What a Hay Fight Won't Show You


An early evening hay fight

{pretty}

It won't show you the fit of the toddler, the sharp words spoken in anger just a short time before, or the month long overgrown grass beyond.


You can't see the temper lost, the laundry waiting to be washed, or hear the shrieks of the child who seems he will never ever learn the concept of normal volume.  


It won't show you the disappointing day, the mess under the table, or the heart grieving old wounds and the current salt sprinkling in.


{happy}

A fight in the hay won't show you the diaper in desperate need of a change, the cobwebs of the coop, or the tears behind the camera.


It can't show you the whispers of doubt, the growing confession list, or the many many weeds growing all around. 


{funny}

An early evening fight in the hay won't show you the bickering of before or the whining when it's time to go inside.


What a fight in the hay will show you are glimpses of happy eked out of a day of rough.


It will show you a set of blue gray eyes that melt a mother's heart when she takes the time to actually look into them.


It can be the reminder a mother needs that her failures are no match for His grace.


A fight in the hay will show you silliness and smiles and moments that must be captured so that she doesn't forget the truth.


It can bring a perspective of gratitude to a heart that struggles to see.


It will show you an exhausted effort to see the work of grace amidst the struggle of daily life and how adorable those muddy boots are from behind a lens.


It will show you moments - however brief - of joy pulled from a draining and difficult day.


A fight in the hay can show you that once in a while they actually do enjoy, revel really, and give you a tiny glance of the incomparable gift of a sibling.


It will show you the smile you thought was lost and bring a small seed of hope to a doubting mother's soul.


It will remind you of the joy of chickens and boys and breathing fresh air.



A fight in the hay can show you the gifts that are right in front of your eyes and remind you once again that it may all be worth it after all.


And what could be more {real} than that?


Linking up for {phfr} at Like Mother, Like Daugher.

10 comments

  1. these pictures are so great! regardless of what goes on behind them, you still have these moments. these awesome memories for your kids. most days i can't point to one moment like this :( and kids remember this stuff! despite frustrations or failings, both you and theresa do such wonderful things with and for your kids. and it matters to them. and it matters to HIM immensely!

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  2. Lovely post! (I think we mothers are always harder on ourselves than anyone else.)

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  3. Beautiful photos! My mom told me something recently that this reminded me of: "end {the day} on a good note". I've been remembering this a lot lately, and it's brought a lot of peace to end on a good note, no matter how the day itself actually went. They look like they're having a blast!
    ~Ruth Anne

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  4. This is my favorite post because I think it perfectly encapsulates motherhood. The beauty and the truth.

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  5. 'It can be the reminder a mother needs that her failures are no match for His grace.' Oh Mary, I SO needed to read that. I can't be everything to my boys, and the God who blessed me with them doesn't expect me to be. Glory hallelujah :) .

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  6. This is beautiful in every way - the joy, the honesty, the reality. I'm so glad you shared this. Hope you have a great weekend.

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  7. Wow, this was beautifully written! The pictures are wonderful and fun--boys will be boys! =)

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  8. Good for you wrestling joy out of field of difficulties. Sometimes we have to make conscious decision -- an act of our will -- to acknowledge the good. This morning I spotted signs of mice in our too-small pantry. I started my usual refrain (I hate this pantry), but changed course and began thanking God we can buy all the food we need.

    Blessings and peace.

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  9. Yes, yes, and yes :) Thank goodness for the ability to capture that joy that puts all the grief in perspective :)

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