Felt with Heart

"The best and most beautiful things in this world cannot be seen or touched---
they must be felt with the heart." ~Helen Keller

I have this inside a frame of a picture of Jason and I when we were courting...oh those days went by far too quickly. We are in that season of life that I love my children....but I look at that picture often and think: we were so carefree and had no stressors. I felt like I did millions of loads of laundry today (it's 9:45 pm and the washer/dryer are still running), Gabe fought me to eat his lunch, he seemed to need extra attention today and I was trying to get a meal fixed to take to a friend who had a baby. I rearranged Ellie's room, I cleaned out her closet, Mom and I took the kids for a walk, had a short quiet time, took the meal to friend, dropped kids off at Mom's, ate quick supper,I did a piano lesson......the list goes on. Hubby is now eating his supper of grilled chicken salad at 9:45....it looked good, so i'm eating again too (this can't be good on our digestive systems to be eating this hibity at this time of night, I'm thinkin') and i'm finishing it off with the most incredible apple strudel that my mama made...she makes the best!!! Thanks Mom! when i grow up, i still want to be like you ;)

It's so true...the best things have to be felt with the heart. How many times do I actually stop and "feel"? When I cuddle my kids close, I linger longer....feeling this season. I don't always clean up the messes as quickly as I used to, but I get down in it and play along. For this season shall quickly be a vapor. Soon they will be like the 3 little boys that get off the bus and walk past our house everyday....their day will not be just mine, but it will be shared with someone else. So I must linger longer in these moments...and not rush them, but feel and love.

....reflecting back to that picture of Jason and I....it's so good for me to keep it on the bathroom counter. A constant reminder that I need to love him still now like I did back then. Give him the time he needs instead of getting caught up in life. Instead of being short and frustrated after a long day...bite my tongue more often and remember: "Quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger...forgive and love." (James 1) For this season too shall soon be gone...

Love n Hugs...Laura