Astonishing Extravagance

Happy Friday! I am working from home today and getting ready for our trip to the West Coast (of Michigan.) Getting my hairs did later this afternoon and then we have dinner reservations and nothing but relaxation ahead! I'm already feeling my muscles un-tense. Gonna do a home mani-pedi and enjoy every moment of the long weekend ahead. And boy am I glad I got my LL Bean barn coat and mocs, looks like the Lake Michigan shoreline will be brisk and beautiful. Not to mention my cream colored hat with the kicky little bill, got a charcoal gray one too! Can you tell I'm happy? Well I am!
I hope I never get used to God's blessings, that I am always like a little kid on Christmas morning...amazed at all of the wonderfulness. I remember very clearly anniversaries when we just barely had enough money to drop our little ones with my parents to go out to dinner. And worst of all, a few anniversaries when we just didn't love each other enough to celebrate. Then we progressed to going away overnight, bed & breakfast in Marshall and now looking forward to a few days in a hotel on Lake Michigan (with a jacuzzi!) How generous God has been to us! How abundantly he pours out good things. The word that always best describes him is extravagant.
Yesterday Daboyz asked me if I could go back to being 18, would I start over? My answer was absolutely not. Even if I could take the knowledge I now have with me and change my decisions? Still no. I can't possibly know what different paths might have led to but what I understand with certainty now is that God is a sustainer in poverty. I've had poverty of finance, of spirit, of hope, of joy. But he has always sustained. He has always held back the waves that wanted to crash over my life and drag my like an undertow into darkness. I wouldn't want to not know that. I love the astonishment I feel every time we go away for our anniversary at how far God has taken us financially as well as emotionally. I know the 18 year old me had smoother skin and a much better body. But this me has crow's feet, a thickening waist and a sexy rockin' gorgeous heart of gratitude.
So I gotta run. I gotta do some official work, gotta go get some new polish for my toes (thinking a very dark Autumnal plum, what do you think?) I'd like to pick up a sweater or two. Straighten the house and it'll be just about time to get my hairs did and then out to The Bone Fish Grill for dinner.
As for the celebration, that's perpetual. Image:http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4030/4275638228_6bce554b52.jpg
Grace!

Update: My hairdresser who does a great job on my hair just called to say she's sick and not coming in today. Unfortunately, this is a regular occurrence. I think I'm done with her. So if anyone knows a great hair dresser, let me know. Luckily, I just need a little root touch up this time so I'm just going to do it myself. And this is NOT going to ruin my weekend!