For months now, Cole has woken up every morning asking if he can wear shorts...
Actually, he says (without his CI's on yet), "Mom, it nice and warm? We can wear short and short?"
These are the first words out of his mouth...my kids LOVE warm weather!!!
These pictures were taken on one of the first days the warm weather stuck around long enough for me to be able to say..."Yes!!! You can wear shorts!"
This was one of those "once in a blue moon" kind of days that ALL the kids were home! Ryder didn't have preschool on this day and Cole was off as well. Even though my kids are still young, this was a rare moment since Cole goes to school five days a week getting the therapy he needs to learn and listen and speak...The time put in is paying off incredibly, so it's a sacrifice were willing to make for HIS sake. I do treasure these moments though, when we get to spend WHOLE weekdays together :)
Writing in shaving cream!
(Sorry Daddy...we used a little more than I thought!)
It's funny, because I can remember a time when I wouldn't have been so quick to be thankful...right after Rylee was born, there were more challenging moments than thankful ones as I learned to navigate life with four little ones ages five and under, while John worked hard supporting our family through learning and assisting with the Bands at school. We all made sacrifices that semester, and there were moments that it was hard to see outside of the fog of it all.
I'm so thankful that God gives us new beginnings.
I'm so thankful that spring follows winter!
He is so good to design the world we live in with seasons...
As soon as you think you just can't handle one more snow storm,
He ushers in the newness of SPRING!
(By the way...this point is MUCH easier learned in IL than CA!)
Oh, how I need the freshness only His Spirit can bring!
Spring reminds me that our God is a God of new beginnings, blank slates and fresh chances.
What a good God He is to us.
I started the road of parenting four kids wondering, at times, how I would ever find firm footing. Now...months later, I wish my eyes were a camera that I could just blink and capture moment and after priceless moment that John and I get to spend raising the GIFTS God has given us.
Life certainly isn't without its crazy moments, but every night we lay in bed and regardless of what went on that day, we lay there smiling and talk about the little lives sleeping across the hall from us.
The ones God placed in our care...and we praise Him.
In my experience, sometimes God lets winter linger just a bit longer than we think we can handle.
However long we thought we'd last, we find out in those last drawn out moments, that His grace, mercy and presence are sufficient for us all over again.
My friend, Anne told me something when I first moved to Illinois, that carried me through my last three Illinois winters ..."The mistake people make, is thinking that Spring comes in March...It doesn't here...If you can get it in your mind that March is still Winter, you'll be fine."
I'm not sure how you're wired, but I like to have an accurate set of expectations...especially when I'm walking into an unknown situation. If I only trusted the calendar, I would look at March and think..."It says 'Spring Begins'! It should start to warm up soon :)"
If there is one thing I've learned about God in the past 25 years of following him, it's this...
Our minds can't always make sense of His ways.
He can do and will do whatever He, in His great wisdom, sees is BEST for those He loves as we travel through life's journey with Him in the drivers seat.
We may not always like or understand His BEST for us at first...
Especially when it is different than what we thought we wanted.
But through many circumstances I've faced throughout my life, I've learned that a life lived trusting Him brings long-lasting peace, joy and blessing every time. The kind of blessing that lasts forever.
His blessings may look different at first, but if you trust Him with every moment you've been given, soon you'll look back...
...and see that those moments blend together to become a life seeking Him first.
He says when we seek Him first, He'll take care of the rest.
That doesn't mean that you'll never experience pain,
but God does say in James 1, that we can consider it JOY when we encounter various trials, because the testing of our faith produces endurance and if we let endurance have its perfect result in us, we will be perfect and complete, not lacking in anything.
My Aunt Michele has reached this place...she endured this life until the end.
Because of her faith in Jesus she is now in Heaven, perfect and complete and will never, for forever, lack anything.
Oh, what HOPE we have in the One who gave His life for us...
May we receive the great gift of LIFE you have for each of us who believes...
I love you Lord...and thank you, for spring and the reminder it brings that your mercies for us are NEW again every morning You wake us to live another day...
