5.21.12

It's such a pleasant evening out tonight! It's in the in the 70s, with practically no humidity, and I've got my window open to let the fresh air in... and I'm hearing all the little night noises, including the crickets :)

These past few weeks have been quiet ones, but at the same time there has been this level of anticipation, as the days and months get closer towards the time when we leave for Germany. It is such an odd feeling to be caught in the middle of this transition of moving. It is like being in two places at once. There is still life to live and carry on here, but at the same time I must prepare emotionally to leave here, and start a whole new chapter of our lives in another place. It's a strange feeling!

In the quietness of the past few weeks, though, I have been able to continue to work on pattern drafting, work on another sweater (that actually fits me this time!), and visit with friends.

Last Tuesday one of my sweet friends invited me over to see their two week old baby kids (goats)! The were just too cute, and so frisky, hopping about. They were so full of life and energy, that you can't help but smile. :)

It was a lovely time spent with my friends as well; baking in the kitchen, and simply chatting together. God has so abundantly blessed me with friends that truly have a heart for the Lord and desire to love Him with their everything. They such are an encouragement to me.

Along with all the other things that have been filling up my time, I am working my way through the book by John Piper, titled When I Don't Desire God. It has been an enlightening book in so many ways, and I feel that I learn so much from reading only such a small portion of it.

One quote from it that has been coming to mind again and again for the past weeks is, "We will never outgrow the Gospel." It is such a simple statement yet has really impacted me. When I keep in mind the gospel, or the "good news", that Christ has taken my punishment for all my sins upon Himself, and now I am able to have a relationship with God because of the grace that was given to me, it changes everything. It makes me humble, joyful and at peace, knowing that it has been nothing I have done, or can do to earn my standing in Christ. That quote has been such a reminder that everything hinges on that good news. I should never feel that I can move past it onto "deeper" spiritual things, and neglect that very foundation upon which they were built.

There have been so many other good things that I have learned from this book, and I have quite a number of wise words written down from it so that I can remember them all. :)

Tomorrow I hope on finishing up the sweater that I've been working on. I just need to finish grafting the underarms together, weave in the ends, and block it, and it will be done! Hopefully I'll get some pictures up of it in the next few days, once it has finished blocking :)