Just in time for Easter which is right around the corner.
We were blessed with an extremely mild winter here in Michigan, but it doesn’t stop the longing in my heart for spring and the warmth it brings.
Temperatures have been in the upper 70’s and low 80’s for the past week, and we are already spoiled by the warmth. Averages this time of year are 30’s and low 40’s. But I’m not delusional, having lived in Michigan long enough to know that we very well could have some massive snow storms between now and the middle of May. So we’re soaking it up while we can, knowing it might only be a tease before the warmth is here to stay.
Tulips and crocus are blooming, trees are budding, and every morning I wake up to birds singing their beautiful melodies through our open windows.
But with all the robins singing in the trees, and the squirrels eating the heads off my daffodils, the arrival of new life draws my mind to Christ, and the new life He brings us. I think of Narnia, where it was “always winter, but never Christmas”, and how they longed for something more. They longed for the hope that came with the arrival of Aslan.
And when Aslan was on the move, spring came. Snow melted, rivers flowed, and the trees began to bud. Aslan brought hope to Narnia, and the world came alive with the anticipation of his arrival.
Good Friday was our winter, and God knew it would be. But He also knew that Sunday was coming, and with that brought the melting away of the darkness and the hope of new life found in the risen Jesus.
Resurrection (Easter) Sunday should be overflowing with the greatest joy we can find within us. It is because of that day that we don’t live where it is always winter, never spring.
Hallelujah!
Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.
2 Corinthians 5:17 (NASV)
Are you doing anything special during the next couple of weeks to prepare your hearts for this season of new life and the celebration of our Risen Savior?
The house is quiet. A bowl of Chinese take-out is hot and steamy next to me on the desk. Words have been writing themselves in my head for weeks but I just now have the time to put them into order and get them on paper.
The last several weeks have been a journey. And here I am. Happy.Alive. Excited. The light at the end of the tunnel has finally come, and God has brought my safely to the other side. I know why I had to go through the things that I have, but my thankfulness is overflowing as that season passes and He brings me to a new one.
It has been over a month since my last blog post. The absence wasn’t intentional, but so much has happened and my time to spend on the Internet has greatly decreased. I check my email daily and that is about it these days.
On December 12, I posted about discouragement. You can read it here. God knew my heart, the aching of my soul, and that I felt I couldn’t take the strain of my current situation any longer. I was wearing out…emotionally, physically, mentally.
Without airing loads of dirty laundry, let me just say that my work environment for the past several years wasn’t exactly ideal. We were thankful for the job, don’t get me wrong, but the atmosphere that surrounded that job was hostile, to put it mildly. The years I was there brought me extreme anxiety, stress beyond anything I have ever experienced, and the continuous threat of office “explosions” left an ever-present knot in my stomach.
During the first couple of years, my self-esteem and confidence in my abilities took quite a beating, as well as my personal worth. The best way to describe it is to say I felt like a piece of gum that had been chewed up, spit out, and was now stuck to the bottom of somebody’s shoe to be continually walked on. My husband was a constant encouragement, always praying with and for me. He helped me fight the negativity I was continually surrounded with, always pointing me towards Christ. I read, prayed, and cried out to God. I learned to start each day praying as I walked into the office, pleading that no matter what happened I would find my strength and self-worth in Him.
This place had become my personal battleground. Every victory belonged to the Lord, but every day, and often every moment, was a fight. Through it all, I can honestly say that I saw His grace poured out constantly. Big ways, little ways, it was His droplets of grace that brought me through. Over and over I would recite in my head “if God is for me, who can be against me?” He was always enough, but I was wearing thin. There were days that I would come home and cry for hours, truly not knowing if I would have the strength to make it back in the next day.
But God had a plan, and it wasn’t until the end of December that He was finished with having me there. I knew when the time had come, and the right door was opened for me to walk through. He made it clear. But things happened while I was there.
God made me stronger.
God taught me to see the good side of people, no matter who they were.
God helped me to care about the very people that were the cause of my agony. He gave me the strength to pray for them…..when in my own flesh, I certainly wasn’t thinking thoughts of great kindness towards them (yes, this took a while to overcome!!).
God kept me on my knees….trusting…praying…waiting…
God changed me while I was there.
And when He was done with those lessons, He moved me on.
Through circumstances that only God himself could ordain, I was made aware of a local company looking to hire for a position that I was more than qualified for. A friend submitted my resume, and a couple days later an interview was scheduled.
Within five days, I was offered the job, and late that afternoon I turned in my resignation, giving the standard two-week notice. It was a moment I had dreamed of for over two years. It was finally here. The light I had been searching for.
There are days when it’s still hard to believe it’s really true. I’m really somewhere else. No more feeling physically ill on Sunday night, knowing that Monday is only a few hours away. No more coming home in tears, being sleep deprived due to work stress, or constantly having to question the ethics behind what I was being asked to do. No more being surrounded with yelling, cussing, and accusatory people who were shameless trying to climb their way to the top, not caring who they kicked, tripped, or knocked over on their way. It’s over.
I’m free.
I took a week off to rejuvenate myself. I needed to sleep….time to unwind. Detox from where I’d been for so long. Nine days of reprogramming myself. Telling myself that it was all over and I didn’t have to dread tomorrow anymore. No more fighting the desire to simply wish away Monday thru Friday and live for Saturday. Now I could enjoy each day for what it was, what it brought, and what God had in store.
Friday will end the third week at my new job. I thank God every day for this gift. I have yet to find words that accurately describe the extent of my relief, joy, and thankfulness for this new season of life. God’s timing is perfect, and it was a wonderful way to begin a new year.
One Sunday at church we recently sang the song "Never Once” by Matt Redman. My guess is that if we did a raise of hands, several of you would probably know it.
As we were singing, I was struck by these lyrics. They were telling my story…my journey. They were articulating so many of the feelings that I hadn’t quite been able to put into words. There have been scars and struggles on the way, but I’ve been carried by His constant grace and my heart can say that He has been faithful every step of the way. I have never walked alone….He has never left me on my own.
To you, LORD, I call;
you are my Rock,
do not turn a deaf ear to me.
For if you remain silent,
I will be like those who go down to the pit.
Hear my cry for mercy
as I call to you for help,
as I lift up my hands
toward your Most Holy Place. Psalm 28:1-2
There is a feeling of anticipation that swells up in me and I wait for news on a pending decision.
Yes? No?
Will I be chosen? Or not?
My mind can hardly concentrate for days, thinking of the excitement that might be around the corner. This could be it! Finally, what I’ve been waiting for!
Every time I hear my email *ding* on my phone, I grab it to scroll anxiously through the messages to see if there is an answer.
And then the day comes.
I read with excitement, until I realize…the answer is no.
Not me. Not this time. Will I ever be chosen?
Suddenly, instead of feeling my breath quicken with excitement, I feel crushed. I feel a hole in the pit of my stomach. I feel like there is a knot there, like I’ve been punched. Perhaps irrationally so, but I feel dejected.
I’m not devastated, but it’s definitely more than simple disappointment. I’m discouraged.
Not many options available right now. No lights at the end of the tunnel. It’s tough. I know my faith is being tested, but this testing has been going on for a long time.
Years.
I know God has a plan. I know He sees me here. He sees my tears; He knows my pain and frustration. But it doesn’t change the fact that the situation remains the same…yet I must remain strong. Faithful. Committed.
So here I am, clinging strongly to words like Faith.
Sovereignty. Grace. Sufficiency.
Praying I can be a faithful servant in the midst of trial.
Trusting that my Lord will see me through to the other side, all in His perfect timing. Even though my eyes are blinded to His plan…
My flesh is discouraged, but His truth and promises are etched on my heart.
I keep believing that some day I will have a different story to tell, and a new journey will have begun. But until then, I keep on trudging, sometimes slowly, but ever moving forward. The climb is steep at times, but I know who is helping me, and He will never let go of my hand.
I will wait patiently for the Lord. He will hear by cry, and lift me up from the miry clay. He will set my feet on a solid rock. He will put a new song in my mouth, which will be a hymn of praise to my God.
PS: You can check out Flower Mama's fun giveaway right HERE
The alarm went off at 5:00 AM. Snooze was hit a few times before my husband gently tugged the covers and pushed me off my pillow.
"Come on honey, boots on the ground!" he said. (I had known I would need his help getting up. I am sooo not a morning person.)
For reasons that will remain yet unwritten, I got up, and stumbled down the hall to start getting ready.
There was a meeting to attend before I headed to the office.
Was it worth getting up so early for?
I hoped that it would be, but still wasn't sure.
It was pitch black when I pulled out of the driveway.
The neighbor's dogs weren't even out yet to bark at me, as they usually are every other morning.
I stop for coffee on the way, hoping that some smooth brewed java will help to jolt my brain awake.
A little further, and I pull into the parking lot. I see a familiar car, so I know I've found the right entrance.
Into the office I go, and further still, I step into a conference room.
Men were filing in, some in dress shirts and ties, other in jeans or sweater vests.
A blend of men, but all with a couple of very distinct in similarities.
High-level executives.Christian. Trying to make their businesses better.
Men with strong desires for Integrity. Honesty. Commitment. Perseverance.
I sat in the middle of a one hour round-table discussion and was shocked. My preconceived notions were shattered.... in a good way.
These were business leaders, trying to gain encouragement from other people in similar situations. They love God, and want to spend an hour every week away from the corporate rat-race in a place where they can lay their cards-on-the-table and be truthful, honest, and real about the difficulties they face in business, and as Christians in a stressful environment.
It was their haven.
For an hour I was able to join them in conversation. Business issue resolution, employee conflict, encouraging positive attitudes, giving the business hope and an optimistic outlook when the "world" thinks everything is bleak. These men were passionate, hopeful, driven, and in love with God.
The world looks at people as either optimists or pessimists -- they are categorized as being either "glass half full" or "glass half empty" kind of people. But as one man pointed out, that is still "the world's thinking." As Christians, we should be showing the world that your glass can be 100% full.
We need to focus on looking Up, more than looking around. When the economy is tanking and businesses are struggling, our glass is still completely full, because we know who fills it. We have Christ. We have abundant hope.
Sometimes this is hard for me to remember.
I work in the business world, and there are days when it is brutal beyond words. But this gave me hope. Hope for my city. Hope for the hearts of people in business leadership. This was a reminder that God is bigger than the problems I see around me. Bigger than the struggling companies and declining job market.
I left renewed.
I went to work and felt like at least for this moment....for today.... my glass was 100% full.
What about your glass? Where is your fill line?
(So was it worth getting up so early? I might be on my third mug of coffee, but it was completely worth it.)
You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.
Jesus did not come to earth and offer His life so we could be like everybody else.He was (is) willing to link His reputation to ours, so why are we willing to be like the rest of the world?
Have we been seduced by the world’s ideas?
Have we become lovers of money and gossip?
Forgotten the sacredness of marriage?
Are we allowing our sin nature to be fed through grudges and anger?
Do we spend our life showing mercy, caring about those around us, and striving for honesty and integrity, or are we living a life of self-gratification?
The command to reflect Christ spread across the world and into all cultures and various churches throughout the New Testament, even into the book of Revelation.
Despite the temples to false gods, shrines, orgies, and laws to worship the Caesar, they were still called to be set apart.To live a life without compromise.To reflect God in a world and culture where very few did.
I want my Lord to be able to say to me that "I know our deeds, your love, your faithfulness, and your perseverance..." (Revelation 2:19)
As believers in Jesus Christ, I am called.
Chosen.
Part of a royal Priesthood.
A counter-culture.
This means that my actions should set me apart.
Jesus died on that cross and shed His blood to save me.
Over the last few years I have become increasingly thankful for the Internet. I have found a community that is a place for encouragement among godly women, with those who take time to share their hearts with the rest of us and reach out to bless us with their words.
I am hoping to start sharing some of my "finds" on a weekly basis, and maybe they will bless your heart as well. God has helped use these words to be shade in my desert during long days in a secular work environment, where everything goes against what He desires for me to be.
Find yourself a quiet corner and a mug of steaming coffee...
Ann Voskamp:http://www.aholyexperience.com/2011/10/when-its-hard/
Excerpt: Psalm 107 Read it because it’s manna and and you’ve got nothing to give if you haven’t gathered, and you have to gather it at daybreak if you are going to gain from it the daylong.
It is a better thing to have a trouble, and know how to get grace enough to bear it. And we get grace enough to bear it — when we run into the arms of Grace who bore it all, into Him Who is more than enough.
Angie Smith http://angiesmithonline.com/2011/10/higher/
Excerpt: I went through something terrible that many people go through, and I loved the Lord through it. Because of circumstances I didn’t create or ask for, He chose to use me.
And if that doesn’t humble me, I don’t know what will.
I used to cry after I spoke because I felt like I messed up.
Now I cry because I know He loves me in spite of it, and it’s too much.
It’s grace at work, and I get to report to duty every day.
Excerpt:I am a mess, and my heart is so ugly sometimes, but God makes me beautiful because of Jesus’ sake. He loves me and redeems my heart. I will not listen to the lies of condemnation that come from the enemy, because in Him, I have been forgiven and set free.
Is it a place you can run to, shut the door, and know you're safe?
Is it filled with love, harmony, and peace?
This is what I want for our home, and pray often that God will continue to make these things true within our four walls. I feel so blessed that it is a haven, because I know there are many people who don't have that luxury within their walls.
Part of having that haven at home is the time & effort we put into it, and the praying done on it's behalf. These are the things that I pray for in our home:
That God's peace will reign in our home, and in our hearts.
That we can create a joyful atmosphere, and remember to praise God no matter our circumstances.
That we love each other despite our faults, as Christ has loved us.
That we surround ourselves with beautiful things as a reminder to appreciate the beauty that our Creator God has surrounded us with.
I only have three years under my belt as a homemaker, but I am so thankful for the example that was set for me all the years growing up by my mother. She made our home a haven, and that is my desire now.
I never really liked the word "homemaker," so I had to laugh when I read this quote below, by Elizabeth George.
I don't know about you, but I had an aversion to the word "homemakers" -- until I discovered what God had in mind.
Before that, it sounded like dull labor and mundane chores.
But...I learned that...I am simply to be a "home lover."
Any woman who carries in her mind and heart the thoughts "home, sweet home!" qualifies as a home lover.
Can any of you relate to that? Now home lover, I can handle!
How I enjoy learning to be a home lover! As the months slip by, there are always more things I am learning to do, and always edges to be refined. But there is great joy in this process, and I feel blessed that God has called me to be wife and a keeper at home.
If home is supposed to be a wonderful place, there has to be character built within its walls.
Truth. Purity. Loveliness.
Sounds familiar?
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.(Philippians 4:8)
"Focus on the journey, not the destination.
Joy is found not in finishing an activity but in doing it.”
- Greg Anderson
My husband reminded me of this a few days ago, as I was wishing away time until my project would be completed. A project I have been excited about, prepping for, and spending hours on.
Don't wish it away, honey; it's about the journey.
What else in life do I do that with?
Maybe not so much wishing time away, as much as thinking everything will fall into place once a goal is complete.
Once our saving account is big enough...
Once I lose that extra ten pounds...
Once we live in a bigger house...
Once we...
Am I wishing time away?
Not intentionally, but I fear that is the end result.
In the midst of that, am I ignoring promptings from God in my life?
I'll have more people over after we get a bigger house.
We'll help this person out financially once our savings account is built up more.
Are we shushing the God who created us? Are we tuning out that still small voice because we don't have everything all neat & tidy in our lives yet?
Are we wishing away this season of our lives because we think the next one will be better? Or bigger. Or just plain different.
Are we missing out on some things that God might have in store for us because we're too busy feeling inadequate about where we are in life right now?
"Today, our fellow citizens, our way of life, our very freedom came under attack in a series of deliberate and deadly terrorist acts. The victims were in airplanes or in their offices: secretaries, business men and women, military and federal workers, moms and dads, friends and neighbors. Thousands of lives were suddenly ended by evil, despicable acts of terror. The pictures of airplanes flying into buildings, fires burning, huge structures collapsing have filled us with disbelief, terrible sadness, and a quiet, unyielding anger. These acts of mass murder were intended to frighten our nation into chaos and retreat. But they have failed. Our country is strong."
This is the tenth anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks on America.
Every year on this day my body is covered with chills, my eyes are filled with tears, and my mind swirling with questions. They say time heals all wounds, but it wasn’t my dad that died that day. Will time ever heal the wounds of the people who had lives of loved ones so brutally ripped out from under them?
I believe completely in God’s sovereignty, but I also know that it’s easier to trust and believe when it was my dad and my friends that weren’t there that day when they were supposed to be. God spared them, and I am forever thankful for that.
Last weekend I attended a football game at Michigan Stadium, an arena seating over 113,000 people. On the rooftops, perched over the suites and press-boxes were snipers, two on each corner, all around the stadium.
You could see them standing tall in the distance,
watching….waiting…ever on alert. This is America now.
The words terrorism or terrorist attack weren’t in my vocabulary before 9/11/01. I had never heard words like jihad or Al Qaeda, and had no idea who Osama Bin Laden was. That all changed the day those towers collapsed. The day the Pentagon was hit. The day that plane was diverted and crashed in Pennsylvania. Those words became common in my house, used without thinking because it’s such a part of American life now. Those words and the people behind them have tried to steal America’s freedom. Some freedom they stole by taking life itself, other freedoms they stole by invoking paralyzing fear.
I remember the weeks immediately after, and being scared to go two miles down the road to the grocery store. Afraid to see Arabs shopping in there, afraid to make eye contact, afraid to be away from my family, afraid of the silence that surrounded all the public places. Life was eerily quiet for the days and even weeks following 9/11. People didn’t smile, didn’t laugh as much. I remember feeling like everybody was simply going about their business as quickly as possible so they could get home again to their loved ones.
"A great people has been moved to defend a great nation. Terrorist attacks can shake the foundations of our biggest buildings, but they cannot touch the foundation of America. These acts shatter steel, but they cannot dent the steel of American resolve. America was targeted for attack because we're the brightest beacon for freedom and opportunity in the world. And no one will keep that light from shining. Today, our nation saw evil -- the very worst of human nature -- and we responded with the best of America. "
In the days following the attacks, the news continued to replay footage as more bodies were being uncovered and the likelihood of finding additional survivors dwindled. I remember standing around the television with my friends from high school and their families, as there was talk of reinstating the draft. My friends were all talking about what they would do, if they would willingly go fight for their country, and how they wanted to defend America’s freedom. In the next few years, two of my friends did enlist, and one of them has served three tours overseas in Iraq and Afghanistan.
"This is a day when all Americans from every walk of life unite in our resolve for justice and peace. America has stood down enemies before, and we will do so this time. None of us will ever forget this day, yet we go forward to defend freedom and all that is good and just in our world."
I am proud of the Americans that will never forget and never relent. I love the Americans that resolve to never give up on the idea of freedom that our Founding Fathers fought for, lived for and died for. I still tear up every single time I hear the National Anthem because of what happened that day. My favorite line? The phrase guaranteed to make me cry even reading the simple words?
And the rockets' red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there
Knowing that there are people in this world that want our flag to stop flying in this country, it makes me grateful every time I see it waving proudly. I thank God for the freedom He has so graciously allowed this country to have, and I pray that as Americans we do not take it for granted. He has blessed us with it, but He can also take it away. We should not turn our backs on Him as a nation and we should certainly not take this freedom for granted.
I thank God that He saw fit to spare my dad and my friends from being in New York City that day, but my heart goes out to the families that had a different fate. I hope they turn to God as the one and only true comfort in life.
Never forget.
{quotes from Address to the Nation given on 9/11/01 by President George W. Bush}
I finally had the chance to watch “The King’s Speech” this weekend.Excellent movie!Probably not one I’d watch more than once or twice, but I thought it was very well done, and an insightful look into that particular royal family.
After having read this article {link} awhile ago, I was even more intrigued to see the film.I thought Colin Firth’s portrayal of the King was excellent, and I truly felt my heart go out to him as he struggled with his speech impediment.As somebody who doesn’t like public speaking to begin with, I can’t imagine the personal humiliation of the problem being compounded with stuttering and stammering.
The movie also created a lovely picture of his wife & children and the unconditional love and support they gave him as he struggled to overcome this impairment.
There was a scene that particularly stuck out to me, where he was so distraught over the pressure and his inadequacy that he shook with tears and yelled: “I am not a king; I am not a king!!!”
It reminded me of Moses in Exodus 3 & 4 where God told him to go to Pharaoh and ask for the release of the Israelites.God gave Moses everything he would need, and what was the response?
Exodus 4:10 –Moses said to the LORD, “Pardon your servant, Lord. I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue.”
I can just hear him saying “I am not a king; I am not a king!”(perhaps “ambassador” would be a better word in this case.)
Exodus 4:11&12 - The LORD said to him, "Who gave human beings their mouths? Who makes them deaf or mute? Who gives them sight or makes them blind? Is it not I the LORD? Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say."
God will equip those He has called.
Exodus 4:13-14a - But Moses said, "Pardon your servant, Lord. Please send someone else." Then the LORD's anger burned against Moses...
Ouch.I think this was a long lesson for Moses to learn.But isn’t it for all of us?How many times have I felt prompted to do something and yet shirked away from it because of my own feeling of inadequacy?Probably more times than I would like to recall.
Philippians 4:13 – I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength. God never promised us that life would be easy, but He did promise that He would never leave or forsake us, and that He would give us the strength to do whatever He has asked of us.
It’s been my experience in life that God doesn’t often just plop us into a vat full of grace and call it a day.It’s usually more like droplets of grace sprinkled through each day, just enough to get us through, but not so much that we forget where our abilities and strength come from or our need to depend completely on Him.
Have you felt those drops of grace in the midst of inadequacy lately?
This fact has been a joke in my family since I was young.
It's not something I dwell on for the most part.
After all, it's just a word.
Right?
The past few days have rudely reminded me of the lack of gracefulness that I tend towards.
via
A reminder like falling down the porch steps with a basket full of clean laundry in my arms, heading towards the clothes line. (I admit, I laid on the driveway and whimpered like a wounded puppy. Pathetic. )
Or trying to finagle an umbrella in the rain. And wind. Especially the wind part. And should I mention that I carry a vibrant green umbrella? Hard to miss the girl walking down the street with that! All the while struggling to keep it upright and not have it blow away while her hands are full of other paraphernalia. Awkward moments.
And people ask me why I usually just run through the rain and skip the umbrella. Really? They obviously have never seen me try to use one. One day I'll end up like Mary Poppins and be carried away by it. Only mine will be bright green. You'll be able to see me coming!
But there's more to the story than that. Perhaps we are quick to forget that there is a drastic difference between graceful and grace.
And this grace business?
It changed my life.
{Amazing grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me...}
That "wretch" the song was referring to, is me.
I am the wretch, made beautiful only by the amazing grace that God has extended to me. He chose me, not because of anything I have done, but because of the plan He had for my life. A plan that He knew before the very foundation of the world. Wow.
Grace was extended to me, a sinner, and allows me to have a personal relationship with God through His Son, my Savior, Jesus Christ.
This Grace has promised me an eternity in Heaven, instead of the hell that I otherwise deserved.
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. Ephesians 2:8-9
I love that my name means grace; a constant reminder of God's love for me and the beauty of His plan for my life.
{I once was lost, but now am found. 'Twas blind, but now I see.}
The last few days I have been feeling a little blue. Haven’t quite been able to put my finger on why, but just not my usual self. I love how God knows my heart and despitemyself He reaches into my life bringing little moments that help cheer me up.
An unexpected hour at home before my husband leaves for class.
A long walk with new shoes that don’t hurt my feet.
Making a friend when you weren’t trying to.
Somebody making you laugh when you really feel like crying.
Leftovers from Mom so I don’t have a cook.
Planning a date night to look forward to.
Most importantly the reminder that: "My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness." 2 Corinthians 12:9
These little things have been droplets of sunshine to my soul lately.
What has been your Sunshine this week?
PS - Lisa Leonard is having another adorable giveaway today right HERE!
The local Tractor Supply store was having "Chick Days" last week
and it reminded me again of how many fun things there are about spring.
Cute things ~
Small things ~
Fuzzy things ~
Noisy things ~
I gave up my dreams of farm life and marrying Pecos Bill long ago, but when I see little animals, goats, horses, and even the occasional cow, a part of me wonders what it might be like to live country style for awhile. But Dee DrummondI am not, so I come back to reality when I realize that I only live five minutes from several grocery stores, the library, a mall, dozens of restaurants, and Best Buy. So I pet the little fuzzy chicks & ducks, and went on my merry way.
I got home that night and saw that there were tulips starting to poke their way up through the dirt in the flower beds that have been left unattended since last fall.
I can't wait until the dirt is overshadowed with dozens of blossoms and bursts of color! The roses from my husband are still alive and beautiful on the kitchen table, and when I look at them every day it makes me long ever more for the beauties of springtime.
As I marveled at the beauties around me, God blessed our little town with a beautiful sunset -- the first one I've seen in months.
The clouds cleared away and color was burst across the sky!
It was as if everything around me that day was filled with anticipation of spring. Warmth. Sunshine. Joy. Excitement.
