Joy Overflowing

As of last Wednesday, Amanda is now a stay-at-home mommy again.  That means she left her job as an R.N. to take on a harder job of wrestling and raising 3 children full-time.

This may seem like a small announcement to you, but it is a huge change in the Denby' home.  It has been neat to see God working in us since starting a series on prayer.  We saw God molding and shaping our hearts.  God was taking Amanda's drive to pursue a career and replacing it with a passion to be a pastor's wife and mommy of 3.  As I write this, she is helping our kitchen crew clean up to get ready for the upcoming school year.  She couldn't have done this a week ago.  Also, our kids think this is cool because it is like a field trip to play in the gym.

We have learned some things over this year of Amanda working.
Less is more:
Amanda and I had been allured by this world into thinking more stuff means more happiness.  That is bogus and contrary to the gospel!  We will be selling Amanda's 4Runner because we don't need 2 vehicles any more.  While it would be convenient, we know 'less is more'.
It is a joy to sit on our back porch and watch our children and the 6 animals (yes, it's more like a zoo; the Denby' zoo) play.  It doesn't cost a dime except to feed them all.  It is cheap entertainment, but the memories being made in the back yard are priceless.

You/Me time is important:
Ever since Amanda and I have been together, she has called our alone, conversational time as "you/me" time.  When Amanda was working, she would leave the house at 6:30 a.m. and return home around 5:15 p.m., so there was virtually no "you/me" time between us as a couple, much less her with the kiddos.  Now, the "you/me" time is a treasure.  Amanda and I are studying the Bible together (I am embarrassed to say for the first time).  This is huge!  We are journeying through Romans and memorizing Romans 1:16-17.

Family Worship is back on:
We had got into the practice of having family worship (singing, reading, and praying) over a year ago before Amanda went to work.  It became difficult to continue after she began working, so it fell to the wayside.  Now, we are back worshiping together as a family.

Resolve to make memories:
One of the biggest problems we faced when Amanda stayed home before was the monotony of staying home.  The kiddos felt like caged birds and would get cabin fever.  Now, we are resolved to make memories.  The 'less is more' principle still applies.  Some of the memories are going outside or playing in the gym.  Fortunately, we are in the country, so our children will remember taking baths outside.  They love it!  Mainly because it is not in the house.

I am so joyful because I have a God-fearing, God-loving woman who has a new resolve to embrace her God-given mission of being a pastor's wife, mother of 3, and herder of 3 dogs and 3 cats.