Could it be Spring?

Today when I stepped out the door to go to church, I noticed something that wasn't there yesterday:

SIGNS OF SPRING!!!!!

I love daffodils and to discover that I had some in my flowerbeds was an awesome start to my Sunday. I walked around the yard after church (the weather was awesome at 80 degrees!) and began looking for more signs of spring. They are definitely starting to show (I saw an orange butterfly!) and that makes for a happy Heather. I think that this time of year might just be my favorite season. The newness of plants, the coming of warm weather, it just makes for a happy time. As you can see, where just two months ago I had a snow man, I now have flowers. Isn't God good to send Spring?

On a funny side note, someone else is apparently not too happy to see spring:

Yes, Elsie discovered this winter that the space heater was warm. Several times I've found her cuddled near it. So imagine my surprise tonight when I discovered her asleep next to the UNPLUGGED heater. Well, so sorry kitty, but 80 degree days do not call for turned on heaters! Hopefully we won't need it again until next winter (Lord willing!).

Have you ever felt that sometimes God asks too much of you? I've been pondering this lately because (in my little mind) it seems like nothing is going like I want it. My closest friends are moving away, no future spouse in the works, no housemate. It seems like God has a life of eternal loneliness set aside for me. I look around, everyone else's life seems to be "complete". Why not mine? But yet, I realize, other's lives aren't as "complete" as they they desire. They too, are dealing with, "Why would God ask this of me?". While the human in me wants to be cast down, I know that during times of trouble, I have to hold strong to my Rock. Then when I look back, I will see the beautiful picture that God is weaving of my life. Dr. Brown shared this devotion in church last night, and I'm convinced that it was put on his heart just so I could hear and gain encouragement. It's from Feb. 20 of Spurgeon's Morning and Evening.

“God, that comforteth those that are cast down.”

2 Corinthians 7:6

And who comforteth like him? Go to some poor, melancholy, distressed child of God; tell him sweet promises, and whisper in his ear choice words of comfort; he is like the deaf adder, he listens not to the voice of the charmer, charm he never so wisely. He is drinking gall and wormwood, and comfort him as you may, it will be only a note or two of mournful resignation that you will get from him; you will bring forth no psalms of praise, no hallelujahs, no joyful sonnets. But let God come to his child, let him lift up his countenance, and the mourner’s eyes glisten with hope. Do you not hear him sing—

“'Tis paradise, if thou art here; If thou depart, 'tis hell?”

You could not have cheered him: but the Lord has done it; “He is the God of all comfort.” There is no balm in Gilead, but there is balm in God. There is no physician among the creatures, but the Creator is Jehovah-rophi. It is marvellous how one sweet word of God will make whole songs for Christians. One word of God is like a piece of gold, and the Christian is the gold beater, and can hammer that promise out for whole weeks. So, then, poor Christian, thou needest not sit down in despair. Go to the Comforter, and ask him to give thee consolation. Thou art a poor dry well. You have heard it said, that when a pump is dry, you must pour water down it first of all, and then you will get water, and so, Christian, when thou art dry, go to God, ask him to shed abroad his joy in thy heart, and then thy joy shall be full. Do not go to earthly acquaintances, for you will find them Job’s comforters after all; but go first and foremost to thy “God, that comforteth those that are cast down,” and you will soon say, “In the multitude of my thoughts within me thy comforts delight my soul.”

National Singles Awareness Day

Monday is Valentines Day. I've tried several times to link to this cute post from Radical Womanhood. I just love Carolyn McCulley had to say. So here's the link to give proper credit and here's the post:

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Countdown to National Singles Awareness Day

With National Singles Awareness Day rapidly approaching (Valentine's Day to the rest of the lovey-dovey world), it's time to batten down the hatches around our singleton hearts. Here are some time-tested survival tips from a grizzled veteran:

• Step one: Avoid all stores until February 16 (give the retailers time to take down all that red and pink festooning their stores). If necessary, eat all your canned food first but do not, I repeat, DO NOT go into grocery stores for the next week.
• Step two: Watch only action films or documentaries until late February. This is the only acceptable time of year to banish Jane Austen.
• Step three: Follow the example of one of my friends who brushes up on her literary skills each year by composing sarcastic Valentine's Day haiku poems. ("Eat chocolate now, Eat chocolate tomorrow, Squeeze into pants soon." Or, "Flowers not for me, No candy for me either, Will steal my colleague's.")
• Step four: Buy flowers for yourself a day or two ahead of time, to save money. Every time you pass them, say out loud: "Oh, how beautiful! You shouldn't have!"
• Step five: Repeat after me, "Chocolate is NOT the solution to all my problems."
• Step six: Plan to bless someone else. After all, this holiday is not about you anyway.
• Step seven: Skip the faux celebrations and consolation events and schedule a personal retreat with the Lover of Your Soul. We all need an eternal perspective right now.

In the immortal words of Napoleon Dynamite, "There's more where that came from."

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All of this is true. Valentines Day can be pretty rough on someone . . . especially someone who dared to dream this past summer that for once she might not be single this Valentines Day. But I have to chose the eternal perspective and trust the Lord for my future. So if I have my way this Valentines Day, I'll be snuggling with a dear friend's sweet children while they have a chance to go out. Let's just hope that they take me up on their offer!

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UPDATE:

While I won't be snuggling with that dear friend's children, as they are opting to stay in for the evening, I will be on a "date". Another special friend and her family have invited me to join them for their Valentines dinner. So, I'll still have a chance to snuggle with a special 3 year old and love on him (especially since they're moving in two weeks - sad, I know). I'm so thankful for people who love on us "singles".

100th Day

Last week we had the 100th day at school. I can hardly believe that there are less than 80 days left of this school year (I think that equates to about 16 weeks, not that I'm counting or anything). This year has really sped by. While it is speeding by, my heart is still heavy. Being the worrier that I am, I wonder, what will happen this summer. Where will I live when the Kelly's come back. I know that God is in control and that he's planned my future, but still I wonder since I don't know what God has planned for me.

Back to the 100th day, it was a fun day of using the number 100 to explore all kinds of things. From 100 words to graphing 100 m&m's, it was a great way to celebrate the fact that we have already been in school 100 days! All my kids brought in a collection of 100 items to represent the days. I had a picture of these items my class brought in to share, but for some reason it's messed up. When I get it fixed I'll post it below.

As you can see, we have two kinds of marshmallows, pennies, straws, beans (in the jar), apple jacks, captain crunch, and (my favorite!) pieces of popcorn representing snow!