Spring Cleaning

I feel it! Spring is finally here and I think it might stay this time. Spring is my favorite. It means bursts of color after a dark winter, weeding out the black from my winter wardrobe (not all of it, though, for those days I'm feeling fat), flip-flops, ice cream,  grilling out.

Spring also represents new beginnings right? After Stuart being out of a full-time job for over a year, and losing my part-time job, and now him losing his part-time job, I have to say, we are on our knees daily.   I keep thinking "Maybe God just wants to teach us something. Maybe if I do this differently, He will give Stuart a job. "  It wasn't until last week I realized that I have been going about this all wrong. I have been so focused on what God can do for us that I have forgotten the reason we are here is to live for Him.  So, this has led me to so many ideas. What can I do for Him? Why am I worrying when He has promised He will provide?    It doesn't mean we don't still have hard days where we wonder how long it will be before we get a "yes" instead of a "not right now," but in the mean time, I have a lot of work to do. 

"Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you;  never will I forsake you."  So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?" Heb 13:5-6

"So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’  For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them." Matthew 6:31-32

Another thing I'm guilty of is making doing the right thing conditional.

Example:"I'll be a good wife if he is a good husband." or "I'll go to church if everyone acts the way they are supposed to." How much sense does that even make? We don't teach our children that they are to be kind only if others are (or at least I hope we don't teach our children that). We teach them that they are to be kind and obey and let the other children’s mommies and daddies take care of them. God doesn't expect us to do the right thing just because. He wants us to do the right thing because He loves us and it will bring us peace in this life.

“These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

It is so true that when I am doing what I'm supposed to be doing and striving hard to please Him, my life is just more peaceful. Thank you, God, for that promise!

In other news, we have several exciting things happening soon. This weekend, my friend Erin (or Imma Jean, whichever you prefer) and I will be taking a daytrip to Alabama for a Barren River Trio show. For those of you who don't know, Barren River Trio is the band my husband is managing and they are awesome! In 2 1/2 weeks we will be flying to Florida to see my brother-in-law graduate with his Doctorate in Physical Therapy (so proud of him)! After that trip, my little sister will be moving back home for the summer and then to Bowling Green. I can not even tell you how exciting this is for me. I miss my sisters terribly.  And, last but not least,  I am going back to school!!!!!! I wasn't going to make this public for a while, but I am just too excited not to mention it. I have always thought I would, but right now just seems like an opportune time to do so. I'll start taking online classes in the summer. Hoping this 5 +- years- post- high-school- brain can keep up!

Hope you guys have a fabulous rest of the week!