Spring is on its way!

I've been hemming and hawing for several weeks, debating as to whether I should spend money on rain boots for the boys. Would it be worth it?

Finally I was swayed today, as we had a lovely 40-degree almost-spring day... complete with lots and lots of puddles! (And in Minneapolis, there is A LOT of snow yet to melt!) The boys had a blast splashing around as we went for a short walk this afternoon, and it was so wonderful to be out in the fresh air!

The verdict: worth it. ☺

Diligence contributes to a "fat soul"

This little blurb is written by one of our pastors, Brent Knox—an excerpt from “In Case of 'Work Avoidance Syndrome'...” which I found to be insightful when applied to mothering...

Think about this Proverb, “The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing, but the soul of the diligent is made fat” (Proverbs 13:4, NAS). Do you notice the difference between the soul of the sluggard and the soul of the diligent? Do you want a soul that is fat? Do you want a rich, inward life? Being diligent contributes to a rich, inward life. Working hard is a blessing, not a curse. Besides, God worked and is still working. He worked for six days creating the world. And Jesus said, “My Father is always at His work to this very day, and I, too, am working” (John 5:17, NIV). So, it is godly to work...

I confess, sometimes I want life to be all about my needs, my desires, my convenience... but this reminds me that working hard and being diligent in my roles as a mother and a wife “contributes to a rich inward life.” I want to have a “fat soul!” PLUS, Jesus said, “If you cling to your life, you will lose it; but if you give up your life for Me, you will find it” (Matthew 10:39, NLT).

Clarifying your vision

"Lord, remind me how brief my time on earth will be! Remind me that my days are numbered—how fleeting my life is. You have made my life no longer than the width of my hand. My entire lifetime is just a moment to You; at best, each of us is but a breath."
~Psalm 39:4-5 (NLT)

The truth is, no matter how long we live, our lives are short. So I asked myself this morning, "If I only had six months to live, what would I do? How might I live differently? What things that currently absorb my attention wouldn't matter quite so much in the scheme of things?"

Well, I'm pretty sure I would be a lot more intentional. I started making a list of things I would do if I only had six months to live, and I came up with 10 things (so far). I thought I'd share a couple of them:

* Watch little or no TV—too many more important things to do...

* Invest more of myself in my kids—more time and love, and especially my faith in Jesus.

* More quality time with my husband and my folks/in-laws.

* Feel no obligation to attend parties or gatherings—only where the Lord is leading.

Et cetera! And you know what? This list clarified my vision for how I want to live. Try this little exercise for yourself! How would you live if you knew you only had six months left?