5 ways to Spring into Spring

With Hay fever and daylight savings making getting out of bed a struggle, Spring may not be delighting your heart right about now.

I have 5 tips that help me Spring into Spring:

1. Forget Spring cleaning, do Spring cooking. Make a Strawberry parfait. This can be done as a whole cake or in dessert cups.
Layer crushed vanilla cake, crushed sugared strawberries, vanilla pudding, cool whip and crushed pecans if you choose. Refrigerate for one hour, if you can stand to wait :). This is based off of my Grandmother's world famous Strawberry punch bowl cake.

2. Dye Easter eggs. This is a win, win for me because I love deviled eggs, egg salad and plain boiled eggs. Nothing brings out your young heart like planning and creating Easter egg designs.

3. Buy or grow spring flowers. Outside a window or in a vase they remind you that life can be so beautiful. It's okay to buy an inexpensive pot of spring flowers knowing they will not live into the summer. Wild flowers are no less beautiful because they do not last and neither are cultivated flowers. When they die just compost the plant and use the dirt for a summer plant. Must do rule- No harsh judgements on your lack of greenish tint to your thumb, it kills the joy.

4. Take a child to the park. No kids, invite a friend with kids. Sit in a swing, climb, jump, laugh. Chase down an ice cream truck. Get dirty and be messy. I suspect those two ingredients are why kids laugh and smile more than adults.

5. Dress up and go to church. Bear with me now. You may hate dressing up but if you don't give yourself a reason to go the extra mile (haircut, nails tamed, ironed clothes, etc...) in the daytime hours, when will you ever do it? Why church? Why not? When you were a kid you might have hated a certain food that as an adult you can really appreciate. Giving something a second or first chance when you are in a different space in your life is a smart thing to do. Keep a fresh perspective, like Spring.

Good point Chris

I heard Chris Tomlin talking on K-love (christian radio station) today and he was discussing the story of Elijah and his servant. It's the source for his new song "Whom shall I fear".
The story takes place in 2 Kings 6:8-22
Take a minute to read it.

It is a very clear picture of how times often look grim at every angle.
An army is gathered around you, destruction is imminent. Fear grips your heart like a vise.

Maybe for you it's relationship issues, financial troubles, parenting woes, or just a general dismay at how sad and evil our culture has become.
Bad, Bad, Bad at every angle. No silver lining. No upside.

But Elisha was filled, I mean FILLED, with the Holy Spirit and he got it.
He got it.
So when his servant came to him and said "Oh no, my lord! What shall we do?” , the army has us surrounded.

Elisha says “Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”

Elisha asked God to open his eyes.
The servant instantly sees.
Then the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.

If you call yourself by the name "believer" do you believe?

Do you understand that only 1/3 of the angels were cast down as Demons and ... 
2/3 still faithfully serve the Lord on our behalf.

How much do you think 2/3 of all the angels in heaven are?
I am guessing many.

Faithful believer the armies of the Lord are around his people working to honor their faith. Yes, it's not likely that we will avoid earthly death but as long as God has a mission for you here on the Earth, He will provide for your protection.