It's A Wrap

Blogging has been a little slack lately as we've been getting ready for our new arrival!  We're down to less than 2 weeks and I'm counting down so ready for her to be here!!  Over the next few weeks I plan on enjoying our last few days as a family of 3 and then embracing those first few as a family of four!  Blogging will definitely be on the back burner. So here's about 3 blog posts I've been meaning to write over the last week or so wrapped up into one big blog post (Btw-I'm pretty sure this breaks the rules of blogging but Sorry!)

31 Days to Clean:

I officially finished 31 Days Friday. And while I didn't do it as thoroughly as the 1st time I must say I'm feeling pretty accomplished!  The biggest struggle for me this time was cleaning out the closet!  Why is it when you first build your house your closets seem huge then they start shrinking??!  At first I found myself wishing we'd built bigger closets but as I started cleaning out and finding things we SO didn't need (like 9 button up solid white shirts) and others things still in shopping bags with tags still on it, I realized that if my closet was bigger then I'd just put more unnecessary "stuff" in there!  So instead I filled up 3 trash bags and a box with things we no longer needed!  Do you have any idea how nice it is to actually be able to see what clothes and shoes you have and find the ones you need?  I do now!!   I hope those of you doing this challenge along with me finished too or if not you're still hanging in there! Hey, it's OK if it takes a little more than 31 days!  Believe me it'll be worth it in the end!

Before Cleaning out Closet - picture really doesn't do it justice!

After cleaning out closet

Good Morning Girls:

GMG also wrapped up our session on Ephesians Friday. There are so many things I've learned from Paul while studying out Ephesians.  That's one thing I love about studying letters to the churches.  They cover so many things that are so relevant today!  Perhaps my biggest lesson I've learned is how we are all united through Jesus.  No matter who we are, what we look like on the outside, or where we've come from if we've accepted Christ as our Savior then we are a child of the King!  We are brothers and sisters in Christ!  Paul really tried to get this message across at a time when it was first coming to light that Jesus had died and rose again for "whosoever" not just the Jews! 

"There is one body, and one Spirit, even as you are called in one hope of your calling. one Lord, one faith, one baptism, One God and Father all in all, and through all and in you all." Ephesians 4:4-6.

Unfortunately, telling the truth landed Paul in prison just as I feel many of us in today's churches have imprisoned ourselves and limited God being able to work in us b/c of our narrow minds!  My eyes were opened to see what we have in common-Christ uniting us-instead of letting our differences separate us.  When we as a church can do that then so much more can be accomplished for Him! 

During our break, I plan on catching up on some reading. I hope to finish Francis Chan's book "Crazy Love" (which is FREE for Kindle right now!) and "Mission of Motherhood" by Sally Clarkson, studying the scriptures that go along with them.  The next GMG session will be from May 14-Aug 17 and will be on Proverbs 31 for some free downloadable resources check out the Good Morning Girls blog or follow them on FB.
Resolution Check-In:

So I'm about a week late on this one but here's how I did on my March Resolutions:

1. Finish nursery-Check!  Except for a few minor things nursery is complete!  Bedding is complete, everything is washed up and stocked up and we are ready for "Miss Sunshine".

2.   Finish 31 days to Clean-Check!  It's finished and I feel not only like the house is cleaner but more organized.  I've also had a great refresher on my role in our home. All of this once again just in time for "Miss Sunshine".

3.  Be Revived:  Mostly check!  I have definitely been revived. While there are still prayers I'm waiting to see answered we had a wonderful revival at my home church and I have been able to visit several others throughout the county and  see souls saved. I am a little disappointed in myself and say "mostly check" because while I did make a few phone calls or invite people I ran into I did not visit like I'd hoped. But I do feel truly revived and I'm looking forward to going to a few more that are still going on.

4. Sharecropping-  Check (thanks largely to my wonderful brother-in-law)! We have our lettuce, tomatoes and onion planted. Although I must admit all they really would let me do is watch while my brother-in-law did most of the work.  Now if we can just keep the rabbits out I'm looking forward to planting a few more things and enjoying a fresh salad this summer!  My BIL was also kind enough to come plant 3 apple trees at our house so I'm looking forward to enjoying those in the next few years!!

April Resolution:

Have a baby!!  That's pretty much it this month! I feel that's enough!!  Preparing for her arrival, then adjusting once she's here. I hope to make this time as stress free and simple for our family as I can!  I thought I'd feel more prepared with the second one and while I do on the basics there's also a whole different area of feeling unprepared!  So if anyone has any tips on making the transition from one child to two then I'm all ears (or eyes in this case)!!