A New Season

Spring has sprung in our neck of the woods! And while it is not yet OFFICIALLY spring, and we won’t be holding our breaths against another snowstorm or frost until after the May 2-4 weekend (that’s just the way we roll in Ontario :D), we have been enjoying the radiant sunshine and beauty springing forth everywhere.

We love winter as a family, because we get so involved in winter sports (IE skiing and snowboarding :D), but whenever spring comes around, it just makes everything seem lighter, fresher. Burdens tend to fall to the side (along with schoolwork – ahem, good thing we homeschool and are ahead of our schedule! :D) and signs of new life brings hope.

Then there’s the birthdays – we have 3 birthdays in March, and 1 in April in our immediate family. Then add in Easter and the joy is just overflowing! I cannot wait to dive into some really great Easter activities with our kids! There are 2 we are planning on doing. I am thinking about using Ann Voskamp’s Jesus Tree, along with an Easter countdown either from Shauna Lynn (12 days) or Impress Your Kids (20 days – it goes live on Monday!).

Definitely we are pulling far away from the emphasis on chocolate, easter bunnies and eggs – not that there was a lot of emphasis on it, but there was more of a LACK of emphasis on teaching indepth the resurrection of Christ – and the extreme joy and promise that comes along with it! I am so excited for Easter Sunday! Our church does a SHOUT after the proclamation of HE IS RISEN! And I tell you, it is something to behold. A little taste of what heaven will be like. Brings tears to my eyes.

Counting to 1,000 Gifts

282. A spring walk with friends – mud and all!

283. Love for others, growing each day

284. Desire to worship, pray, study God’s word

285. Salvation in Christ! Fellowship with God

286. 3 John 2-4

Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, as it goes well with your soul. For I rejoiced greatly when the brothers came and testified to your truth, as indeed you are walking in the truth. I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.

287. Titus 2

288. Messages from friends who are praying daily for me

289. My wedding rings

290. A fun bouncy ball

291. Oranges

292. Working on a new sewing project

293. Prayers brought before the throne

294. Studying Ephesians and Job, learning to go deeper for a greater understanding, struggling through the tough stuff

295. Christ’s life given for me

296. My heart given to my husband

297. My life given to serve Christ

298. Opportunities to speak the truth in love

299. Opportunities and responsibility to discipline our children in love

300! Making time each day to be in God’s word FIRST THING before anything else

301. Losing our flights to FL b/c the airline was grounded, then went bankrupt, only to have God provide by giving our money back and getting even BETTER flights!

302. The REAL history of St. Patrick

303. The gift of symbolism in the shamrock – God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit