Contribution

"Why do I have to contribute to our family?" Jack trots by the kitchen, a bale of laundry in his arms.

Over the sink, I shake water off a head of romaine, deposit the leafy clump on the cutting board. "Because it honors God," I say and cut up lettuce wings into to crinkly green streamers.

"Oh," he disappears 'round the corner a wadded sock sloughed off the bundle.

I rotate the bannerol of lettuce, chop it into green squares. "Did you know when I do something for you, I'm actually doing it for God?" He peeks around the corner. "But it turns out good for you," I say.

"Oh." Eyebrows up, he nods then disappears 'round the corner with a hop.

I sweep the lettuce off my bendy white cutting board into a clear salad bowl. Ok then, onward. A little knowledge here a little understanding there. I scatter the seeds.

I speckle the salad with cranberries and pecans, crumble the feta, toss it all with rosemary dressing. The morning moves on, the kaleidoscope of moments flit by.

Gratitude:

3304. "Daddy's getting old," Lucy proudly announces, "that why he has wrinkly skin."

3305. "Jack, with his very gentle hands, didn't realize how strong he was pushing Lucy, and ERRR," Janie shares.

3306. I peek out of the kitchen and see Lucy trying to teach Joe to suck his thumb.

3307. Myra plays trains with Joe while I make dinner.

3308. Egg salad with bacon and corn salsa.

3309. Homemade ice cream with Thomas Jefferson's recipe, egg yolks, vanilla bean, whipping cream, and all.

3310. "I think the devil is stinky," Lucy philosophizes, "'cause he doesn't wear deodorant."

3311. "I think camping's gonna be hard but fun, like cooking," Jane anticipates.

3312. Craig takes Jane and Jack to Family Camp with my brother and his boys and another family we love. The men teach the kids about fear, how fear is the antithesis of faith.

3313. Trader Joe's Unexpected Cheddar.

3314. A salad made entirely of berries and jicama.

3314. Speculoo Cookie Butter.

3315. "Momma," Lucy asks, "why when God talks inside of you ya can't hear him?"

3316. "Myra looks like such a little mother," Jane comments as Myra lilts by with her pistol and stroller.

3317. Orange pop.

3318. A baggie of raspberries from Logan.

3319. Grumbling, rumbling thunder and the storm that came with it.

3320. Lucy's assessment, "When I saw that rain this morning when I was in bed it looked like the clouds were EXPLODING."

3321. We spot a bunny in the garden and solve the puzzle of what has been eating our plants.

3322. "Jesus help us to catch the bunny tonight 'cause I know you can do anything," Jack prays. And Jane follows, "Jesus please help us catch the bunny and relocate it. And make it have a good home somewhere else. Amen"

3323. Overnight Oats.

3324. Lucy fetches scissors and takes out trash when I clean out my art studio. I find an old friendship bracelet I made when I was ten. I give it to her. She likes it.

3325. Coconut milk, coconut oil.

3326. A manilla envelope from my cousin comes in the mail.

3327. I dye five shirts on my stove top, two violet, three teal. The result is perfect.

3328. I exchange prayer requests with my mom.

3329. The kids pine over learning to read as I devour more books.

3330. Summer waxes long as July envelops us like quicksand.