on turning thirty-five...

"Grace is the backbone of every woman still standing.

She was over half way now.

If she was given a full seventy years, she was over halfway now."

Ann Voskamp

   It was twelve days ago that the years clicked over into the second half of my allotted three score and ten. The intention was to write this post on the day or as soon thereafter as feasible; and what with the life that keeps on being lived, the children that continually need bringing up, and the sleep that needs to be found [not to mention my compulsive acquiring of random and not so random knowledge of anything about everything and everything about anything!! - through that foam-washed superhighway of information which this entry is now added to] that feasible moment is now.


   If you, dear reader, made it through that last sentence of questionable brevity consider yourself initiated into the thought processes that meander through my head in an unreasonably constant manner!


   And consider yourself forewarned of what you may encounter in this here weblog ['blog' is such an ugly, squat sort of moniker - do you not agree?... you are allowed to disagree!...] if the demands of the man*, four children of mostly limitless energy, one on their way, three chickens, and a rabbit; along with homeschooling, home-keeping, and the aforementioned constant reading and other accumulating of knowledge; as well as keeping up with a reasonable amount of family and friends allows for somewhat sporadic posts.


   {again, allow me to not apologize for my unwieldy sentences but rather give you fair warning that as I (and also occasionally the man) are the only editors of this corner of the web I claim my full right to write as I wish...}


   Be all of that as it may, this turning of thirty five was a sort of weighty yet sub-climatic point in my life where I still feel relatively young (depending on the amount of children bouncing around me at any one time) and yet also perhaps old enough to share what I have learnt through some of my experiences and the reading and researching that I cannot help but do.


*In the interests of fair and full disclosure the man pulls his full weight and more, especially when I am lounging about, reading yet again; as number five is growing inside and making me feel ill and tired... (also the chickens and rabbit are generally cared for by the kids - human kind not goat - so I cannot claim much that is demanding from them either...). Let's just say that children are amazingly consuming as well as amazing blessings!...



  Sharing my thoughts and days is my intention here; with the hope and prayer that even if one other person finds encouragement and challenge and like-mindedness then praise be to our God!

Some verses that I have 
held close over the years...

Psalm 27:14

Wait patiently for the Lord.

   Be brave and courageous.

   Yes, wait patiently for the Lord.

Philippians 2:13

For God is working in you, giving you the desire to obey him and the power to do what pleases him.

1 Timothy 4:12

Don't let anyone think less of you because you are young. Be an example to all believers in what you teach, in the way you live, in your love, your faith, and your purity.

Luke 4:18

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
   for He has anointed me to preach Good News
      to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim
   that captives will be released,
   that the blind will see,
   that the downtrodden will be freed
      from their oppressors,
   and that the time of the Lord's favour has come.

       


And a few for the 
years to come...

1 Peter 3:4

You should be known for the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God.

Titus 2:4,5a

These older women must train the younger women to love their husbands and their children, to live wisely and be pure, to take care of their homes, to do good, and to be submissive to their husbands.
{am I the young one or the old one...or both?}

Proverbs 31:28,29

Her children stand and bless her. Her husband praises her: 'There are many virtuous and capable women in the world, but you surpass them all!'

(all New Living Translation)