Weekend

We had a lovely weekend.

Tim only had to work a half day on Saturday and now has two full days off.  It's the first days off he has had in 21 days.  Seriously.  

Saturday morning, I took girls to work and then came home and took Rachel, Sarah and Kyle to pick strawberries!  I found out about a great place just 10 minutes from our home. 

 I have to insert here that everything is either 10 or 20 minutes from our house, unless we are talking NYC or DC and then they are both about 2 1/2 hours! 

Anyway back to the strawberry picking....it was a warm morning the day went on to be about 88 degrees and humid, so it was on the warm side.  But as it was 10:30 in the morning, it was not unbearable and the strawberry field was full of berries.  Oh, man!  I would move a few leaves and there would be gorgeous berries, 4 or 5 ripe and ready for me to pick.  I filled up 4 quarts pretty quickly.  Rachel worked steadily along and filled 3 quarts.  Sarah struggled through her first quart but got into the spirit of it for the second one. Kyle - he picked a few berries, then was hot, thirsty and focused on going back to the car for a drink.  I encouraged them, I reminded them about how we were learning about diligence and dependability and how cool was it that God gave us this opportunity to practice these things while picking these yummy berries...

While I was filling my fourth quart basket, Kyle was still working on his first, I let him run back to the car to get a drink.  Sometimes a boy needs a drink.    Then he came back and finished his quart, and needed to use the bathroom.

Another insertion here - I hate portapotties!

While I was a waiting for him, I can see Sarah chatting away with a lady who was on a row of berries next to our row.  Later Sarah told me that she was asking if they were home schooled, and where we go to church!  I laughed.  It turns out that this gal home schooled her kids for a while when they were young.  I'm not sure what about us made her know we were homeschoolers but she recognized it!

We came home with 10 quarts of strawberries, beautiful, local berries.  There is nothing like them.  So, so delicious!

I made four quarts of berries into 1 1/2 quarts of jam, and the rest we have already eaten!

Yesterday, we had a great time at church, we are watching the Truth Project for our Sunday School time.  Have you seen it?  It is so great!  Del Tackett is an excellent teacher!

After church, most of our church went to a local park that has a great creek that runs through it!  It was ninety degrees out but it was shady and pleasant down by the creek.  The girls and I made Chicken Salad sandwiches, salad and fresh strawberries to take for our picnic lunch.  It was so good, cool refreshing food.

We stayed until nearly 7:30 pm.

It is such a blessing to fellowship with other believers who are busy being Jesus' hands and feet to the world throughout the week.  I am thankful for the grace that is evident in our congregation, on our relationships to one another and our love for one another, warts and all.  There is not one perfect person in our church.  We are all flawed, but there is love and encouragement and grace weekly.  I am thankful and grateful that my children are growing up in this environment.

I hope you had a wonderful weekend.  We are going to have a quiet laid back Memorial Day.  We are flying our flag proudly here today,  thankful and grateful for those who have served and those who have given their lives.

Deanna