Spring!! Yea, I can't wait!

First of all let me just apologize for the lateness of this post!  Your new pastor's wife could do well to take a course in computer technology!  I will fill you in that this is not even my first draft as I accidentaly deleted the first.  I am just writing it off to that it was not the direction in which God wanted me to write...that is my story and I am sticking to it!  Could be again, that I am just a women who should never be allowed to touch anything electronic and this is according to my husband!  I am so thankful for Pat taking on this blog and am missing her terribly!

With that said I am not sure how many of you managed to noticed the small little peeks of sunshine this past week? Those little "peeks" have been teasing us with our upcoming Spring! I don't know about you but I am so ready for some warmth on my face, birds singing and flowers budding. Not to mention that my kids can go outside longer than thirty minutes at a time and not bring in half the mud in my yard into my entryway.  I am also ready for the piles of boots, scarfs and coats to be hidden away for another time.  Good grief with nine kids it looks like a small army moved in when you walk in the house after they have "offloaded" all their warm belongings.  It honestly can be a hazard to walk into or out of our house when these lovely children decide that they don't need to put away their coats because "we are going to use them again in a little bit."

I think I started all of this to talk of the beginning of Spring! I love spring because it brings about a newness to our house and I am sure yours.  The new year is now in full swing and I don't know about you but I like some of the changes that this season brings.  Of course the weather is changed from cold, grey skies and yards full of white brilliant snow (well for a day or so till it is trampled by kids) to bright, beautiful skies;  skies that are sometimes sprinkled with raindrops that just seem to refresh the air and fragrant beginnings of beautiful flowers.

Then there is spring cleaning!  There is nothing like the smell and feeling of a spring cleaned house. This is not the most favorite event at my home and most try to escape or run as far away as possible...especially the kids. They know that it will be frantic and hectic until all this is done not to mention that I will desire for the house to remain sparkling clean for atleast a day or two.  With my crew this is almost an impossible task and I must admit that when things start to come out of their assigned places it does not thrill me all too much! Even though, I love Spring cleaning, it just brings about a refreshing change to the household.

Now one of the things about spring that I do not care too much about actually I detest, is the changing out of winter clothes to the summer clothes!  With nine kids I cannot tell you how much I dread and put off this job! It brings about more laundry that I can even imagine and it seems I will never catch up with. I usually think about it for weeks ahead of time dreading it like someone would do thinking about a upcoming dental appointment!  Finally though I will usually gather my self together and get it done!  After the job is done I cannot tell you the feeling of accomplishment and happiness and that I don't have to do it again for a few months when I drag out all those winter coats.

With Spring bringing about noticeable changes outside and possibly changes inside your home I hope that we will be as women always changing and growing too!  Most importantly in our love for God!  As Mathew 22:37 states to "love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind."  I wish that I could say that I did that consistently and that was the thing constantly on my mind. I want to continue to grow in that area for many reasons.  I want to know more of Christ, to be an example to my children, an testimony to others and so much more.  I have realized beyond the most important thing being my salvation when it comes to my realationship with Christ that I need and desire to love Him more.  When I love Christ "with all my heart, soul, and mind" all other things fall into place.  I serve because I love Him, I forgive because I love Him, I repent because I love him, I tell others about Him because I love Him and more.

I have a long way to go and as I think of the changes of Spring it reminds me that I want to be changing daily.  I don't want to stay in the same spot that I have was in yesterday.  I am excited about our ladies at Faith and the changes God is going to do in our lives this year an I hope that we will encourage one another and love one another through all of our imperfections ( trust me, I have tons).  I promise that every time I write on here that it will not be this long.  Sometimes I might just say hi and leave all the writing to Pat as she is so good at that!  We will also be filling you with all kinds of good and fun practical things so keep checking in!