Monday, February 27, 2012

keeping a quiet heart

Does anyone else think February has 
come and gone in the blink of an eye? 
I can't believe it, just days left. 
Jonny and I have both been extremely busy it seems.
There is something every night of the week for me.
Except on the weekends, which I cherish. 
And even those seem to go by so quickly...
kinda like February.
Sunday morning I woke up very sad thinking it was Monday already.
I think I cried. Maybe it was more like a whimper.
Don't get me wrong, I like weekdays. 
Weekends are just better, surely we all agree on this?

Anyways, time flies, yadda, yadda, yadda.
In less than 3 months 
Jonny and I will have been married for a year. 

(Sidenote.)
That is really weird to think about. A year of marriage! 
Yesterday, I found myself looking at him thinking,
"How did this happen?" (In a good way!)
Seriously though, God is gracious, 
and sovereign, and loving 
and knew that Jonny was the right one for me. 
His perfect provision for me.
That is the only explanation there is for bringing 
a guy from Bangor, N. Ireland 
and a gal from Pulaskifield, Missouri together.
And now here we are, doing life together
in Louisville, Kentucky.

(and now back to my point.)
In the midst of our busy schedules, 
Jonny can always brighten up my day 
Today it was with a fancy-schmancy iced coffee drink.

But even more than my loving husband, 
I am lifted up when I remember that this is what God has alloted me as my portion. 
This busy schedule, these dirty dishes, and this 
mountain-pile of laundry.
Unfortunately, I'm not always quick to remind myself
of this biblical truth. 
My circumstance is God's means of shaping me, sanctifying me, fashioning me more and more to his likeness everyday.
Romans 8:29 says that Christians are being conformed to the likeness of Christ. Makes sense, right? Christians.
This is done in the nitty-gritty of our daily lives.
[Yep, the dishes, the laundry, the meetings, the recipe flops, the library overdue notices, the bills, the bank statements.]
Do we trust that God is doing a good work in us?
I'll be honest, I don't always see things this way.

A friend of mine loaned me Elisabeth Elliot's 
'Keep a Quiet Heart' devotional and it's been kicking my tail, helping me to reframe my thinking.
She writes, 
"A quiet heart is content with what God gives. It is enough. 
All is grace...
Our enemy delights in disquieting us.
Our Savior and Helper delights in quieting us. 
It depends on our willingness to see everything in God, receive all from his hand, accept with gratitude just the portion and the cup He offers. Shall I charge Him with a mistake in His measurements or with misjudging the sphere in which I can best learn to trust Him? 
Has he misplaced me? Is He ignorant of things or people which, in my view, hinder my doing His will?
God came down and lived in this same world as a man. He showed us how to live in this world, subject to its vicissitudes and necessities, that we might be changed-not into an angel or a storybook princess, not wafted into another world, but changed into saints in this world.
The secret is Christ in me, not me in a different set of circumstances."

Psalm 33:20-22 
Our Soul waits for the LORD; He is our help and our shield. For our heart is glad in Him, because we trust in His holy name. Let your steadfast love, O Lord, be upon us, even as we hope in you.





Monday, February 13, 2012

things that make my husband smile.

Saturday we went grocery shopping and thanks to Kroger's Internation Food aisle we scored these three items that have made my husband smile from ear to ear on multiple occasions since.
Brown Sauce, HobNob's and Coleman's Curry Sauce packet.
He can't wait to make a curry chip, he even got my thoughts on having 
just a curry chip for Valentine's Day dinner.
...
I had no thoughts.
However, I am very glad that he can have some of his favorites 
from N. Ireland, right here in Kentucky.

Friday, February 03, 2012

And so it begins...

Yes, Christmas break is long over. Our tree is put away and Jonny tells me it is also time to put the wreath away(sad). I've been back at work since January 2nd and it has been extremely slow. Jonny has been keeping up with his studies and working a good amount of hours at the cafe on campus. 
But this week, it all began to pick up. Jonny now has class all of Tuesdays and Thursdays. He has worked every other morning, bright and early (actually it's still dark when he leaves). This morning he is at pastoral apprenticeship at our church but I think it's safe to say he'll be ready for a nap when he gets home. 
Now, instead of eating breakfast together we can leave morning notes to each other. 
Isn't my husband a sweetie, cutting up the cantaloupe for me?

Work went from being incredibly slow to incredibly fast pace about two days ago. I didn't even see it coming. So, while both of us are busy juggling our schedules, what perfect timing for me to start a class at the Seminary Wives Institute all about managing time wisely? With assignments like evaluate our personalities (Jonny and I are exact opposites, surprise:), clean out a "junk drawer" and begin a home organizing planner, I am hoping that it does some good. I wouldn't say I'm unorganized, in my head our home is organized. But who couldn't use some overhauled organizational skills, huh? 

Mrs. Mohler (quoting someone else) made the statement,
 "Hard work is easy work not done at the right time." 
And all I could think about were our dirty dishes! 
Anyways, the class should have it's interesting tid bits but I'm really looking forward to taking some Bible classes at some point.

Happy Weekend Everybody!

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