To abound

"You know y'all are a lucky young couple right?"

- My Mom

She's almost always right and she certainly was when she said that to me last weekend during a family visit. Matt and I showed my mom and dad the new house for the first time. While the boys were doing something on their own, mom and I went into a back bedroom and grabbed Guitar Hero.

She made the comment about our luck when I asked her if she would like to play drums or guitar. It seems like a very simple thing to me . . . fake drums or fake guitar. But thinking back on pictures of my parents first years as a married couple, Matt and I are blessed indeed.

Yet, imperfect person that I am, I can find something to complain about. I can find something more to want. This is something that I'm working on - contentment. It's an attitude God wants me to have and when you thing about the definition, why wouldn't I want to have that for myself?

"Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me." Phil. 4:11 -13

"I have learned the secret ..." if only we could all learn the secret. True contentment comes naturally to very few people. We always want more.

What I find so fascinating about this verse is that he speaks of abundance as if that too is a trial we must go through. While it's a trial many people in third world countries would love to try their hand at, it's a trial that almost every American faces.

Do I know how to abound? Do I realize that all that I have is a gift from God? Do I trust him completely to take care of me, leaving behind my worries when I finish my prayers? Am I selfish and keep my success, happiness and money all to myself? Do I give enough?

Does anyone?

As I sit on my recliner with my computer in my lap, I can see many things around me that I truly don't need. I would not call Matt and I extravagant by any means. We live well within our budget and make saving money a priority. And I wouldn't say we're stingy with our money, we give to our congregation every week.

But is that really abounding in a way that God would be proud of? What's "the secret"?

"Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world." James 1:27

I know how to abound. I know the secret. What remains is for me to do it.

The spring

Wow, I really stink at this whole blog thing despite my determination to keep it up!!!

That is SO me. Never do today what you can put off until tomorrow, right? Sigh, just one of the many things I need to fix about myself.

So this post is meant to update you on our life during the spring. It was a good three months. Though we moved two months ago, yesterday I officially unpacked the last box, found a place for the last item and hung the last picture. I breathed a sigh of relief and walked from room to room looking at the masterpiece that is my awesome home.

I don't mean to brag. Don't get me wrong. It's a little three bedroom home that has it's flaws including the fact that in the kitchen hot water comes out of the cold water faucet before it becomes cold and cold water comes out of the hot water faucet before it becomes hot. . . . I have no idea why. This was particularly annoying after I burned myself and could not get cold water on the flaming finger.

But it's so exciting to have a home. It's great to come home to Matt and see the beautiful back yard he's worked so hard to make nice. It's great to come home to a kitchen where two of us can comfortably make super together. It's great to come home to a bedroom where I can stand on both sides and the end of the bed, reach my arms out and not touch nearby walls. Just GREAT!

But I digress. This spring something far more amazing happened. My brother married Lacey!

We are so very excited for them. They are just great together and I love Lacey so much. Their ceremony was super sweet and beautiful. I didn't have any doubt that Ben loved Lacey before their wedding, but after hearing his vows I'm beyond sure. Lacey's vows made clear not only how much she loves him, but how open her eyes are going into this marriage. She loves his despite his faults (and let me just say he has very few). That is a woman worth keeping around.

So, Lacey, welcome to the family. Ben did a great job of picking out a sister for me. ;) LOL

That's it for now and hopefully I won't wait two months before getting y'all up to date again.