Picnics, Peppers and Pretend

Picnics, Peppers and Pretend?
What do these three things have in common, you ask? Such a great question and I will be glad to answer it. These things represent the sum total of my Labor Day USA celebrations spanning Friday night to a few short hours ago. One would think that with the name labor day I might be working in the garden , mowing or dusting or cooking or vacuuming or some such Labor. Not so.

To illustrate my story better I have begun the blog with one of the 36 images I took this morning in my Creative Challenge at Webshots. Webshots is an online photo sharing site and many new friends, also fanatical photographers, hang out there. Every week we are given a creative challenge and are allowed to enter 3 photos into the judging. Usually the challenge is quite fun, for instance B & W photo, pets, scenery, etc. This week our skill was truly being tested when they announced we were to use a bell pepper and only one. I was determined to enter after initially throwing up my camera in frustration! Why I hadn't even planted my annual token pepper plant so this lead me to the grocery store where I had to go buy peppers(2). The good news there, of course, is they are cooking nicely as I blog, in my tonight's sweet and sour pork dinner over rice! Yummy!!

That was my final event and took almost an hour of time if you include downloading and choosing. I also entered this one:



My next attempt at Labor Day Fun was held at daughter Becca's home about an hour from here. It was after church on Sunday and I was excited to be driving on a truly picture-perfect day! Yes, I did take pictures, should you want to dash over to www.sueribs.shutterfly.com and check out the fun. Mainly what makes these things fun are the babies in attendance and all of their hilarious antics. It makes you smile even when you are hungry or hot or just plain ornery.
Here is one of the funnier moments~



What started out as an innocent fill the pool moment quickly escalated into a 'get her wet' moment! and then the fight broke out.. As I dashed to get the camera I could be heard shouting "Stop fighting please after I get my camera because this is really funny"!

Well, soon after this we sat down to eat and I'll tell you a good diet could be watching kids eat! I was so engrossed in that fun and all the while my food sat on my plate for the flies to enjoy with no interruptions from me.










The Pretend part of my Labor Day festivities began Friday afternoon when five little grand kids arrived, sleeping bags and headlamps in tow, ready for a tent experience in Grammy's front yard. Neighbors beware, suburbia watch out- We were camping!! Uncle Josh was railroaded, er I mean volunteered to sleep in the tent overnight. Since he is a 23 year old strong(he lifts lots of weights and things)man, we knew we would be safe overnight. Perfect, as you might recall, is totally worthless in the dog barking/warning category.



Strangely, 3 year old Nora decided she was also camping with the boys, and out the front door went her little pink slumber bag right along with official headlamp wearing young men! What a sight! Right before sleep the group had to have a 'campfire' so I snuck out to take a picture of the circle, all without any forest fires being started!!




Of course most things I experience lead me into my usual pondering mode and then scribblings follow along shortly thereafter. This is no exception.

I am well blessed as a woman of God. I have gone through physical Labor bearing 5 children , adopting 3 more over the last 35 years. I have Labored as a Pastor's Wife, Homemaker, Mother, Teacher, After School Provider, Daycare Operator, Bank Teller, Bursar, Waitress, Tupperware Dealer, Companion to the Elderly, and other odd jobs throughout my adult life.
I Labor over relationships constantly, trying to communicate how important people are to me in my world. I am a believer in Labor.
But today, Labor Day 2008, my greatest encouragement does not come from the fact that starting tomorrow I will once again be Laboring at school for another school year.

No, my greatest relief comes from a verse in God's Word in the book of Matthew in chapter 11. It reads: " Come to Me all you who Labor and are heavy laden and I will give you REST. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.I live for that promise, I am bolstered by those words from Jesus Himself and for that reason alone I can enjoy Labor Day, knowing Rest for my weary soul is indeed attainable.