August is exhausting

The second batch of beans.

I find August to be completely exhausting! For some reason, God decided to have almost everything that needs to be canned to ripen in August. It is the hottest month of the year in our area, & I have to the canner going at full heat. One day it's corn to pick, shuck, blanch, cut, bag & freeze. The next day it's green beans to pick, snap, wash, pack in jars, can & put up. Next it's peaches, grapes & early apples.

This is the busiest time of year for our house. Girly's birthday is this month. Hubby's sister's birthday is the day before. I am generally canning tomatoes on the morning of Girly's birthday & then trying to clean up all the mess before the party guests come. I try to make a really cool cake for my kiddos' birthdays. They really don't ask for an extravagant party with tons of children, so I figure I can spend 2 to 3 days building a cake. I lucked out this year. Girly only wants a cheesecake assortment from Sam's Club this year. She's a girl after my own heart.

In case you are wondering about my vacation, it went well & fast. There was only 1 major accident on the trip. My Boyo was throwing rocks up the hill, after I told him to stop or get hurt. He disregarded my opinion on the effects of gravity & got his finger smash. Other than that, it was a busy, fun time. I came back to sorting some clothes & items from my neighbor's friend's yard sale. I was completely drained that night.

The next day I started to get the dirty clothes that we amassed camping washed when a friend called & asked if I wanted to do beans. "Ummm....yeah. I'll be over in a little bit." I tried to get the children to help pick the beans with me. The girl had more fun picking fox tails, & I ended up re-picking the boy's row. 3 hours later, we got home to start snapping the beans & eating a late lunch. Sometime between 3pm. & the time Hubby came home from work, the kids were sent to their rooms for fighting & screaming.

At this point I find myself sitting at the kitchen table snapping approximately 40lbs. of beans with only 4 or 5lbs. done. This is the point where I lost control. I start completely sobbing & blubbering. I was tired. I was hopeless. I was in pain. I was defeated.

"In my distress I called to the LORD; I cried to my God for help. From his temple he heard my voice; my cry came before him, into his ears." - Psalm 18:6

"Hear my prayer, LORD, listen to my cry for help; do not be deaf to my weeping." - Psalm 39-12a

These words were spoken by David when he was being pursued by his enemy, King Saul his father-in-law. I know my situation was completely different. No one wanted to kill me or hurt me. The green beans weren't attacking me because they didn't want to be broken in stuffed into jars. I just reached my limit. I was done. I stopped what I was doing & asked God to help me. I asked him to give me strength to get through this next couple of moments. That's all I needed, the next few minutes.

You see, God doesn't promise us an easy road. What He does promise is His strength, if you ask.
"..so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light." - Colossians 1:10-12

 My Hubby came home from work after a while & took the children down to the local food joint for supper. They came back full & happy & ready to help their distressed Mama. They worked hard for 2 hours snapping beans. After they went to bed, Hubby continued to help me with the canner & keeping me awake until the last load was sealed.

I was fatigued. I didn't have a single ounce of energy left to use. God gave me a great husband & wonderful children to help in my time despair. I woke up the next morning still tired & sore. But the good news was that I was ready to slug down a cup of coffee & take the kids to the park.

A Vacation?

The food box ready to go in the Jeep.

The stuff I already put in the Jeep.

I'm getting ready to go on a vacation. The kids & I are going camping with my parents & nephew for a couple of days. Hubby is staying home due to his work schedule. This is the first time in 15 years that I am leaving for more than a day & he is staying home.

I've spent the last couple of days trying to get the house in some-what order. I had extra laundry to do because a friend blessed us with a 30 gal. trash bag full of clothes for the Boy. There are enough clothes for this year & next. On top of that, another friend graciously gave us at least 8 dozen ears of corn, enough cucumbers to make 9 pints of sweet pickle relish & some zucchinis. Thankfully the kids & Hubby pitched in to help.

Hubby got me the grinder attachment for Christmas;

 it was extremely handy!

"I will sing to the Lord, because he has dealt bountifully with me." - Psalm 13:6

I been packing clothes, towels, food, toys, toiletries, first-aid kit, my Bible & camera for capturing great memories. I made a list last week of all the things I would need to pack. I'm really not sure what happened to that list. I hope I remember all of the last minute things like toothbrushes, deodorant & all of the cold food.

I have been trying to be sensitive to Hubby in all of this chaos. He looks so sullen sometimes when I am running around in a mad fury looking for the sunblock. I ask what he plans on doing while we are away.
"I'll probably eat then go to bed." I made spaghetti last night for supper. I know he will eat this for the next couple of days, though I'm not sure if he'll just eat it cold or warm it up. I've left him instructions on the marker board as when to feed the dog (I doubt if she eats while I'm gone), to water my flowers on the porch, dump the dehumidifier in the basement & to have a good time.

The 1 thing that I am glad of is the ability to unplug. My dad's new camper does have a TV with a dvd player, but that's in case of emergencies, rain. I want my children to be able to experience camping like did when I was younger, so many years ago. Just carefree fun outside.

I want to slow down the pace of my life. I don't liked be rushed around & hurried from place to place. My Hubby says I have 3 gears - stop, reverse & slow. I'll bustle around IF I have to. I'm looking forward to a couple of days that will slow my world down.

"Nature goes forward in her never-ending course, and cares nothing for the race of man that is ever passing before her....When man turns to reflection and resigns himself to the inevitable...then the eternal, unchangeable order of Nature has a comforting and peaceful influence. - Wilhelm Von Humbolt

I hope to come back from vacation refreshed & ready to hit the road...ummm....walking.