Most Days- part 1

Jen was awakened in the middle of the night by Mia. "Mama, Will you please come and cover me?, my blankets just fell off." "I will", answered Mama determinedly. Inside she prayed, "God, please help me to get up". After Mia was tucked, kissed and hugged, Elsie, the little darling of the family for the last 17 months, cried. Jen rocked her and She fell back to sleep almost instantly. Still Jen rocked on.

It felt so good to hold a sleeping baby. She took time to hold Elsie while she slept some every day, especially since they stopped sleeping together at night. While rocking she was thinking and praying about these pleasures and happily wondering about any future babies that God might have for her.

The alarm went off with music at 5am. Jen lay sleeping and praying until getting

up at 5:55. "Thank you God for my pillow and bed, thank you that it's not too cold. Thank you that I'm not sick. Please help me to get up."

She met with Leon and her 16 year old son, Ephraim until 7am. They were going

through a study to define their life purposes. Mia was sitting beside them, wrapped in blankets and quietly mimicking the funny voices that his toy cars were making. Elsie scowled and said, "stop". She looked like she meant it and was not used to being disobeyed. Mia equally sincere in tone and expression answered her slowly, "Elsie, I'm not mocking you".

About 7am Sim sat crocheting something for Elsie. It was a pouch to hold her rattle ball. Asaph was making butter eggs for Papa, and Zion was feeding the big chicks in the garage.

"Thank you God for this last can of coconut milk, Thank you for this, the last of the molasses," Jen said with sparkling eyes towards the children. Papa prayed over the whole family, "Thank you God for all the provision of food, clothes, and

warmth."

There had been some weeks of late when they couldn't shop and God had provided so much bounty. The children were wondering why the food was, "extra good" lately. Ephraim said, "It seems like you've been making my favorite things". Jen had smiled and felt The Lord's smile upon her.

The plates did seem fuller even than usual. Carrots, yams, potatoes, lentil sprouts, humus, tortillas, bread, doughnuts, beans, rice, sourdough, spinach, okra, eggs and more satisfied their hunger and were all home made, strength food. The chickens even obeyed God and started laying again, just 3 eggs a day, but it was a help.

Papa left to everyone calling out as usual, " I love you, God bless you, see you

later".

The zipper on Mia's coat broke just when he wanted to go out milking with Havilah. Jen called, "Ephraim, can you see if this zipper can be re-attached? Ephraim came right over, took his long, sharp knife out of it's leather sheath and said, in a serious deep tone, "hold still Mia".

Thank you for reading about our normal days. Come back soon to find out if Mia can hold still.

love, jeni