Preparations

We celebrated the wedding of two wonderful friends, Connor and Jessica, this weekend. The morning of the wedding, I went for a walk around the neighborhood with another one of the bridesmaids. It was a crisp, sunny morning, and early enough that the sunshine hadn't warmed the air just yet.  Conversation came easily, yet occasional silence felt comfortable too (one of many reasons why I will be a lifelong lover of walks).

As it is with most weddings, preparations for the wedding and marriage were ongoing for the last several months.  Lots of thoughtful planning went into making the day beautiful, fun, tear-filled, and Christ-glorifying. Nicholas and I were so glad to be a part of it.

I'm not sure exactly what I'm doing in this photo, but it's candid, and I always love candid photos the most.

These wedding preparations remind me of my own preparations lately, as we get closer to our move. I'm ready and excited to simplify our life. I wouldn't say we have an excess of possessions, but we would both prefer to live even more simply. We're planning a Saturday to pare down the closets' contents, and reassess the what food we have in the pantry. Those tasks are both exhilarating and a bit overwhelming, and closet organizing is just one of many tasks on my radar.

As a born list-maker, rare is the day I don't reference a list of tasks and unchecked boxes. All this list making is mostly a good thing, as it helps me organize my thoughts and remind my forgetful self of things worth remembering.  However, I can be much too task-oriented sometimes. I find myself focusing only on all the details and logistics—going through our belongings and sorting piles for donations, etc. My natural reaction when faced with change or transition is to prevent my task-oriented heart from being diverted to other necessary preparations—preparations of the heart. So today, I made my list, and completed some necessary tasks, but I also set aside a large amount of time for getting my heart in order.

Relaxing after a full weekend, and preparing my heart with good Biblical truth. Specifically these two promises:

I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you. Psalm 32.8

If God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Matthew 6.30

Oh yes, the Lord is good, and His truths are the best for (heart) refreshment and preparation.

P. S. — That yummy food in the bowl is this Peanut Butter Baked Oatmeal. I make it every week(!) We like it best topped with raspberry or peach jam (me) or plain (Nicholas).