there is room enough for all of us

Lots on my heart today. I'm an emotional wreck.  One of my speech kids' house burned down last Wednesday. One week ago today.  Today was his first day back at school.  He's 3...he understands more than you would think, yet he still smiles and wants to hug everyone.  Children are resilient...but only to a point.  This little boy also has the "i can't" mentality already.  Again...he's 3.  He is a little boy who has ADHD...woah does he have ADHD.  He does not have the best home environment.  His older sister takes care of him most of the time.  He needs a mentor to guide him through life.  Thank God for people like Ms. Louisa, a paraprofessional in his classroom.  She is coordinating gathering money for a Walmart gift card to give to his family.

This afternoon, I was sitting in the parking lot of the YWCA...I do therapy there for a kindergartner named Marcus. He is awesome! He can turn my day around.  But while I was sitting in the parking lot, engrossed in twitter, or facebook or whatever I was looking at on my Iphone, I hear "excuse me".  There was a man standing outside of my car trying to get my attention.  He proceeds to tell me that he is a homeless christian who is trying to get food and water, and if I had either that I could give him he would really appreciate it.  Well, I had a half empty bottle of water, and a nutragrain bar that I found after he had gone.  Without even hesitating I pulled out all of the cash that I had ($7) and said will this be enough for you to get something to eat...um...i didn't hesitate. Woah.  I always hesitate when a strange man walks up to me, no matter what he looks like, no matter what he is asking for.  A homeless person asks you for money for food...what do you do? Most people would say "buy him food, don't give him money".

A few weeks ago there was a verse read during the contemporary worship service...

• Luke 6:30 Give to everyone who asks of you, and whoever takes away what is yours, do not demand it back.

Give to everyone who asks of you....that has really stuck with me.  I have no idea why, but it has.  I don't have a lot to give, but I do have something to give.  I realize more and more everyday how selfish and materialistic I am. It is ridiculous. Give to everyone who asks of you.  That could get overwhelming...yes...but who am I to judge someone's need as legit or not.

During the youth worship service tonight we sang Come Ye Sinners.  I know I have sang it before, but tonight it got to me. I cried...me and my emotions.  Mary Katherine Mize also sang Please Come...one of my absolute favorite songs.  It REALLY made me cry.  There are lots of memories connected to that song.  The theme of the lesson was Hospitality.

It is easy to be hospitable to our friends and our family.  It is easy to be hospitable to people we hold in high regards...but what about the homeless, or the ADHD kid who is driving you crazy?  What about the other people?

Oh the days when I drew lines around my faith
To keep you out, to keep me in, to keep it safe
And oh, the sense of my own self-entitlement
To say who's wrong or won't belong or cannot stay.

Come ye sinners, poor and needy
Weak and wounded, sick and sore
Jesus ready, stands to save you
Full of pity, love, and power.

There is room enough for all of us. Please come.
And the arms are open wide enough. Please come.
And our parts are never greater than the sum.
This is the heart of the One
Who stands before an open door, and bids us come.

And I will arise and go to Jesus
And He will embrace me in His arms.
And in the arms of my dear Savior
Oh, there are ten thousand charms.

Does this make us old?

One of the things Timmy and I have both been looking forward to in regards to owning a home is having a yard to work in.  Boy have we got a yard to work with.  I am a little impatient, and a little overwhelmed.  I have visions in my head that I want to happen immediately (i dont want to wait)....and there is a LOT to do (so some things will have to wait ): ).  It really appears that our yard has not really been "worked in" in at least 5 years, maybe longer.  This is going to be a process. A long process.  BUT I'M SO EXCITED!!!

So this week is spring break.  I am out of school, and Timmy has taken the week off because his youth are out of school.  We have planned out a space for a vegetable garden.  Timmy has planned how to build a raised garden, and the cedar planks have been purchased.  We have trees to plant.  We have blueberry bushes!!  We have seeds to sow.  We have bulbs to plant! Ohmygoodness, and the list of wants and dreams continues to grow.

We bought a crepe myrtle today...does that mean we're an old married couple now?  We are both really excited about it...

I really cannot describe how excited I am to have a vegetable and herb garden.  We're going to make a compost bin too!!! Timmy laughs at me for certain things I do, and he'll say something like "why do you like that?" or "why do you want that?"....because my mom did it, or my mom has one.  So, yes. My mom has a compost pile, and I love it. And I want one.  But it is so much more than wanting one just because my mom has one....it is functional.  I feel like it is using waste effectively.  Plus...compost is good for gardening! Duh!

I'm trying not to get my expectations up too high for this week.  I have a list of things to get done, but I do not expect our yard to look polished and complete by the end of the week.  I think it's going to be fun...I hope it doesn't rain too much.

We made sure to take some before pictures of the yard so that once everything is finished...no telling when that will be...we can see what changes took place.

This is where we will put the vegetable garden.  It will be centered under the basement window, and will have two tiers.  

Today is Saturday night...we'll see how I'm feeling about all of this in a week. Ha! I'll probably be sore and sleepy. You can pretty much tell how my mind is functioning right now when you see how I've written this blog. It's a bit all over the place...a bit scattered.  I have so many things in my head that I want to accomplish...my mind is all over the place.  This week...the goal is the vegetable garden...and to get all of our trees and bushes in the ground....and to plant the bulbs I've bought.  And if we have time...get a new mailbox, and plant flowers around the mailbox.  Is that too much? Focus...vegetable garden.

Operation vegetable garden...here I come! Pictures at some point...when, I'm not sure. But they will come.