Hope is Alive! Happy Easter!

Guess what??  Spring is here!  as we celebrate Easter at the Key's house,   

The long harsh winter is over. 

 If March has been in like a lion in 2013, it must be a snow lion.  We still have snow melting on the lawn.  

We've had some dark days, some very dark moods, and some hard circumstances. 

But I hear a mantra in my head of, "Hope is alive, Joy is Now,".   


Foreclosure, losing a job, being scamed, worrying constantly  if we will make it through all this as a family.  Or if we will be broken bitter people when all this is done. 

But you know what I don't care about my circumstances anymore.  

It's time for joy and I won't settle for despair!  

"Restore our fortunes,LORD,

like watercourses in the Negev.

Those who sow in tears

will reap with shouts of joy."- Psalm 126

So even before the warm front blew through Ted and I have been feeling the warmth of Joy. 

Not the kind from everything going well or our own accomplishments, but that deeper Joy from our Hope in Jesus.  

This hope comes from a deep knowing that He has seen us through before and he will again.

When the LORD restored the fortunes of Zion,

we were like those who dream.

Our mouths were filled with laughter,

and our tongues with shouts of joy.- Psalm 126

Without further ado, here is part of our Easter celebration;

 little man soon lost his suit jacket

 He is proud of his egg hunting prowess

 See the snow lingering by the shed?

 Divying up the eggs and candy

God is good!  Can't wait to see more of his faithfulness.

...Then they said among the nations,

“The LORD has done great things for them.”e

3The LORD had done great things for us;

we are filled with Joy.

-Allison

God is in the Closet

Jonathan leaned over and whispered to me during worship at church, "God is here." he said.
  Now this 4 year old  was a wiggle worm during most of the service, climbing under seats dancing with his Mommy, being his usual  boyish self.

But Jonathan has been experimenting with where God is lately.  He came marching out of his room one day last month and said in an unbelieving way,

"Bobby (mommy), Dor-tea says God is in my closet, but God is not in my closet!"

and he laughed at her silliness.  I explained that God is everywhere, and anywhere he might go, that he never needs to be lonely.  "In my bed?" He said with a big smile.  "Yes" I said, "even in your bed, even in your closet".   He shook his head at me like I was too silly for words.

 Now Jonathan, our sweet second child does not like to be alone.  Even if you offer him his favorite snack he will think hard about if it's worth it if he has to eat it alone in the kitchen.  He also gets scared of ghosts, and Max (from Where the Wild things are) when he is alone. "Max is in the ceiling and tried to bite my hand!"  His sister shares a room with him so he's really not alone that often.


Dorathea was reading in the guest room last week when Jonathan walked in the room.  She told him to go into our room.  Like me she relishes the occasional moment to herself.  He must have said he didn't want to because he didn't want to be alone, so she told him that God would be in there.  Ted found him talking away to God in there a few minutes later.


Can I tell you how encouraging it is to see a child begin a relationship with God?  In the midst of the dark winter, and a week where we seem to be too snappy and unforgiving over here,  it's like seeing a little seedling pop up.  Spring is coming, hope is real, I am never alone, and I don't have to worry about Max biting my hand.  GOD IS HERE

Valentines

We had several "talks" about complaining in our house today, even before breakfast.  Talks about not complaining about breakfast, school, really everything.  Moans, groans and tears ruled until we started school (but then many groans about starting school).  Groans stopped when Dorathea read an adorable book aloud called, "Pippa Mouse". 

I love to hear her read, she has her Daddy's speaking voice, but lately has been asking to read "in her head" instead of aloud.  No complaining during Pippa and then onto our writing work today; Valentines.  Valentines sent us far away from complaining land into thankful land.  

Today we were making valentines for far away family to send in the mail.  I love how loving others changes our perspective instantly.  Pretty stationary helps too.

I let Dorathea go freestyle.  My only restriction was to use only one color; red.  She chose some old, tiny stationary paper I found at the thrift store and went to work while I helped Jonathan with some cards I had printed out for him.  

I wrote  xoxo  love J  in pencil.  He traced the letters in red marker which looked like this;

I designed and printed them last night.  Do you like them?  My Grandmother (who will be receiving one) used to sing this song to me when I was little.  I am including the original for the cards here:  

If you want to make your own cards just right click your mouse then select copy image and paste into a Microsoft Word.  Make sure your document is landscape (wide instead of tall) so that you can fold it in half and make the image the right size for the paper.   I used a pastel papers to print mine on.

Happy Valentines Day from the Keys!

 I explained that x's and o's stood for hugs and kisses to Jonathan and he grinned and said "I send them hugs!".  He is so sweet and such a cuddler, he totally got the concept.  Of course after these instructions instead of tracing he made a map island  in the inside of the first card.  I guess the penciled x looked like it would make  a better treasure map?  The second third and fourth ones were better :).

 And then when I turned away he decided his valentines and his hands needed spots.

Meanwhile,

Back to the little girl...

She was already finding envelopes and sealing hers up.  And low and behold they looked really cute!

 We had a quick lesson on addressing an envelope, which I ended up doing most of

Then off to the mail box she went!  I think I'll send Jonathan's tomorrow.  Let's spread out the love over a couple days.

Then we did PE; rollerskating.  Trying out new rollerskates and falling down a lot.

More Valentine's to come!  Happy February to you all- Allison

Christmas at the Nature House