Walking on Sunshine

     It's Friday and it has been one of those happy, sunshine in your soul, kind of days. The temperature was in the 70's, there was a warm breeze, and the sun was out in all its glory. Buirlen and I had kind of a slow start to our day but once we got going, we filled it to the brim with goodness. A walk in the sunshine by the sparkling lake, lunch with Grandpa, Grandma, Keren and cousins, and coffee with a good friend from work.

Sometimes it's just hard to get yourself going in the morning. Today was just such a day. 

Walking on sunshine!

Cousins that just happened to coordinate.

He likes to sit upright and observe the world. 

     At the beginning of the year, I decided that I needed to make some changes to my perspective. I needed to shake up my faith and start living a life that was not dictated by fear. It is certainly still a challenge for me, but I feel like I am making progress in the right direction. I still struggle with fear, but in some ways I feel like its grip on me is not quite as strong. I feel like I can rest in peace more easily these days. I desire to see this progress continue to move forward. I am so ready to live in the complete freedom that Jesus Christ has given me and you. Freedom to walk in the sunshine of life knowing that The One who created your soul wants to walk with you. 

    So as we head into the weekend, I hope that your heart is full to the brim with sunshine. I hope that you seek truth and stand firmly in it and that the joy of Jesus overwhelms you in a wonderful way. Happy Friday!

Here is a happy little song for your weekend. 

"What sunshine is to flowers, smiles are to humanity. These are but trifles, to be sure; but scattered along life's pathway, the good they do is inconceivable."

28 Degree Heat Wave...A Matter of Perspective

      Well, January is already half way through and as I mentioned before, my goal this year is to learn what it truly means to follow Christ and to start living my life from a new perspective. I decided that a good verse to sum up said goals would be,

Ephesians 1:17-18

"That the God of our LORD Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints." 

      This just says what I'm striving for this year. I want to seek wisdom, and learn some new things about The One who created me. I want the eyes of my heart to open up and start seeing things anew. I want to truly learn what it means to understand the hope that Jesus offers me each and every day. 

     After my last post on perspective, I've been thinking a lot about that concept and discussed it quite a bit with my students. I tend to turn lessons I'm working through in my own life into lessons for my students as well. A perfect example of perspective came today with the shift in the weather. 

     Last week was BITTERLY cold. Friday was cold enough(-31 actual temperatures) that they called school 2 hours late. They don't close or delay school for much up here. But today the sun has been shining with all its might and the mercury hit a balmy 28 degrees which felt downright blissful. Perspective!

So warm! 33 weeks and 3 days...Closer and closer!

Before Christmas, Luke made a purchase for his workshop that has brought him much joy. A metal lathe. I have been getting an education on the subject. It is an awesome blessing that fits into his dreams of a future in metal work. 

He has made a couple of little tops as he experimented with the lathe. They work pretty well and Ephraim thinks they are fun to stop once you get them going. 

      As this Sunday winds down, I hope that sun continues to shine in your hearts. Remember the Hope that The One who created today gives, and may your perspective be one of joy!

"Blessed are they who see beautiful things in humble places where other people see nothing." ~Camille Pissarro 

Perspective

     Today we got our crib and it is a beauty. Baby Williams is going to be snoozing in style. There are about 2 months till my due date... A little less than 8 weeks... 53 days till March 3. WOWZERS!     Today I was thinking about the different ways I can measure the time until his arrival. Perspective is an interesting thing. 2 months seems like awhile, 53 days does not. 

      There are many things in life that can be seen from different perspectives. One area that I have decided I need to change my perspective is my faith. I realize that all to often, I view God and His word from a perspective of fear, and that needs to change. I have decided that this year is going to be a year to change(there will certainly be changes coming in more ways than one), but I am specifically thinking of change in my perspective. I desire to get to know God in a new way. To change some negative thoughts that have become deeply ingrained. To truly learn what it means to follow Christ, and most importantly to learn how to rest in peace, say no to fear, and start living my faith from a different perspective. Adventures ahead!

The assembly process, he is pretty handy.

Work in progress.

      I've been craving a double layer, chocolate, cake with chocolate frosting for a couple days(I guess I might as well blame Baby Williams, seeing as there are only 53 days left to blame my eating habits on him). My Love brought this home as a surprise tonight. It wasn't double layered but he is a thinker, so he bought a tub of frosting, cut the top of, slathered on a layer of frosting and neatly returned the top. Ta-da! a double layer cake. He is too good to me.

    A new week is well underway. May your evening be delightful and your tomorrow even better! Happy Monday. 

"If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change." ~Dr. Wayne Dyer

"The right perspective makes the impossible possible." ~Unknown