What's Making Me Happy

I feel like the inspiration for a blog post usually strikes when I am having some deep thought or a heavy conversation with a friend... but, in all honesty, I'm not by nature a prolific person. I don't always walk around pondering Christ and our life's purpose... mostly I am thinking about how to better blend when contouring (shallow), when I am going to fit in my long run this week (training for a half-marathon with my sister and mom), and the book I am currently reading. I regularly google things like: how bad is it REALLY to peel off your gel polish? (spoiler alert: BAD) so, I just wanted to pop in with a quick few things that are making me happy today...

1. Slightly warmer weather. My kids LOOOOVED playing in the snow these past few days, but it kind of got in the way of my training schedule (see above) and also my need to be outside as much as possible. I don't like my toes being cold and, although I do love any excuse to make potato soup and homemade bread, I much prefer my temps above 50.

2. This lasagna.  It's my favorite and I try to find excuses to have people over so I can justify making it. I have sort of gone off the beaten path and add shredded spinach to the cottage cheese mixture and diced veggies to the meat to make it a smidge healthier, but it is SO good. We are having people over tonight for dinner and I am making it with homemade bread for dinner.

3. Bluetooth headphones. My mom bought me some for Christmas and being able to run sans headphone cord is actually a game changer.

4. House slippers. I also received these for Christmas as a gift and, honestly, I wish I could allow myself to wear them to the store. It's like walking on a cloud (except I am pretty sure that's impossible and I would fall through. I digress).

5. Jeff's new job. My husband switched jobs, which I haven't written about at ALL. For the first time in our marriage, he isn't working a construction job and he isn't working outside. He dresses up for work to go be in an office. And he's using his brain and his giftings. Neither of us really ever believed this would happen, despite several years of praying. I have written a bit about some hard transitions we've had lately. It's no secret that the past couple of years have been really difficult on us. Through it all, I felt like God wanted me to pray extensively for Jeff to have contentment, regardless of his circumstances. I prayed this, fervently, everyday. Then, without knowing I had been praying this, Jeff ordered this book  on contentment and started to show fruit of coming out of his disappointment and depression. One day he told me that he was totally fine if God was going to keep him in a job that had him working outside for several hours a day.  Then, a week later, he was moved into the office.

I need to caveat that the real blessing was Jeff being content in his outdoor job. NOT that God was waiting for Jeff to be content to bless him with an indoor job. That was definitely a generosity of the Lord. But we would have been more than blessed for Jeff to be content in wherever the Lord had him.

SO, that's what's making me happy today. Happy New Year to all of you!