Share Four Somethings - April 2022

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Another month is almost over and it's time to share Something Loved, Something Gleaned, Something Braved and Something Achieved. It was a quieter month, but full of so many good things. These are just a few.

Something Loved

 

A couple weeks ago I had the opportunity to do something I've been wanting to do for so many years. On the day before we celebrated the Resurrection, I got to attend a Passover seder - a Messianic seder. One of my best friends has started attending a Messianic Jewish church and thanks to that connection she was invited to a home to celebrate Passover and I had the opportunity to tag along. It was wonderful. I didn't know anyone else there and my friend was only acquainted with a couple of them, but we were included as if we were family. The haggadah was so meaningful, since we all knew that the promised Messiah HAS come, has rescued us from bondage, and will come again to take his people home to heaven.

Something Gleaned

I love it when I just happen to find something especially timely or thought-provoking as I browse the various blogs I follow. (I use the term 'follow' loosely, as I'm not very good at keeping up with everyone on a daily basis. I just drop by whenever I can, and I do my best to pay visits to others in a link-up. *ahem* Such as this one. Usually I do eventually visit everyone and comment on almost all, but it takes me awhile!) Anyway, this month's article that really spoke to me was "Mother Yourself Out Of A Job" by Michele Morin, on the Desiring God website. Michele's opening story of helping her youngest adult child with a task and then realizing that her hands-on help was really not needed hit home. So many times with my young adult children, I find myself wanting to help them out or to offer advice, and I stop short as I remember that they are adults. They are perfectly capable of doing all the things, and of figuring out the things for themselves. It's a strange dance of wanting to love on them, being so proud of the adults they've becoming, and occasionally feeling a little bit un-needed. 

But the journey from dependent child to independent adult is never without its pulling and stretching on both sides. As young adult children relinquish their need for hands-on parenting and take up responsibility for their own lives, there is a mirrored relinquishment for which we, as their loving parents, usually need plenty of grace.

In the midst of this process, many mums worry that the mother-child relationship will be damaged as adult sons and daughters marry and start families of their own. We fear being replaced and forgotten when new family ties are established. Unfortunately, fear and worry are not helpful building materials for a bond that lasts. Mothers like me need help to embrace a biblical vision of motherhood that will enable us to work ourselves out of a job like missionaries, with gratitude for the gift of parenting and with joy in the launching and the letting go.

If we take care of the moments, the years will take care of themselves. ~Maria Edgeworth

Something Braved

The true test of bravery will actually come in about six weeks or so, but I took the first decisive step:  I saw my orthopedic doctor and we set a date for my knee replacement surgery. I am a wimp when it comes to needles and stitches, so electing to have a surgery is a big step for me. At this point, I'm excited and relieved and slightly terrified all at once! Expect a repeat of this theme when I share my Something Braved in June because that will be when I've had to submit to the anesthesia, cope with post-op pain, and face the rehab and therapy afterwards. I keep reminding myself that it will be so worth it when I can walk properly again!

Something Achieved

Two little things, but both are kind of fun. First, I found and made two new recipes for our Resurrection Day dinner that turned out so well. We decided we wanted lamb for that meal, but I didn't have time to do a roast leg of lamb, nor did I want to do lamb chops. I hit upon the idea of grilling kebabs. I hunted up recipes for marinades for the lamb and beef kebabs, made a meal plan and got everything ready. Our Mediterranean style meal was delicious and not very hard at all! Meaning we'll probably be having those kebabs again! (Also I like any meal in which hubby will work the grill!)

And the other achievement is not anything to do with my skill or accomplishment or effort. It's just a bit of luck and being in the right place at the right time. I've been making more of an effort to keep my bird feeders filled up and have a variety that attracts different kinds of birds. I've been able to add several birds to my "seen in my yard" list over the past couple of months. We have two kinds of woodpeckers and a flicker that have been visiting the feeders. The blue jays have decided they like visiting the feeders and even stealing peanuts off the table on the porch. And in the past week or two I finally spotted goldfinches at the feeders instead of just out in the yard. This week I was practically giddy when I saw a Baltimore Oriole check out the feeder! And even got a recognizable photo of him! 

Guess I need to put out oranges and jelly to make sure there's something to keep that Oriole coming back for more!

This post will be linked at Share Four Somethings hosted by HeatherGerwing.com

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