Choose your college or career path based on what you feel called to spend your life doing, and don't feel pressured to go to college just because that's what's expected of you. And don't feel rushed into making those decisions if you're not sure yet. Now is the time to really "guard your heart" as you're starting to strike out on your own, and that doesn't just mean to be careful who you're dating! It's about guarding your mind and thought patterns and influences, because that's what will shape your life choices.
I could use some courage to fortify me for the task of packing up and preparing for a move. It's not that it's scaring me, but it seems overwhelming. And I'd always be up for a trip back home, but at the moment, I'm just over a month away from being together with all my kids and my parents, and the move happens first, so courage it is.
3. "There's no place like home" is an oft repeated line from Baum's book. When was the last time you felt the truth of that statement?
Probably on our last trip "back home" to Maryland. It's so good to be there in the house where we raised our family, and where our son is now raising his family. So good to be with the family that we love so much and wish we lived closer to. But it is also good to come back home to where we live now, which is also home. It brings to mind another oft repeated line: "Home is where the heart is" and is a reminder that home is more than just a place, and can be more than just one place too.
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| This is home . . . |
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| and so is this, for now . . . |
We sure do own a grill, and generally we use it quite a bit during the warmer parts of the year. My hubby is the grill master, but we tag team on a lot of the grilled meals. I prep the food, marinate or rub the meat and then hand it off to hubby to actually throw on the grill and tend while I do any meal prep that needs to be done in the kitchen. Ours is a pellet grill that is also a smoker, so we very often smoke meat as well. My favorite thing to do on the grill is burgers, because they're quick and foolproof, and I think I could eat cheeseburgers every other night and be perfectly happy. Don't get me wrong, I love steak, and kebabs (especially lamb kebabs) and brats or dogs; and I love smoked meats, but you just can't go wrong with a simple cheeseburger. I'm pretty sure burgers were the most recent thing we did on the grill, actually. We haven't had a whole lot of nice days for grilling so far this season.
I don't know that I have one specific memory I keep going back to, but happy memories like having the whole family together for a special occasion or at a vacation house doing something fun. In keeping with the theme this Hodgepodge has, the potential bittersweet of savoring those happy memories is that it might also make me a little homesick for my people.
This past weekend the family here let me choose our Saturday adventure in honor of Mother's Day. We went to Glen Helen Nature Preserve in Yellow Springs and wound up on a slightly more challenging hike than we'd anticipated, but it was a lot of fun, and I think there was a sense of accomplishment that we did all that climbing and stream-fording. We wished there would have been a spectacular view at the apex of the trail, but that wasn't the kind of route we were on. Dinner was at Ye Olde Trail Tavern, which I'm told is the oldest restaurant in Ohio.
What does "Home" mean to you? Leave a comment and let me know!
I host the Wednesday Quotes link-up every other Wednesday. Stop by and share a few thoughts and quotes on the current topic here: WQ - Family Ties. I host the Everyday Images photo link-up every other Thursday. And find the Scripture and a Snapshot link-up here every Sunday.
Glen Helen is so pretty! We haven't been there in a few years but I'd like to go back. We went to Greene County as well on Mother's Day. We were near Cedarville at Indian Mound Reserve. Our hike was pretty easy and the views were really rewarding. Good luck with your move! I know that entails a lot of work which sounds daunting. But it's exciting, too, and you'll love having more space. How wonderful to look forward to a family visit soon!
ReplyDeleteI like hikes with rewarding views, so I'll add the Indian Mound Reserve area to my list. Thanks for stopping by and commenting!
DeleteWe've moved a lot and I always tried to call the new place home immediately. It helps. I'm glad you have a family visit to look forward to. That front porch looks so nice...is that the new house or the house you raised your kids in? Good luck with the move. It's a lot so just keep doing the next thing and before you know it you'll be sipping coffee in your new kitchen.
ReplyDeleteThat's a great point about calling the new place home. That came easily for me until we moved to Ohio, and then I had to work on it. I think it will come naturally in the new house! The front porch is the house in Maryland where we raised our kids. I loved the sunset and country view from that porch.
DeleteDefinitely looking forward to coffee in my new kitchen! Thanks for stopping by and commenting!
From your photos, the nature reserve looks so beautiful! I love the photos of your whole family - those are extra special to you I am sure!
ReplyDeleteWe really enjoyed our visits to that nature preserve, and there are several other parks and hiking spots in that area too. Thanks for stopping by and commenting!
DeleteKym, your answer to #1 is fabulous. A graduate trying to decide on extending his/her education is only part moving forward and not always the most the important one. Guarding the heart and mind is critical at this age. Guarding oneself from bad decisions should be a strong priority because like you pointed out what you do early on shapes who you are and puts you on a general path moving forward. Young people often think they can be friends with those who don't have the same morals or spiritual values and not be effected, but quite often bad influences rub off. That sort of thinking is how satan works. This is an easy thing. Everyone is guilty of doing it a little, but we can't give any room to it because it destroys hearts, minds, homes, nations. What a rambler I am! Your Mother's Day adventure sounded nice. I'm glad you enjoyed yourself and spent it with those you love. Thanks for visiting. Have a wonderful week! ~CAAC
ReplyDeleteThank you for adding your thoughts on #1 and why it's so important for all of us to guard our hearts. But especially young people! I also think it's wild that our society expects 18yo kids to know what they want to do for their whole lives to the point that they can make that decision about university and all that goes with it!
DeleteThanks for stopping by and commenting!
I hope you're new place will feel like home.
ReplyDeleteI'm quite sure it will - I'm pretty excited about moving! Thanks for stopping by and commenting!
DeleteOh yes, home can feel like more than one place for sure! We haven't had many nice grilling days yet this year either. That doesn't really stop us from grilling as we'll pull the grill under the deck and just sit inside the finished basement while we cook but somehow I always think BBQ food tastes better when we can eat it outside. Your hike looks so pretty! As my hiking friends and I often remark-- for as much as we complain about many of the tough trails we pick by the time we make it back to our cars that sense of accomplishment helps us forget the effort it took and spurns us on to the next one.
ReplyDeleteI think you're right that grilled or bbq'ed food tastes better when eaten outside!
DeleteVery true about the sense of accomplishment in completing a hike makes it worthwhile, even if the view wasn't what I'd hoped.
Thanks for stopping by and commenting!
Thank you for stopping over at my blog. "Just Breathe" I don't have your email to respond to your comment. That looks like a lovely adventure you took for Mother's Day.
ReplyDeleteWe had a great time on our Mother's Day adventure! Thanks for stopping by and commenting!
DeleteEnjoyed reading your post and good luck with your move. We moved just over 5 years ago and it was daunting as we were moving from an area my Husband had always lived in to an area we didn't know at all really. But I made list after list, used some moving guides I downloaded from the Internet and just took it a step at a time. It all went fairly smoothly in the end.
ReplyDeleteWe moved to Ohio 3 1/2 years ago and before that we'd lived in the same house for about 20 years. I still have some of my checklists for the move here, and am repurposing them to help with this move. The lists do help! Thanks for stopping by and commenting!
DeleteI am with you... nothing like a good grilled burger!
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful preserve. I love preserves!
Home... that is a hard question to answer right now. I would say there a lot of places that feel like home that have nothing to do with an actually "home."
What feels like home can have a lot of answers, but sometimes it's not easy to come up with one! Thanks for stopping by and commenting - I appreciate you taking the time!
DeleteYour outdoor adventure looks absolutely stunning. Hope you had a lovely mother's day. I will pray for you to feel courage as you do all that you are. Lovely family photos. My home is definitely my husband, kids, cats and my bed! I also feel at home when im alone at our little church
ReplyDeleteMy Mother's Day weekend was really great - hope yours was as well. I love your definitions of home. Thanks so much for stopping by and commenting!
DeleteYour Mother's Day sounds wonderful. Home to me is where I feel safe and comfortable.
ReplyDeleteThat was some hike. I really miss the green of back home. Very cool that your son is raising his family in his childhood home. We sure hated to see our parents part with/sell our childhood home. I don't envy you the packing and moving. Can you just start doing a few loads a day between now and the official moving day? We spent most of the day cleaning the garage and that felt an awful lot like getting ready for a move. God bless you. Hope it goes well and is soon behind you.
ReplyDeleteThankfully we aren't moving a long distance, and we have at least a week of overlap in getting into the new house and clearing out the apartment. So we'll be taking things over every evening during the overlap and have one day with a moving truck to take over the furniture and whatever else still needs to go in the truck. It does feel like a very big job though!
DeleteThanks for stopping by and commenting!