Tag Archives: mittonmusings

Living the Dream

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Welcome back, my beloveds! Seems like we are half way through summer already — how’s it going?! Too fast? Yeah, us as well. The pool is green again and the pond is bubbling, so we are all up to snuff over here. In fact, I was telling a co-worker, recently, where we were and what all is on the property, and she commented “Ah.. you’re just living the dream.” Which caught me musing.

Are we really “living the dream”? What even is the dream? My dream? The all Canadian dream of independence, health and happiness? Surely, this life isn’t for everyone. In fact, I don’t even think the hubby would say we are living his dream. I more than likely dragged him kicking and screaming into my dream with the promises of fresh eggs and a bit of land ownership. It’s a fact, that yes, we … okay I … searched for three long years to find my little piece of property where chickens could roam and a few creatures could be had. I looked for a century home that had all the fixings I wanted with a bit of modern conveniences. It had to be far enough out, but not too far from “home” and our family. Itsnotta farm checked a lot of my dream boxes… but are we living the dream?

I will openly admit that I was drawn to the Instagram worthy country scene of friendly chickens and wild flowers on the porch. I’m not the girl in linen dress and straw sun hat dancing through sunflower fields, but I could fake it if I wanted. I could show you only the cute bunnies playing and digging around in the dirt. I could show you our bubbling waterfall at the pond. I would not show you the bucket full of bunny poop I collected today with sweat and mosquitoes. I would not show you the stinging nettle rash up my arms from the pulling the relentless weeds. Or the muck and mire they vacuumed out of the pond before we got the water moving again. I won’t mention the frustration and agony of my husband’s constant battle with lawn mowers and pool filters. These are the nightmares that accompany the dream. It’s work and it’s real.

Am I “Living the dream?”

So, I’m torn. Despite the blood, sweat and tears, I love this place. I sat on my porch the other day with book in hand and cool breezes blowing across my sun-kissed skin and I watched a morning dove coo at me from the over head wire and I smiled. It was my dream come true. It still is. Yet, the deeper muse here… where should we be focused? Have all my dreams been wrapped up here on this so called heaven-on-earth? Can I really be living the dream only when I am focused on my place here? In this fleeting moment? We won’t be here forever. Our bodies will age and the fight with the lawnmowers will get tougher. We won’t be able to keep up with all the work that needs to be done. Soon, we will be surrounded by only our people… not our property. The people we have brought into our circle. We can only take people with us to Heaven. Our relationships must focus on the bigger picture. The true dream of forever with Jesus must be our mantra. And we must share it with anyone and everyone.

Our Sunday service this week focused on the words of Revelation chapter 22... “the Lord is coming soon!” It was a reminder to me that yes, although my life here on earth is like “living the dream”… it will be a soon forgotten memory when I stand face to face with my Maker. Living trees in Heaven won’t need pruning. Rivers in Heaven won’t need mucking out. There won’t be curses (or mosquitoes?) or grass to cut. Then you can come over to my mansion and play with my bunnies… no shoveling involved.

Still, the true part of living that dream will be hanging out with Jesus for eternity. Sitting at His feet and listening to the stories of the disciples and how they too, must have thought they were living the dream with Jesus by their side. Until paradise, when they realized, that forever will be the dream. I can only imagine!

Oh Canada!

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No official muse today as we are on holidays … but celebrated Canada Day yesterday and thought you might like to see the original lyrics to our National Anthem! The faith of our forefathers are evident! May we remember their prayers for our land and its people.

Oh Canada! Original lyrics

English lyrics by Robert Stanley Weir

O Canada! Our home and native land!
True patriot love thou dost in us command.
We see thee rising fair, dear land,
The True North, strong and free;
And stand on guard, O Canada,
We stand on guard for thee.


(Refrain)
O Canada! O Canada!
O Canada! We stand on guard for thee,
O Canada! We stand on guard for thee.


O Canada! Where pines and maples grow,
Great prairies spread and lordly rivers flow,
How dear to us thy broad domain,
From East to Western sea!
Thou land of hope for all who toil!
Thou True North, strong and free!
(Refrain)


O Canada! Beneath thy shining skies
May stalwart sons and gentle maidens rise,
To keep thee steadfast through the years
From East to Western sea,
Our own beloved native land,
Our True North, strong and free!
(Refrain)


Ruler Supreme, Who hearest humble prayer,
Hold our dominion within Thy loving care.
Help us to find, O God, in Thee
A lasting, rich reward,
As waiting for the Better Day,
We ever stand on guard.
(Refrain)

(Taken from Britannica.com)

Overcoming Overwhelm: Tackling Life’s Challenges One Detail at a Time (or How to Eat an Elephant)

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Oh friends! Have you heard the saying “It’s all in the details?” I’ve been feeling it this week. All the tiny things that have added up. Perhaps details are not the right thing to describe all those little nuggets of the day to day that need to be done but just eat up time. Mother’s day weekend has passed and we’ve all heard the stories of moms who need a break from all the things they do all day… and it’s true. My Pinterest board is loaded with things I’d love to try but never seem to get around to. There always seem to be dishes to do, or laundry, or a meeting, or a stupid walk for my mental health…

It’s not that I am bitter about it, it just seems to be fact that there is always some little thing. A form needs signing. A call needs to be made. A shelf fell down in our bathroom. It sat for days on the counter while I found proper hooks and measured and stuck it back up. It’s more than likely too high, but I am not fixing it again. Even tonight, a belt broke on our riding lawnmower, and the hubby had to hook it back up (with much fiddle-dee-dum frustration I may add to get it all aligned and working). It was a task that seemed to take way longer than it should. A hook. A lost button. And don’t forget to feed the dog. Empty the dishwasher. Is it me? Am I so disorganized I never seem to be up to date? Or is that just life?

Speaking of life… that comes in little things, too! If you have been following mittonmusings for any period of time, you know that one of the goals, one of the bucket list items, one of the long sought after tasks were chickens! WELL THEY ARE HERE!! Six beautiful little babies arrived on Thursday. Even then, there were tiny glitches. They were supposed to arrive on Tuesday, but the hatchery didn’t get orders and so we were postponed a few days. Don’t ask me what happened to the day old chicks that were born on Tuesday?! Maybe I don’t want to know. Anyway… teeny little peepers are now running around my living room (well not literally running around, but they are contained with lots of space in my living room). Again, they have been an example to me of tiny details making all the difference. They each have their own markings and personalities and have grown so fast in less than a week! Tiny wing and tail feathers are starting to show, and their legs and necks are stronger than the day I brought them home all snuggled together in a cardboard box. I am beside myself with joy. So is the dog. Beside himself that is, I dunno about the joy part.

Six baby Chicks have Arrived!

Even my momma robin nesting in the barn has chicks now! Tiny buds are sprouting in my flower bed. Thousands of tadpoles are lining the edges of our pond. The mosquitoes are returning, too. Billions of tiny things are springing right now! What are some of the small, seemingly insignificant things you have noticed in your world today? Have you taken the time to seek them out? Or are you feeling the crunch of all the details in a different way?

I suppose, therefore, it is ones perspective of the details, or “little things” that produce the outcome of our emotions behind the events. Do we struggle and feel overwhelmed that there are too many little things that need to get done? Or are we patient and take one thing at a time and enjoy it ? Savouring the details like fine wine. They say that the easiest way to eat a giant elephant is one bite at a time. And so it is.

As I ponder these things, I am reminded about the story of the mustard seed. Jesus explained that even if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can move mountains! I’ve been looking at our property … and we are learning there are a lot of details in maintaining such land… not to mention an old house and a bunch of creatures. I can easily get trapped in the frustration of pride, jealousy, anger etc. that the world view puts on home ownership. Keeping up with the Jones’? Ha! Let’s just focus on getting the grass cut. Of course, I want to have the beautiful gardens and whimsical bunny hotels and bird baths, but these things take work (and cash). Should I be so focused on the big picture? Or is God asking me to eat my elephant one bite at a time? Is it possible to have all I want in under a year of living here? My guess is that it’s not going to work out that way.

Let’s go back to that mustard seed. Perhaps my theology is all wrong in my comparison between faith and house chores. Maybe I shouldn’t compare earthly things to heavenly. Yet the tiny mustard seed… in fact all the seeds I have been looking at lately… are an example to me of how much potential are hidden in the small details. An acorn becomes a mighty oak. My little peeps will grow and produce eggs soon enough. The surrounding farmer fields will soon be higher than me. Things around here will get done, eventually. I have faith. I read somewhere that the meaning of the mustard seed is that our faith is only as strong as the One it’s placed in. And my faith is in a great big God who has blessed us with Itsnotta Farm. So many prayers of petition went in to moving here. Prayers for not only the physical, but that we would do God’s service here with this space and for this time in our lives. It’s an adventure I asked God for. Therefore, I am confident He will see us through it… and all the details that go along with being here.

I’m feeling like this post is a little convoluted. My A.I. assistant is going to tell me I’m not fluent and should “create headers to make my readers understand my message better”. Another detail to worry about. So, you’ll forgive me if I am just throwing you in my messy musings without clear and concise thoughts and conclusions. After all, I am trying to eat an elephant over here this week. Perhaps it will taste better with some mustard.