The Desert

Hello again! It has been a summer for the record books. I need to sit down and recap the major events for the kids and for my own fleeting memory! We've taken 6 or so road trips, sold our investment property, swam almost daily, went to 2 VBS's and built a house... all while living with my parents. WHEW. We've been building this house since November so we're excited to be in the home stretch. Our March close date came and went but God's timing is never wrong. There are times I didn't see the BIG picture when looking at each obstacle but God put each puzzle piece together just perfectly in HIS timing (certainly not my own!) and man... God has been so faithful.

There are days I've felt "in the desert" so to speak. (You should know I typed dessert by accident which is also true. I've been in the desert and in the dessert... Klondike Bars anyone?) My parents house is over an hour away from where we do life. That means my husband leaves for work an hour before I even consider getting out of bed and comes home an hour later. Friendships I've cultivated over the last 4 years have been strained and are in desperate need of mending. We've had to put a dog to sleep, I've lost a grandmother and the selling of our rental house went anything but smoothly. We've had our fair share of hurdles lately but God guided each of those, 1st by changing my perspective.

You see, if we'd moved into the new house in March like we were supposed it, we would have floated 2 mortgages while we sold the rental house (our "rent to own" renters gave us notice they were moving out 30 days before they were supposed to close on the house!). God protected our finances. The loss of a grandmother has been tough but living with my parents has given my dad the ability to be in Atlanta with his dad while I take care of the house/dog. God gave us this time as a family to heal together. While I miss my core group of friends, being back where I grew up has allowed me to rekindle a few childhood friendships. God has reminded me of the importance of good friendships and encouraged me to be a better one. His timing is always perfect. 

I've really enjoyed being back at the church I grew up in. The kids love Sunday school and we all had the BEST time at Vacation Bible School! If I believed in coincidences, I'd say the current series on "the wilderness" would be one.  God blessed the Children of Israel abundantly and yet, they spent 40 years grumbling and doing things their way.  Had they obeyed God with gracious hearts, they would have entered the Promise Land years before. What an eye opener for my own attitude! I'm not saying our new house is "The Promise Land" but I took this picture one day when I felt God had put peace in my heart that if we were patient, we would eventually move here. It's an indescribable feeling to be 16 days from that promise. 

The only pictures I have of our house and the rainbow over it has a street sign in it so for internet privacy, here's the same rainbow over some other houses in the neighborhood. ;)

It's easy to get bogged down in your current circumstances. Hello... 8 weeks living with my parents has turned into 5 1/2 months. I love my parents but no one wants to move their family into their parent's house for 5 months an hour away from their home-base. That said, now that I'm at the tail end of this journey, it's clear to see God's hand shifting the pieces of our future together in ways my humanity didn't allow me to understand. I can also see times where my grumbling and complaining kept me from fulling receiving God's blessings. 

I know a few of my friends are in their own form of a desert.  I want to encourage you that you aren't alone and if you take a step back, ask for wisdom, understanding and guidance, you may see God moving in ways bigger than you imaged. Your attitude and perspective in the wilderness will open your heart to see the blessings in the horizon and the faithfulness of the Lord.

I feel like I should leave this mini blog sermon with a benediction.  haha

I tend to find a song that speaks to whatever season of life I'm in and play it on repeat. This week I'm wearing out "Great are you Lord" by Sons & Daughters

 

Enjoy! I promise to be back soon with updates from our NYC/DC trip, Hilton Head family vacay and updates on the housing front!