Summer Dreaming

The last few days here have spoiled me. Saturday the temps got into the upper 60's and I spent my time reading in the sunshine, cleaning my room with the windows open, and dreaming of summer.

Today it's back to the low 40's and I'm depressed (not really, but the bubble has been burst).

"Sunny day, chasing the clouds away..." Back in my day, Sesame Street was a good show for kids to watch. That's not the case now, but I still like that old theme song!

So how DO you chase the clouds away when it's cold and you pull your boots and thick socks on and your office is freezing and the space heater by your desk doesn't work very well? Brrr....I need a blanket.

To get my mind off of my cold fingers, I'm going to do my Seven Smiles on Saturday on Monday because everyone likes Saturday better than Monday and also it was sunny and warm and I want it to be like that again.

♥ Seven Smiles on Saturday on Monday:

1. Sunshine!

Stating the obvious, but it was glorious. Not that we haven't had any sunny days this winter, but it was warm and not too breezy, and it smelled good.

2. The smell of vanilla.

This is random, but my mom bought some Dr. Pepper the other day, and in celebration of the beauty of Saturday I had one. (Saturdays are cheat days anyway, ok? ;)) I pulled a page from my childhood and added a splash of vanilla to it, and it is an unspoken law that you cannot take the lid off of the vanilla without smelling it once or twice. As many lotion, soap, and candle companies have tried to get the vanilla essence in their products, they just haven't quite got it yet. That stuff smells heavenly!

3. Lena Rae.

There is nothing, nothing, nothing, like a newborn baby. Jacob, Christine, and their crew came over for a little while Saturday afternoon and I got to hold Lena while they were here. Definitely a big smile on Saturday!

4. Breakfast "mountains".

A biscuit with crumbled up sausage, scrambled eggs, and gravy piled on top. "Give me this mountain, and I will eat all of it."

5. Reading.

I guess we should have seen that one coming from me! I recently finished The Mark of the Lion trilogy by Francine Rivers (a birthday gift from my mom). A fictional telling of the persecution of the Christians and Jews after the destruction of Jerusalem. (The last book in the series is set about 40 years after Jesus' resurrection.) The books are set in Jerusalem, Rome, Ephesus, Germania, and several different places in Israel. While it was fictional, it really affected me and prompted me to do my own research and digging about those places in this time period, so I filled my mind with truth vs. fiction, and she did a really good job! It opened my eyes to how weak my faith is, and convicted me to strengthen it. I've enjoyed several of her books, and Saturday I began another one, but I can't tell if I'm going to like it much yet or not.  

(In case you're wondering, yes, I've also read several non-fictional books and stories about that time period, not just feel-good fiction!)

• Side note: The mentioning of these books is not a personal recommendation from me. They deal with dark times and several controversial topics that I don't feel comfortable discussing on this blog. They are definitely for a mature reader, and because of my own beliefs and convictions, I simply cannot recommend them. I do however recommend learning as much about the persecution of Christians and Jews as your heart can handle. Our walk with the Lord in 2014 is nowhere near that of those who lived in the days after Jesus ascended. Broaden your mind, increase your faith!

6. Laundry from the line.

Laundry days at our house are usually Monday and Thursday, but because it was so pretty Saturday we did several loads so we could hang them on the clothesline to dry. They smell like fresh air and sunshine and I just can't understand why more people don't do this! It's wonderful!

7. Sunday Smile - This thought on prayer:

What if God had a shelf with all the things you've ever prayed for and He wanted to give you, but when the time was right for you to have it, you had stopped trying to please Him, stopped reading your Bible, praying, walking with Him? What kind of things is He waiting to bless you with if only you'd get back into step with Him, increase your faith, and make Him your number one priority?

The Bible shows us that God answers more prayers than He doesn't. He wants to answer our prayers, but the number one hindrance to that is sin. What would happen if we truly believed in the power of prayer?

"Satan tries to limit your praying, because he knows your praying will limit him."