We are fixin' for lazy days and relaxing poolside for the next few months!
We just had a wonderful visit with my parents, as it was my Mom's 60th birthday and my Dad's first visit to TN! Dad helped me plant my first vegetable garden and we were able to take advantage of their time here by having a family photo shoot (see below)
It was a wonderful treat to have them here and we enjoyed our time immensely! We look forward to more visitors this summer. . . we would love to have ya'll come down, it is a beautiful part of the country. My Dad was even impressed with how green it was, it may not be that green if you come in July! But we have had our share of some good rain this spring, we'll see how long our grass stays green!
Todd and I are preparing to leave in one month for Haiti. We know it is going to be hard work and HOT weather, definitely not a vacation, but we are excited to see how the Lord will use our team along with the work already going on, in this impoverished country. We covet your prayers for safety, health, and the work that we will do building homes, visiting schools, and being with the people. We go with great anticipation knowing the Lord will use us to minister HIS love to HIS people. Our desire is to be willing vessels he can use, to serve the least of these.
As I mentioned in my last post, the Lord is stirring up some things in my own heart this year with letting go of excess. This month, month five (of 7 from Jen Hatmaker's Book) our family is limiting our spending to only that which is "necessary". So basically, groceries, bills, etc. are the only places we will spend money this month. I am already seeing this will be hardest on me. . .no dining out, no Starbucks treats, no "extra thing I don't need on Target clearance end cap". . .I know, crazy huh!? I don't tell you this for you to think, "Wow, DeAnne is really spiritual!",quite the opposite really. I often spend my days on ME with a real sense of entitlement in regards to "stuff". Saying no to my flesh in these areas is allowing me to see how much control they really have.
Last month our family "gave up" media. And when I say media, I mean all TV, gaming devices Pinterest, Facebook,etc. It was a revealing time for me and the kids especially. I realized how I numbly I pass the hours of my day with these distractions. My kids are have been so programmed to entertain themselves with gaming and TV they had forgotten how much they loved playing together, creating and talking face to face. My son commented how much he enjoyed playing catch after school with me, more than his Wii! I was proud of the kids for taking the challenge this month with me, it was a sacrifice for them, and I think they really experienced the benefits of "unplugging" every once and a while.
As for me, It's a new thing to receive a Facebook email letting me know I have missed out on "important posts" and "pending notifications". . . .I know what I am really missing and that is valuable time with my children that I can never have back, moments with my husband to sit and chat in the evening instead of stare at a screen together, to just sit in quiet alone in the afternoon, read a book to my almost kindergartner baby, listen to the birds in my backyard, talk to the Creator, Being present to the gift of now . . . that is what I miss out on.
If you don’t take it all as gifts, you end up taking it all for granted- A.V.
