the simple life : in it
It’s 85 degrees at 10 in the morning and the door is flung wide open to catch the breeze. Right behind that white wooden door I’m at the sink washing dishes. A soap-drenched rag goes round and round the plates which then go into a sink full of rinse water.
I hear birds chirping, a hen cackling after laying an egg, but mostly the sound of a handsaw. Back and forth, back and forth – that sound grabs a hold of me and everything else fades away.
He is there, that husband of mine, surrounded by lumber, tools, and our three children. Back and forth and back and forth.
It sounds like a piece of my childhood and a father building our home. It sounds like slow and steady progress – my very favorite kind. It sounds like intention and purpose and hard work. It sounds exactly how I pictured it, this simple life that doesn’t always feel this simple.
And he has no idea that I’m grinning all alone in that tiny kitchen of ours as I chop potatoes into a pot for lunch. He has no idea that I’m standing there, at the door, soaking in a moment that is everything I have I always wanted, always imagined this simple life to be.
He has no idea, because he is in it, building nesting boxes for the new chicken house. He is in it, having Annabelle move boards and watching her with that doting father face he gets. He is in it, as his boys help and watch and do everything that he does.
He is in it, back and forth and back and forth. And they are in it too, soaking it all in, making the memories that will become their childhood, learning from this papa of theirs.
These seemingly ordinary days are everything I’d ever dreamed we could give our children. He is right in the center of it all and I watch him on this ordinary morning, back and forth and back and forth, such a big and unassuming part of this dream come true for me.
He is in it, and he has no idea.
Gosh, this is beautiful! Simply gorgeous post!
I love every bit of it! I felt the same way when we were all together in the garden hand tilling up the long grass roots. We planted 2 varieties of carrots. My daughter happily playing with worms digging her own earth with her OWN little shovel! It was sweltering, and the neighbor offered us his tiller, but we refused:) It was much more fun, and of course a lot more exercise for us, to do it together, methodically digging and sifting!
Thank you for sharing! I love it all so much♥
Thank you – your words are both poetic and a reminder of that simple life that brings us back to our Savior and Lord.
Beautiful post, almost feels like I am there myself.
Shannon, you have a way with words. Reading your blog is like reading poetry. I know this life you have chosen isn’t easy, but it sounds wonderful.
Wow! I could just feel the blessings overflowing in this post! Thank you for sharing that beautiful portion of your life. It blessed me! 🙂 P.S.~ The pictures of the children learning from their father are just precious!
I have followed your blog from about a year before you moved to your present home. The change in your posts so reflects the peace you have found! Before they were merely well-written, informative traditional food blog articles. They have transformed into works of art that raise the mind and heart to God! Beautiful! Thank you!
This post is beautiful. Brought a grin to my face. Amazing how contented and happy the little things in life can make us. The way God intended, simple.
Beautiful.
So hope the Lord will bless us in a similar way. Lovely post.
So beautiful! Makes me a little envious~ 🙂
Appreciating what you have brings with it something so elusive to our modern world . . . contentment. You are blessed.