Spring Break has come and gone

Today is our first day back to the regular routine of life after spring break. A new feature of spring break here in Fayetteville is that the University and Fayetteville schools have the same week off. In Evansville, the kids would always be off a different week than the University so we couldn't have a lot of family time.

I don't really look forward to spring break. Hanging out with 3 kids 24/7 is challenging. Jeremiah and Maiesha tend to argue and fight more when they have so much quality time together (I could put on Tyrone's referee uniform and whistle). I had a choice to make as spring break approached - allow God to lead us through the week OR have a pity party for myself and focus on the possibility of a challenging week. By the way, it rained Monday through Friday.

I decided to pray and turn the week over to God. I asked him to work in all our hearts to allow the fruit of the Spirit flow as we have been talking about so much lately - especially patience and kindness. He answered big time! I am happy to say God took the lead and we had a great week.

We had a couple playdates and a dinner party with friends we haven't been able to spend much time with lately. We had lunch with Tyrone a couple days and even went to Chuck E Cheese to play games. (I really don't like CEC, but I too had fun.) Tyrone came home from work early every day. Between that and the rain stopping each evening, I was able to take some long walks and have quality quiet time with the Lord. This weekend was gorgeous so we were able to hit the playground and work on the yard.

God provided a Christ-centered basketball camp for Jeremiah to attend 3 morning. The coach who referees my basketball league at the Boys' & Girls' Club invited him to come even though he was a year too young. They prayed in the huddle, played urban Christian music, and talked about hard work on the foundation of Jesus Christ. He can dribble to balls at once, do lay-ups correctly, and his 3-on-3 team won. We were able to stay and play afterward each day for about 30 minutes so Maiesha played in the gym too. Tyrone ordered a basketball hoop for our house so we can all practice our game at home.

The kids and I spent an afternoon with our "adopted" family. It was awesome to provide them an opportunity to get out of the house and play at Boingo Bounce. The mom and I had a nice time talking and getting to know each other better. Maiesha and I were on our way to their house Friday to deliver the weekly meal when the tire pressure light came on in our van. It worked out great that we were headed to their house since the dad is a mechanic. We had run over a chunk of metal and the tire was leaking air bad. He was able to repair the tire (the same one I just bought a couple weeks ago because of a nail) and get us on the road to our Pampered Chef party. It was at the home of Maiesha's friend from dance class so it was important that we made it to the party so the girls could play.

The week flew by as it always does. I could write a story for every day and how God showed up to guide us along. As I look back over all that we did, I am a little sad that the kids went back to school today. I am so thankful we allowed God to lead.

Galatians 5:16-26 NLT
So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions. ¹⁸ But when you are directed by the Spirit, you are not under obligation to the law of Moses.

When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.

But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!

Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives. Let us not become conceited, or provoke one another, or be jealous of one another.