

I have been analyzing and questioning my friendships - my current ones,

my changing ones, and my new ones. 

Like, how can a friend of 9 years come over and spend 2 1/2 hours

in my living room and never ask me a single question?

 

How do I respond to a Facebook message of  "I'm so glad to hear from you"

 when I am the one who always initiates the contact?

 

How can I keep from crying whenever I think about a special friend in my life who just moved to Rome on Saturday to do ministry with her husband there for forever? Who is going to talk God stories with me while working on my granite shoulders once a week?

 

And what about Janet with her sweet Mexican spirit who drew several of us ladies from church together for fellowship and movie night every few months?

She is moving back to AZ as I type...

 

Having and losing friendships is painful.

But in the midst of all this heart hurt, God is blessing me in ways only

He could create and show His tender care.

My oldest and dearest friend is virtually shopping with me from states away

for my MOTB dress. It's been really sweet!

And, He has given me the friendship of you blog followers.

Who would have guessed that a kind reply would cheer one along so!

 

I'm really grateful especially for the couple of you that have

become dear to my heart in the recent weeks.

You, ladies, have become gifts to me and I count it a joy to be used to bless you as well.

 

With thanks for your friendship, both generally, like a big bunch of flowers:

 

and personally, like one special flower from the bunch: 

Victoria



Make It Snappy!

Good Day Everyone!

Two years ago, my middle girl and I took a sewing class at our church. Neither of us had ever done any type of quilting project. We learned all kinds of things like French seams and prairie points. With all the steps involved, we were not able to complete the carry all bag after the two evenings of class. Sad to say that while the project was called "Make it Snappy!" we did not make it in a snappy time fashion at all!  Something about it seemed daunting...but I did want us to finish them up before Kase leaves for college. So I borrowed my friend's machine with the necessary quilting foot and found it wasn't so intimidating after all.

          Here is mine:

Sewing through all these thick layers was almost impossible.

The machine really pushed at the layers and it didn't end up quite even

but I'm ok with that.

 Prairie points

          Kase chose swirled and striped fabric:

 Here is where the "snappy" part comes in. Pieces of metal tape measure go in the channel of the pocket top. It sort of snaps shut when the pocket closes.

 My daughter's still needs to be finished by sewing all the layers together which my friend offered to do. Thanks, Joyce!

If any of you are interested in the  pattern it can be purchased here.

I'd share my copy but it is just Xeroxed and not legit  : /

Well, I'd better get moving snappy here and pick up my youngest from his afternoon camp.

 

Many thanks for reading and commenting. Your blogging friendship is a joy to me!

Simply,

Victoria

It's For Freedom

Today, freedom has allowed me to enjoy: 

Love

Family

Friends

My Faith

Forgiveness

and Food  ; )

Basil Limeade

 

Caprese Salad

 

Barbequed Chicken

 

and Flag Cake

 

Hope you are enjoying the day and the gift of freedom!

 

 It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Gal. 5:1

 

With gratefulness,

Victoria

 

 

Everyone's in the Pocket!

This past weekend I flew out to VA to receive my Mother's Day gift from

my oldest son. As part of the time we spent together,

I got to see him graduate from Firefighter School.

He received the honor of being top student!

 

The next day we went to his training school so he could show me where he had done practice burns, jumped out of a window onto a ladder, and crawled through very narrow pipes with all his gear. I gained a deeper appreciation for all those willing to train and serve as firefighters.

The training is super intensive and the on-call risks are truly sacrificial!

 

 

Because he knows I like Harper's Ferry, we went up there to visit for a morning.

The last time we were here, we hiked up to the top of those rocks. Unfortunately, it was too humid to do it again this time. The view is spectacular!

 

 

The Jefferson Rock

 

Looking back on the town and where the Potomac and Shenandoah Rivers meet

 

And this is John Brown's fort, where Brown took possession of the armory and the first rumblings of the Civil War started.

 

Sunday we drove the 14 hours home, talking, laughing, and listening to a little Josh Turner.  

I spent a good part of that drive time getting back to work on this: 

I am so very thankful for the fabulous gift-trip!

 

So now for a brief time everyone is home.

We've been catching each other up, laughing a whole lot, and working together too.

My oldest son was glad strawberry season is so late here so he could help pick.

 

 

 

Before I know it, the pocket will be emptying out again as one leaves for college in 5 weeks, one gets married in 8 weeks, and one leaves for his next step on the path of career and service.

 

In the meantime I'm going to stitch some memories of special family moments in my mind

and treasure my full pocket!

 

Simply,

Victoria