Singlemindedness

Singlemindedness is a trait I have been looking for lately. At times, life can get a little too varied. I am working on too many things and can't get done with any of them. With the four kids, I can get pulled in so many different directions throughout the day, not to mention my own hobbies and plans and also not mentioning the things others expect me to work on. I get this sounds like the "many hats" kind of life I've been hearing about for my entire adult life. It shouldn't be a surprise and ...I guess it isn't. What IS a surprise is when it all comes together into one thing for a change. (Like AGPlace with S)
Yes, it all came together during the time a couple of months ago when we spent all our time with my dad. It was wonderful.
After that, oh my!
We broke free from all restraints and enthusiastically grasped all that life had to offer. The end of the school year activites seemed boundless. Enhaustion quickly ensued. Then came the day my #2 girl had a birthday, one in which she wanted to go to the American Girl Place in Los Angeles. OK, I have to confess that I actually wanted to go myself, too. So I got to concentrate on only her and her friend and the fun of a whole day enjoying and splurging! Singlemindedness. Ahhhhhhmmm.The sock up above is lornas laces.

"A Chance to Die"

It's a book about Amy Carmichael, written by Elisabeth Elliot. The subtitle is "The Life and Legacy of Amy Carmichael". I finished it last week and I do recommend it!

The author is the wife of Jim Elliot, one of the guys who died in Equador trying to reach a violent tribe and tell them about Jesus. They killed Jim and his friends. "The End of the Spear" and "Through the Gates of Splendor" were books and movies of the events. Right after the murders Elisabeth went to live there amongst those who had killed her husband. She brought her little child. They built relational bridges and loved one another. She did it in obedience to God, not because she thought she or her husband had to complete a task for God. She did it to follow through in obedience to Him and leave the results to God. Her best book/movie on the subject is "Beyond the Gates of Splendor".

This book isn't about her but she has the credentials as a missionary and as a writer.

She wrote this book about Amy Carmichael who went to India to reach people for Jesus and ended up saving little girls from temple prostitution. I love the painting Elisabeth depicted of Amy: a woman who sought only after the Lord and to follow him implicitly. Amy was so very flawed and so very pure as well, a sinner who longed for God. As Elisabeth revealed Amy and her life I was reminded of David. David to whom much was given, who sinned much and whose heart and soul thirsted for the Lord. He was the apple of the Lord's eye, and I suspect Amy was too.

I am not certain I could have worked with her, but I am inspired by her.

Any other great Biographies you know? I'd love a recommendation.

A Clean House...

A clean house.

Clean is something rare around here. Maybe the house is clean-er some days, but mostly we are messy. I got tired of it. And really, it is MY mess. So I got going on it.
I am a pile-maker. Piles everywhere. Finally, after a while, I will put some of the piles which are the most obtrusive into a mega-pile and then move the mega-pile into a pile out of the way.

I have been getting better with these piles over the years. Now, some people coming to my house might not notice the actual piles anymore, they just get a vague sense of clutter. Those who are really clean will see them right away. Other pile-makers nod and smile. They know.

Well, with my dad's memorial serivce coming, I wanted the piles gone. Gone. The whole house picked up; A real cleaning.

We did it. I noticed something about the piles. I already know it but I noticed anew. You can't Dust, clean and mop effectively with the piles there, but when they are gone, it works so well! Molly Maid helped too.

Now on to the garage, my husband's pile domain....

The bamboo/cotton/lycra socks at the top were for the April socktopia theme "Let's Get Physical". I finally finished them in late April. I LOVE these socks. I wear them more than any other and they feel sooo good.



I also finished these a few days ago in time for Socktopia May theme, "Stripes". They are a Trekking XXL yarn which my daughter wanted some shorties made into for her. Verry summer and fun.

This is a sample of our Ancient Greece study this year. One family led us in an Olympics last week, complete with Chariot Races...

...and javelin:
Peace and love to you.