Love and Joy

Happy Valentines Day! We celebrated early by going out on Friday since that's when my sister in law offered to come and watch the kids. It was such a blessing to be able to get out and go on a date with my husband! I always dreamed that we would be able to go on dates once a week, but that has not always been feasible for us. We have had to improvise a lot of the time, and have dates at home where Lee or I would cook, or where we would have some super yummy dessert or popcorn and a movie. To me, it wouldn't be any fun if there wasn't some sort of creativity to it all. Sometimes, the more simple dates that were cheaper but had more thought put into them are the more special dates, in my opinion. :) This Valentines Day has been a little different, though. I have been stuck on knitting these socks for Lee, and he's really excited, so we went and picked out the yarn and the pattern and bought the supplies, and I'm working on them still. Lee got me two books that I have been REALLY wanting (One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp, and Organized Simplicity by Tsh Oxenreider), so we are both taken care of there, but the funny thing is that we both have another part of each others' gifts that are still on their way! :) My 2nd part for him is expected to arrive on Wednesday, and his 2nd part for me (which I know will be much bigger than my part for him, if I know him) is expected to arrive even later, by a few days! I'm super excited, though. I love Valentines Day, but it's even more fun when surprises are involved and when it doesn't end quickly. I have been known to spoil my own fun on this special holiday, with my expectations for how things should be for myself. And it's not that my hubby is one to go halfway on things, it's just that I'm more a "hand made" girl and he's more of the "nicer the better" kind of guy. It's a funny mix, almost backwards seeming, but we're learning. I'm so excited to be able to "hit the nail on the head" with these knitted socks, and I know what he's got ordered for me is hand made, so we're reaching that middle ground there somehow. :) I had forgotten until today, but this is our 14th Valentine's Day to celebrate as a couple! The first 3 we were still dating, but wow, it seems like it was just yesterday. We have both grown and changed, so it also seems like ages all at the same time. :) I am so blessed! I know I am, and I sometimes feel like I'm bragging to say so, but I need to bask in these blessings! They are a part of the story that God has given to me and I sure LOVE this story so far, even with its twists and turns and jigs and jags! It's a tear jerker and an action film, along with being a beautiful romance and a documentary all wrapped up in one! ;) I am learning to "stay fully awake" the way that Ann Voskamp's video preview mentions about her book, that I have posted in my previous post. I keep having to remind myself that my kids won't be throwing cereal around the room forever (Titus) or needing my help tying their shoes for an eternity. These are solitary moments that I have with them, and I have 2 ways I can handle them, with joy or with drudge. I pray that I embrace each of these moments with joy and that my husband and children will find that it rubs off on them. The same goes for the things I do for my husband, like laundry, dishes and preparing meals. These things are hard to accept as being "fun", and my personality gravitates toward the fun, creative, and non-tedious things in life (hence the crocheting and knitting), but I have been making it my goal to keep a positive attitude toward these tasks. I have even played mind games with myself, like had a competition to see how long we could go in the month and not eat out! I was surprised at the joy I experienced at the creativity I was able to have in the kitchen. :) I'm learning, and I think I need to bring on the personal competitions again! They seem to work with me. :) I am excited to begin to grasp life again, with less fear and with more ambition and with more joy. That is what the Lord has worked in our life, after all, that makes us different from the natural bent of the world. What a blessing that we can look forward to changing our perspective in a way that allows us to look forward to doing the dishes because maybe we will decide to pray for the users of the dishes instead of curse the job of washing them! :)

"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." John 10:10







"Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth, burst into jubilant song with music;" Psalm 98:4