K.I.S.S.

Keep it simple sweetie. I like to teasingly say I am simple-minded, but my husband doesn’t like for me to say that. He thinks I am degrading myself when I do. I do not mean I am ignorant, though. I just mean I like to do things the simple way.
When we started homeschooling, one of the seminars we went to encouraged us to keep it simple and used the KISS acronym. I liked it.

I also like that song the Shakers sang: 'Tis the gift to be simple, 'tis the gift to be free’. I only sing the first line, though. Don’t know all the rest, but the music is a sweet little tune.

Henry David Thoreau live lived in the 1800s. I consider him as somewhat of a ‘hippie, in his day. As were a lot of his associates, from what I have read. I am not too sure of his lifestyle, but I like the quote, “Our life is frittered away by detail. Simplify, simplify.” The last two words are the ones I think of often.

One time, on Captain Kangaroo, they were trying to take a photo of a family, but the family kept trying to make it better by adding things to the scene. The photographer kept saying, “Simple pictures are the best” as the photo got more and more cluttered because they were not listening to him.

Those four things have helped me stop being the perfectionist that I was and take time to pause to make things a little less stressful by not letting life be so cluttered and thinking everything has to be exact. It is a constant struggle, though for our lives are full of ‘clutter’ with so many things we think we need to do, it is hard not to try to do them all. I have to constantly weed things from my life … or house.
And now, with retiring and finally able to unpack all our household goods from over the years, I am trying to find a place for them all. I know eventually, I will toss some things, but I wanted to at least display them for a while. I’m just glad I did not buy many of the things I wanted!
So, as each new day comes, I am thankful for the life God has given me and now and then, I renew my commitment to simplify my life! For I know He does not want me to be stressed.

My Best Gift

Hearing my babies’ first words – Helping with their first steps – Enduring the agony as well as enjoying the thrill of them cutting teeth. – Listening to their stories. – Stopping their arguments – Drying their tears and sharing their hugs. – Supporting them during problems ... and victories – Taking time to teach them God’s Word. – Eight and a half years of teaching them at home, both school work and homemaking.
Time with my husband, no matter what schedule he worked. – Taking time for each other as well as the children. – One whole year of him coming home for lunch with us. – Family vacations without the conflict of job schedules.
Serving The Lord through various ministries of our church and helping others in need. – Now, time for fulfilling one of my heart’s desires with my writing; hoping to be a witness and blessing to others.
I know this may sound like a lot of gifts, but my husband and I made a decision more than thirty-seven years ago, that I would stay home and be a full time housewife. Now that the children are grown and I look back over the years, I know making that choice has been my best gift.


© Belinda Jo Adams

Blackberry Picking

Last year, when we moved into our home on the property we bought about 8 years ago, I told my husband that we should do something with the property out back. Something to make good use of it. The next day, I went walking and noticed that the back field was full of blackberry plants! Now, I like blackberries so told him that we had us a crop also! I enjoyed picking the berries, sharing the berries and making jelly and cobbler, etc.
I wrote an article about it for a blog of a friend of mine. That was before I knew what blogging was and it was all mysterious. I have the post for it here so you can read it.

Article on Laura's Blog