faith

Spring Has Sprung

It seems like the weather is finally catching up with the season here in Pittsburgh. We have been having temperatures in the 60s and 70s!

It feels wonderful to get outside and not have to bundle up. Also, seeing daffodils poking through the ground and bright yellow forsythia blooming is such a mood booster. The nice weather also makes pet sitting a lot more enjoyable 😉

Did everyone have a nice weekend? Ours was fairly busy, filled with pet sitting, work, painting, celebrating, and worshiping. A lovely mix of activities.

I bought a coral paint sample for an accent wall in our office, but it was too orange-ish when I put it on the wall. So I painted primer over it and bought another sample. Fingers crossed this one is the color I’m looking for!

My family celebrated my mom’s birthday by going to her favorite Italian restaurant. Afterwards, some of the kids went go karting at Steel City Indoor Karting. I was definitely content to just watch and take pictures. The go karts go as fast as 50 miles per hour!

From left to right: My brother, sister-in-law, Jimmy, me, my sister, and future brother-in-law!

Our church is hosting its Spring Revival, so we have a guest speaker preaching from Sunday through Wednesday, which is always a delight!

I also finished reading Midwife: A Calling by Peggy Vincent and it was great! Some of her stories literally had me laughing out loud. I read one to Jimmy about a placenta and he definitely didn’t think it was funny. Sorry Jimmy! I guess we don’t have the same level of interest in childbirth 😉

How was your weekend?

What has the weather been like where you live?

Love All. Please One.

Something I’ve been thinking about lately is people pleasing. I’ve long known that I naturally have a people pleasing personality. I just really, really like to make others happy. That in and of itself isn’t a bad quality. When it competes with doing God’s will, it then becomes a problem.

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Doing the right thing in God’s eyes often means upsetting someone. Saying no to someone or something in order to say yes to God often means upsetting someone. Pleasing God instead of people often means upsetting someone.

The thing is, as a Christian, I am called to love others. There is a distinct difference between people pleasing and loving, though.

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I am to love all, but I am only to please One. The One I am to please is God. Period. Thank goodness for that! Imagine if we had to please God and man. That would be exhausting. I know this because I try to do it all the time.

When I find myself upset at not being able to please everyone, or sad that someone is mad at me for doing the right thing in God’s eyes, I have to stop and remind myself that I am to love all, but please One.

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When I feel that familiar tug of people pleasing that leaves me feeling anxious and weary, I take a moment to remember Who I am to please. That allows me to love those around me, and helps me recognize my priorities and goal in life.

There is so much freedom in that.