Thoughts on Spring

I have heard many times from people over the past couple weeks of heat wave here in Minneapolis, “I love Spring!” I have been tempted to say the same, though I never thought of this as my favorite season. And so I have wondered (as I did 8 years ago when I changed my favorite color from orange to red) if I should change my favorite season officially to Spring?

On a walk yesterday with Matt, soaking in the green, and the birds, and the air I realized— I love Spring for everything it is not, much more so than for what it is. Spring represents no more winter, and that, that alone makes me love it! But, if I had to choose a season to have all year round, I would have to lean toward Summer’s heat, and full bloom flowers or Fall’s rainbow collage of leaves, and nights around the fire. No, Spring is not my favorite.

Nonetheless, it is beautiful… and fresh and life giving. And maybe God was up to something else perfect, when He decided the world, like life, should have changes.

I am still blogging...

I am memorizing Romans 8. The whole thing. Mainly because one of my favorite portions of scripture is sandwiched in the middle, but also because it is completely peppered with promises that give me something bigger than this world to hold onto; big pieces of the puzzle that unravel Jesus' coming and purpose here as it directly relates to me and humanity as a whole. Plus, one of our pastors at church told us we should memorize it. :) Sometimes it just takes a little prompting.

My aunt and uncle have been staying with us since Friday, and probably will be here through the week. My cousin, their youngest son, who attends college here in the city has severe pancreatitus and has been in the ICU since Thursday night at St. Johns. So the house is full, as it should be it seems. 6 adults and one kitchen.

On that note, we have bought a house. It will not be full, at least not that we know of at this point. I promised Matt we would not live with anyone for at least a year. It will be our first time since being married. Unless you count the 5 months in Costa Rica when technically we had a house-sectioned apartment, but still... the walls were thin to say the least.

It is a two-story, beautiful 2005 build here in the city, about 3 blocks from where we are now actually. It came right on time, for just the right price, in just the right place. Funny how God does that over and over again. He delights in giving good gifts to His children. (I remember that biblical truth against the backdrop of "Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, ... as gold is tried by fire" 1 Peter 1:7) We get keys April 13th, but most likely will not move in until later in the month, or even the first of May. A few "HGTV" projects for our main floor planned in between.


Meanwhile, I have been doing daycare for a 3 month year old since the start of February (she is adorable) and maintaining a steady 15-20 hours weekly of work since January with the business. I am am thankful. I have the baby Mon-Fri 7-4, so fitting the 20 hours into nap time intervals has been working out surprisingly well. The experience is helping me gauge what I will be able to handle with our own bundle of joy on the way, who is, by the way 7 months in the womb as of yesterday- not to mention making me into an excellent diaper changer :)

Romans 8 and Romans 15

This tug of war between being free from condemnation and free in the Spirit, yet in that freedom, choosing restraint and modesty and the weakness of others. Is that not Christ in a nutshell? There is no room for pride when truly considering your brother. The two cannot live together. What is this freedom, to simply give it away to be lowly to another. To be a slave again? But we are slaves unto righteousness, to a Holy and Perfect God. This is what humbles us, giving us a heart of thankfulness. When we are focused on our master, we do not feel like slaves, we freely choose to stay on His plantation and till His fields. His harvest becomes our harvest, His reaping our joy and benefit- and our brother becomes the face of God.