A Full Heart

My heart if full! I know that true joy is not based on circumstances, but lately there has been a sweet blend of internal and external joy and I just want to shout about it and celebrate; thank You LORD!
As you know music is a huge part of who I am...we have been praying for a piano now for awhile, I just felt like God might bless us with one, so we prayed and waited...and the other day we got a call to see if we wanted a free piano (we just had to pick it up)! So, Adam and most of the guys on camp went and picked up this beautiful, (very heavy and big) upright piano. I can't accurately describe how excited I am. It is such an wonderful gift for some many reasons.
Some of my favorite memories about growing up are listening to my mom play her piano so beautifully and also singing around it and playing it some myself...I feel a special connection to my mom with having a piano in our home. I love how the kids play it so often and I am working on my skills and want to put music to the song lyrics/tunes that God has given me.
Another cause for joy and excitement...for the first time ever we as a family of five are going on vacation in a few months- we have been on vacation together kind of but it has been to see other people or with other people and not really just us. So we are going to go to the Creation Museum and also to Kentucky...so looking forward to this time away and together before summer kicks in.
God has also done something really cool in me...I can't tell you when it happened exactly (I think it has been a process over time) but God has been showing me how distracted of a person I was because I was trying to do too many things and also too many things at once. So, now I am trying to focus on one thing at a time and be present while I am doing that thing...I am trying to be more realistic in my expectations...for example, the other night the kids and I went over to the gym to watch the Men's Basketball Tourney (and instead of trying to read a book, watch the kids, talk to other people, and watch the game all at one time...which would not have gone well as you can imagine) I decided to just do what I could reasonably do...watch the kids and if I could watch the game also...I even had a few short conversations with a few people. Adam had not known my thought process at the time but he later commented how I hadn't seemed stressed at the basketball tourney! Yeah, victory! Well, maybe not victory quite yet, but I am getting there.

I think I am also going to try and not talk on my cell while I am driving (for safety) and also because I am trying to just be about what I need to be...to just "be" and not be frantic inside (when I try to multitask so much I think I end up taking a lot longer than if I would just do one or a few things at a time)....
Letting go might be a good way to describe it...ceasing to strive/grasp and choosing to trust/rest/abide in the LORD...letting God be God...and enjoying the ride. Psalm 103:19 "The LORD has established His throne in heaven and His kingdom rules over all." Jeremiah 32:27 "Behold, I am Jehovah, the God of all flesh: is there anything too hard for me?"
I've also been blessed to witness God working in some really cool ways lately in the lives of others....in a lot of their lives He has taken away things, that they formerly put their security in, and walked them through stretching times of lasting growth, radical obedience, and a sweeter/firmer faith. It has been a privilege to witness these things...it has strengthened my faith as well.
"The promise of spring is a lovely thing"...and Spring is definitely in the air...and the time for singing has come; my heart is full.