Attitude makes all the difference.

All day I have been thinking about my husband. Quite simply, he amazes me sometimes.

Perhaps I should preface by saying in simple terms that we have just come out of a difficult year with pressures of all kind. One of the hardest, I'd say. And it's not like the new year has magically erased the various things we have lived through, it's just that a new year feels like a fresh start and brings with it a certain element of hope that some pressures will lighten up. For the last year or so, it seemed like it was one thing after another, one problem piling on the others. A portion of our issues were related to time and money-- It felt like there was never quite enough! (Though, of course, there is always exactly what we need according to God's economy.) Then unexpected things kept happening that consumed more of that time and money.

Just like today. This morning I heard a faint ticking sound in our bathroom, so shutting all the windows and removing the little ticking clock from my countertop, I investigated further. Sure enough, there was a ticking sound coming from between the walls. The sound of another leak.

I hate bringing problems to Jon's attention. Everyone brings their problems to his attention. He has a lot of burdens to bare and little time to spare, and it makes me feel nearly sick to mention yet another issue. I put myself in his shoes and know I would've cracked a long time ago.

But not Jon. He took it all in stride. I told him that his attitude impressed me. He began cutting away a small hole in the drywall, which revealed a significant amount of water running along the water pipe. Further cutting and investigation led to the discovery of a leaky pipe in the attic, and water pooling all the way down on the garage floor below us. Jon's motor bike sat in a growing puddle of water.

And what does Jon do? After spending some time on the leak, he comes looking for me (and of course I'm all moping about it) and he kisses me. Like, "It's no big deal, life is good, and I'm going to kiss my wife now." And-- wow!-- I get to be the girl that gets kisses when life rains down!

Thank you, God!!

Recently, after a disappointment, Jon prayed for our family and asked God to grant us a good attitude. I silently told God that I was having a hard time, and that my attitude was bad. Jon has been a good example to me in this regard many times.

In other news, Jack smashed his brow on the corner of the wooden trunk in the boys' room this evening. He must have been mid-air when I called out to them to settle down. My words were hardly out of my mouth when I heard the thud. Jon used left over steri-strips to hold the gash together, and the thought came to me that leaking water pipes are a thousand times better that leaking arteries and broken hearts. Problems with things are so much better than problems with people.

>>>:<<<

I can't help but say it-- It was a gorgeous day today! We just came back from vacationing in record lows, and now we're having a little January heat wave. This afternoon I took my butternut squash and potatoes out the the deck to peel while standing with my back against the sun. I wore a tank top and the sun on my upper back, shoulders and arms felt wonderful! Olivia had a long day of school, but as soon as her work was complete I took the kids out for a bike ride before dinner. It would have been nearly wrong to stay indoors all day!

As the kiddos peddled around a school yard, I entertained myself with my shadow! It doesn't take much to entertain me...

~Katherine