When God Says "Wait"

I don't know anyone who really enjoys waiting.  Some of us may have more patience for it than others, but it still is not something we look forward to doing, especially if it is for something good, something we really desire.

Psalms 37:4 says, "Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desire of your heart."  This verse is quoted all the time  but it is often misinterpreted.  It does not mean that if you follow the Lord and walk with Him, that you will get everything you want.  What it does mean is that when you are walking with God and staying close to Him, He will place good desires in our heart - desires that He wants for us.  In essence - we will want what He wants.  So when we find ourselves with good desires that we believe have been placed there by God, it makes it quite hard at times to wait.

The Bible is full of examples of people who had good godly desires, but God told them to wait.  And in their wait, we see - without fail - how God had a good, perfect, and great purpose for them to fulfill.  There are the examples of Abraham, Esther, and David just to name a few.  But the Lord has recently drawn my attention to another specific example of waiting.  It is the example of Zechariah and Elizabeth.

Remember them?  They were relatives of Mary - the mother of Jesus.  We find in Luke chapter one that they were "both righteous before God walking blamelessly in all the commandments and statutes of the Lord." (Wow!  What a thing to be said of you!) But we are also told that they had no children and were "advanced in years."  In other words - the ship for having children had sailed.  There was no hope for a baby.  They had desired a baby, but God had not given them one.

When we meet up with them, we see that Zechariah, a priest, is busy doing his job - serving as a priest.  It was at this time that it was his turn to do the most holy of jobs, to go in and burn the incense and pray.  If I understand correctly how the priestly system worked,  then we know that they had many duties, but the job of going into the most holy place was one that only came around once, maybe twice in a priest's lifetime.  So this was probably Zechariah's first and possibly only time to be in that sacred place.

It was here that God chose to send Gabriel to deliver a message.  The message said, "your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear a son, and you shall call his name John."  Gabriel goes on to explain how their son would be "great before the Lord" and that he "will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother's womb."  John would be used by God to turn the peoples' heart to the Lord, and make them prepared for the coming Messiah, which was happening very soon.

Wow!  What a proclamation!  But Zechariah did not believe how this was possible and questioned Gabriel.  And because of his questioning, he was then unable to speak from that point until after John was born.  I can somewhat understand how Zechariah may have been confused.  Here he was, doing his job, when all of a sudden he is being told that his and Elizabeth's desire was being granted.  They were going to have the child they had waited and yearned for!  They had waited so long that it appears they may have just given up on it ever happening, especially since, from a human standpoint, it was not possible for her to conceive.  In their waiting, they had lost hope.

So, what does this have to do with us and our waiting?  Here it is - God had Elizabeth and Zechariah wait for a child for a very long time - all for the very specific purpose of having John be their son.  And he was the one who was to be born at just the right time to prepare the way for Jesus.  God needed them to wait because He had His perfect timing for His greater purpose.

Now, I'm not saying the the purpose of our times of waiting are necessarily on the same grand scale of Jesus' birth.  What I am saying is that there is a very specific reason for our wait.  We are just one small part of the bigger picture - the greater purpose of bringing glory to God.  And everything in our lives is there for this purpose to be fulfilled.  Knowing this doesn't necessarily make the waiting time shorter or even easier, but it does bring about a peace that we can know that God is working and moving - often in ways we just can't see.  We only see the struggle in the wait.  We only know the disappointment and confusion in not understanding why we are being "denied" something that we believe is a good desire placed by God in our hearts.

I don't know what you may be waiting for right now.  Perhaps it is a child, a spouse, a job, a friend, or healing.  It may be something you have prayed about for years.  It may be something on which you are just about to give up hope.  I don't know all that, but what I do know is that God is a good God and He has a purpose.  Just as He had Zechariah and Elizabeth wait for many many years so that a glorious miracle can occur, He has a purpose for your wait.

It does need to be noted here, that, sometimes, at the end of our wait, God tells us "No."  Sometimes, we do not get the answer or outcome we so hoped and prayed for.  But there is still a reason for the wait.  It could be that the reason is just so we will learn to trust Him, to have faith, and to grow closer to Him.  And in that, He is glorified.

Waiting is never easy.  I myself am in a period of waiting.  I have good days where I am confident that God is working and this will all end soon.  And then I have bad days, where I let myself dwell on the struggle, the hard, the bad.  Let me tell you - I am so much more content, happy, and satisfied on the days when I cling to all of God's promises and the knowledge of the fact that He has a plan.  When I rest in that, I can better handle when God says, "wait."

When God Seems to Bless Everyone Else

Once upon a time, there was a mom who discovered she was expecting her second child.  She and her husband were very excited to be adding to their family.  As they did with their first child, they began to pray for this new baby - for proper growth and a healthy pregnancy among other things.  But there was something else this mom prayed for on her own - something no one knew she was praying for.  She was praying for twins.  You see, this girl just thought there was something very special about twins and she greatly desired to have them.  She told no one of her prayers and went about her days - morning sickness and all.

One evening before Christmas, this girl received a call letting her know some exciting news - not only was her brother and his wife expecting - they were expecting twins!  The girl was happy for her brother and his wife!  What an exciting time!  But after she hung up, she thought to herself - "Wait a minute.  I'm the one who was praying for twins!  Why isn't that me?"

Once upon a time, there was a husband and wife.  They were busy doing life together - raising children and keeping busy.  They were happy.  They didn't live an extravagant lifestyle, yet they were content.  But they also had dreams.  But, as sometimes happens, life for them took a drastic turn and much of what they had planned for and dreamed about had all changed.  Now they had to recalculate and readjust.  Much had changed.

That would have been okay, except that it seemed to them that every time they turned around, someone else they knew was celebrating some exciting thing - often times some of the exact things they had been praying to happen in their life.   Although it wasn't true, it felt to them that every single person they knew was living out their dream.  And they were just struggling to stay afloat week to week.  The wife thought to herself, "Why can't that be us?"

These are two stories that are true in the life of one person - me.  It's actually humbling for me to admit this to you because in the grand scheme of things, these are somewhat trivial issues.  There are much more important things to be concerned about.  Many people are facing some great struggles, things much harder than what I am facing.  But I share these stories to ask you this - has anything like this ever happened to you?  Have you ever had a great desire in your life for something that you are earnestly praying about, and God seems to be giving it to others instead?  I'm fairly certain that most people, if we are honest, would answer "yes."  We all have wants and desires in our heart that we pray for, but sometimes feel like God isn't listening or maybe just ignoring us.

Recently a friend and I were talking and sharing with each other about some things we were waiting for in our lives.  I was grumbling to her how it's hard sometimes to look around and see how it seems like everyone else is getting the exact things I was praying for.  She said she understood.  But then she made a remark that keeps replaying over and over in my mind.  She said, "It's hard to see God giving what you want to others, but you have to remember that you don't know how long they have prayed for that to come into their life."  Boom.  Conviction.

I was so focused on what they had and I didn't, that I did not even stop to consider the fact that perhaps they had spent a very long time praying about that specific thing.  Just like I go to bed each night, spilling my heart out to the Lord, asking Him for specific things, they may have done the same thing.  Just how I feel like I have been praying about the same thing for what seems like forever, they may have felt that too.  Just like God is telling me either "not now" or "wait," He may have told them that too.  Perhaps they have prayed about it even longer than I have been.  And now, while I was having my pity party, they were having a praising party when God granted their desires.

This "light bulb" moment may seem like a total no brainer to you, but it was just the wake-up call I needed to cause me to make a total 180 in my thinking.  To make me stop focusing on the negative and to begin to rejoice in the positive.

When we focus on the negatives in our life we will get grouchy, depressed, and have self-pity.  We will be jealous, discontent, and ungrateful.  And we will be miserable.  If we let this thinking go unattended, we will even finding ourselves hating others for their happiness and joy, and eventually may find that we might even hate God, blaming Him for our unhappiness.

Instead, we need to focus on the positive.  God gave us a handy dandy list in Philippians 4:8 to help guide us on what we should be thinking on:

"Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.”

This list is a "sifter" that we can run our thoughts through.  If the thought is in line with one of these things listed, then think about it, dwell on it.  But if it is in contrast to any of these, if it goes against any of them, we should cast it out of our minds.

Sometimes this is easier said than done.  At times, it may take big measures to keep our thoughts in line with what God wants us to think on.  It may mean leaving social media (or at least not going on it as much).  It may mean discontinuing watching certain shows, the news, or reading certain types of books or magazines.  It may mean not hanging out with people who bring you down and are constantly negative themselves.  Or, it may just mean putting up reminders on our phones and around our homes to remind us to redirect our thinking.  It may not be easy to make these changes if they are needed, but it will be worth it.

If we get our focus on the positive and the good, we will be much happier.  We will not look around us thinking everyone else is being "blessed" more than us (you can read an earlier post I have about my thoughts on "blessed" HERE if you wish).   Instead, we will look around us and truly be happy for all the good that God is bringing into others' lives.  We will be happy for them.

Although the Lord did not give me twins, He gave me a beautiful and healthy daughter, who has twin cousins that are her good friends.  And my I just adore my twin nieces (whom I still have trouble telling apart! 😆).  And although I know many people who, especially this year, have been able to have some great things happen for their family that I myself am praying about for my family, I can be happy for them because I know that is exactly what God wants for them at this time.  And for now, He wants that to be enough for me.  Right now, He is just asking me to wait on Him. He is teaching me so much about the concept of waiting and I plan to share with you what I am learning very soon.

Until next time....
Emily

The Scariest of Storms

It was the middle of September, 2004.  We were just a few weeks into the school year at college.  There was a bit of an excited buzz all about campus.  A hurricane was headed our way and preparations were well underway.  Because the college I went to was on the Gulf of Mexico, hurricanes were not an uncommon thing.  The campus buildings were build with this in mind.  But this was the first time in my several years attending there that experiencing a hurricane actually seemed like it was going to happen.

I was a student leader on campus - an assistant to the dorm manager.  So I was busy helping her do what needed to be done as we all prepared to enter the shelters.  We met as a student body, were given instructions, then everyone headed off to their assigned shelters.  Besides myself being at this college, I also had my younger sister as a student, my brother and sister-in-law were on staff, and Matt, who was "just" my boyfriend at the time.  We were all assigned to separate shelters.  I was to stay with my resident manager to help her oversee the couple hundred students that were to stay in the halls of the first two floors of our building.

The storm started with rain - lots of it.  Then the winds picked up.  All the students assigned to our building were crammed in the hallways, finding ways to entertain themselves.  I was out in the lobby with the resident manager, two security guards, and a maintenance staff member.  We were laughing, snacking, playing UNO, and all around having a good time.  We weren't worried about the storm - the weather people were calling for the worst of the storm to hit landfall quite far from us (and we all know weather people are never wrong...😝). We were going to be fine.  It was going to be an adventure.

The lobby for our building was open up to the second storey.  The "walls" we're actually floor to ceiling windows which gave a direct view to a large part of the campus.  There were stairs leading to a balcony where you could look out the windows at the scenery.  While we were playing our games, we sat looking out at the storm.  The wind started causing the trees to bend more and more and the noise got louder and a little more eerie.  At one point, after playing my card in our game of UNO, I looked up just in time to see a tree in front of the building fall over - roots and all!

I think it was at this point we started to think this might be a little more intense than we initially expected.  The sky was very very dark.  The doors, although locked, were rattling.  We walked up the stairs to the balcony to get a better view of what was going on.  I remember standing there, looking not out the windows but at them.  They were shaking and literally bowing - much more than I thought was safe or possible.  I asked the maintenance guy, "is that supposed to be happening?  Are they going to break?"  He, very calmly, replied, "Yes, probably at some point tonight, they will break."

We then decided it was best if we, too, got to the hallways where we would be safe and not exposed like we were in the lobby.  We were standing in the balcony/second floor level area making a plan with the security guys and maintenance man where everyone was going to go (we had several hallways filled with students and wanted to divide up).  And then  it happened.

The windows broke.  They didn't shatter until they hit the floor. Rather, the whole frame, glass and all, fell out - which was exactly what they were built to do.  As soon as they fell, chaos ensued.  I remember how the air pressure immediately changed and my ear drums felt like they were going to burst.  My hair was swirling all around my face and I could barely hear what everyone else was saying.  The wind was SO strong and SO loud!  The two security guys ran to one hallway, the maintenance guy to another, and the residence manager and myself ran to the other one.  The pressure was so strong that it made it difficult to open the doors as we had to pull them out against the wind.  But, we got them opened and ran into the hallway, the door slamming behind us.  The 50 or so girls in the dark hallway all looked at us and we assured them everything was fine, just that the windows blew out (not like they didn't already know this - they heard the huge crash).

We sat down by the door and caught our breaths.  It was only then that I realized how hard my heart was pounding.  And that's when the fear set in.  We were right by the door since there was no other place to sit.  The hallway was crammed full of people.  We had to leave in such a hurry that the RM and I didn't have anything with us - no food, water, pillows - nothing.  So we just sat there for the rest of the night.

The wind was still very loud.  The door was rattling so much we were afraid it would be pulled open at some point.  All throughout the night we heard the crashing of windows breaking, of more glass shattering.

When morning finally came and the storm had passed, everyone poured out of their shelters and assessed the damage.  Trees down everywhere.  Glass everywhere.  No running water. No electricity.  No air conditioning (remember, we were in Florida - after a storm - it was hot and very very humid!).

The excitement that was in the air before the storm had now turned to other things.  Everyone was hot.  We were hungry (the school always prepared food for hurricanes, but it's not the same as a solid meal).  We were exhausted.  Then the complaining started.  Parents started calling demanding their children be sent home.  It pretty much turned to chaos.  I was busy helping the RM keep track of which students were going home and dealing with the complaining students.  I remember one girl being completely hysterical with me because she couldn't flush her toilet.  I looked her in the eye, and said to her (not in my most polite tone) to keep quiet because she had it much better than many people in our city and she needed to be thankful for what she had.

And it was true.  Our campus had damage.  But it was nothing compared to the damage in the city around us.  Whole houses were gone.  I don't know how many thousands of roofs were blown off. And many of those whose roof didn't blow off still had to cover huge gaping holes they did get in it with blue tarps.  Cars were smashed under trees.  Thousands and thousands of people had no running water or electricity.  Some people lost everything they had.  And not everyone had bottles of fresh water or boxes of food like we had.

Many students left to go home to their families or relatives that lived within driving distance.  My family lived too far away, but it just so happened that my parents were in North Carolina that week at a conference at a Christian camp.  My oldest brother and his wife worked at this camp so they were there too.  After a lot of discussion and assurance from my residence manager that she would be fine and that I should go up to see my parents, I got in a car with my sister, brother, sis-in-law, and Matt.  We headed up to NC.  After a few hours, we realized just how hungry we were so we pulled over at the first place we saw to get something to eat - a McDonalds.  Now, say what you want about McD's, but I tell you, those cheeseburgers were so tasty at that time.  It still makes me laugh to think back on all five of us, crammed in a little car late at night, chowing down on cheeseburgers and french fries like we hadn't eaten in a week.

We arrived in North Carolina and the camp was gracious enough to give us a free place to stay.  We were able to get warm showers and comfortable beds.  They fed us all our meals for the few days while we were there.  They called us the "refugees from Florida."  After just a couple days, the water was on again, the electricity was back (which meant the AC was working!) and we headed back to campus to resume classes.

I think it was on the way back that it hit me just how scary that night during the storm was.  I thought back to how, literally just minutes before the windows fell in, I had been standing in that lobby where they fell.  If we hadn't moved, we would have been hurt very badly - or worse.  I remembered how strong the wind was once the windows broke.  I've never felt that strong of a force.  I remembered many things that I thought and felt that night.  But the worst feeling of all of them was how completely and utterly helpless I was to change anything that was happening.

I had no control over anything.  And it was terrifying.

I couldn't keep the door from rattling (and I mean shake like you've never seen!) or stop the wind from howling or the glass from breaking.  I couldn't even check to see that my family or Matt was safe.  I could do nothing to change these things.  All I could do was pray and trust God to keep everyone safe.

Going through Hurricane Ivan is something that I will always remember (we also went through Hurricane Katrina the next year, but the worst part didn't hit where we were).  Ivan wasn't "supposed" to hit where we were.  We were just supposed to get the outskirts of it, which is why we really weren't worried.  But last minute the storm "jumped" and we got some of the worst of the storm.

I think back and remember all the feelings I had.  But I also think back on it and see some life lessons I can take from my experience.

While this was an actual physical storm, we often go through different types of "storms" in our lives - mental, physical, spiritual, and even emotional.  These storms can be just as scary and we can feel just as helpless.  But it is through these storms that we should come to the same conclusion - there is only ever one Person in charge of things.  Only one Person able to handle these things.  Only one Person in control.

Sitting there that night, unable to protect anyone or anything, I was confronted with my own inability to control the storm.   It would be completely naive of me to think I could do anything to change the storm.  As for that physical storm, all I could do was be smart and stay in my shelter.  And pray for God's protection.  And trust God.  After all, He is the one who created the hurricane.  He's the One who decided to have it change course.  He was the one who was in control of that storm.

And He is the one who is in control of all the other storms in our lives. We are mortal, finite beings.  We have a beginning and an end.  We do not know all things.  We cannot be everywhere at once. But God - He has always been and always will be.  He knows everything.  He is everywhere at all times.  What comfort we can take in knowing that!

I don't know why God allowed that storm to destroy so much that night.  But I do know that God protected me and my family.  It was terrifying, but we survived it.  He provided for us.  God was in control.  He reminded me of my need to be totally dependent on Him.  The same goes for the other storms in my life.  I don't know why God asks me to go through storms or "trials" in life.  But I do know this.  Even in the storm, He is in control.  He is protecting me - sometimes from things I don't even know about.  He is always providing for me.  And because of that, I can take comfort.  I can trust.  I can be totally dependent on Him.  Even in the scariest of storms.

Can We All Just Be A Little Honest?

It makes you feel vulnerable.  It makes you feel exposed.  It makes you open to criticism.  It can make you feel like a failure.  It goes against what much of our society tends to do.  What in the world is "it?"  What has the power to make us feel this way? Simply this: admitting that we are struggling with something.  Being completely honest and open with how we are feeling.

This topic has been on the forefront of my mind lately.  No one likes to admit that things aren't "picture perfect."  That their marriage is struggling.  That they are really tight on finances.  That their child is rebelling.  That they have a health issue.  That they have suffered a great loss.  That they are angry about something.

In our social media world, it is very easy to only post or tweet about the great stuff - the good grades the kids are getting, the fun trips taken, the success of the business/ministry.  You know, the happy stuff.  But when it comes to the hard things, we tend to bottle it up and carry our burdens alone.  But sometimes, I believe this may be the wrong choice.

I've never been a complainer.  You can ask my parents.  If I mentioned my head hurt or my back hurt, that usually meant it was pretty bad.  I didn't feel like I needed to "burden" my family and friends with my little troubles.  Part of it was the fact that I knew there were people in the world who had much worse pain and worse health issues than I did.  So who am I to complain about a silly old headache?

But I think my refusal to admit I was hurting had more to do with my pride.  I was too proud to admit that I was hurting.  Too proud to admit that I couldn't keep up or do something.  Too proud to admit that I was not really like the other kids my age.  Yes, it boiled down to pride.

Now, I may be wrong here, but I feel that the pride issue plays a big part in us today when we don't admit when we are having a hard time.  Why we answer, "Great!" or "Doing well!" when asked "How are you doing?" - even if we aren't even close to being great or well.  Okay, I do understand that not every time we are asked "How are you?"  the person is expecting us to just spill the beans and start crying and tell them all our troubles.  But shouldn't we be a bit more honest with each other?  Wouldn't it be better to answer, "I'm having rough day, to be honest."  Especially if it's the truth?

I recently decided to be more open with how I am doing - on this blog, on Facebook, and in conversations with others.  I've admitted that my family and I are currently walking through the hardest year we have ever had up to this point.  That things aren't all peachy keen and that my faith has been shaken a little.  That I have had a rough time physically.  And do you know what I have discovered because of this decision?

People care.  People understand.  That we are not alone in our struggles.

That's right.  My being honest has opened the floodgates of notes and messages of people saying things like, "I had no idea things were so rough! Now I know how to better pray for you." Or, "I didn't know you had that issue/problem.  Let me share a similar situation I went through and what I learned from it."

I have been reminded that much of what we have and are experiencing -the hurt, extended unemployment, financial difficulties, health issues, etc. - are not isolated experiences.  Though it may not be exactly the same, there are other people who have gone through similar things.  And do you know what I have found through others sharing their stories?

Encouragement.  Healing.  Faith restored that we can and will get through this.

Their stories have helped me see that there is light at the end of the tunnel.  That there is purpose for all of this.  That we can come out on the other end of this and say, "God loves me and God is good."

As soon as I opened up about some of the struggles we were going through, I felt as if a huge burden was lifted.  It's not that our circumstances changed.  Everything that was "wrong" was still there.  That's not why I felt the burden was lifted.  I felt lighter because I was no longer trying to carry my burden alone.  Besides it only being me crying out to God, I now had people who knew of what we were going through, and now were praying specifically for us.  They were checking in on us more often to see how we are doing.

In fact, this is a biblical concept.  When Christ left this earth, He left us the Holy Spirit.  But He also established the church.  A big part of the purpose of the church is to be there for each other until Christ returns to take us home with Him, to encourage each other to keep the commandments of the Lord, to remain steadfast through trials (James 1) and to "bear one another's burdens (Galatians 6)."

But how can we bear each other's burdens if we don't know what they are?

I believe that God is omniscient - that He knows all things.  He knows what our burdens are.  So if I were to pray, "Lord, please help so-and-so and their family and whatever they may be dealing with today," God would hear that and know exactly what they were dealing with, even if I don't.

But I also believe it helps us to better pray when we can pray a bit more specifically.  "Lord, please be with so-and-so and their appointment they have today.  Give the doctors wisdom to know what is the problem and a solid plan to deal with it.  Give so-and-so a peace and calmness to know that You are with them and that You already know the cause and You already have a plan."

Do you see the difference?  Both are prayers.  Both are heard by God.  Both will be answered by Him.  But the second prayer is so much more focused and specific. This doesn't "help" God, but it helps me to have a deeper prayer life.  And to be honest, it helps me to be more likely to remember the request more often.

Now, I do want to put a side note here that I do believe there is a fine line between being honest with our struggles and just plain complaining.  If we are being open and honest for the purpose of people feeling sorry for us, to gain attention, or to just vent our anger or frustration, then I don't think it should be done.  Those are wrong sinful reasons. But, if our intention is to ask for prayer, to seek help from fellow believers, and to get our "army" of Christian brothers and sisters behind us, then I believe the intentions are pure and we should be sharing them with each other - whether that is all of your Facebook land, or your church, or just a few trusted friends (with whomever you are comfortable).

When you do reveal your heart in this way, you might also be surprised at how sharing your story can help someone else who is currently struggling with the same thing, or walking a similar path, and has felt all alone - just like you.  Opening yourself up and becoming vulnerable may be just the encouragement they need to keep on keeping on, knowing they are not alone, that there are others who understand what they are feeling, and that they can reach out to you.  It can turn into an incredible opportunity to encourage and be a blessing to someone else.

So maybe, just maybe, if we were a little more honest with each other, we could all be walking around, feeling lighter at heart and better able to deal with our trials because we have our army of fellow believers behind us, bringing our requests to our Heavenly Father, just as Christ intended for the church.

But it all has to start - with us being honest.

A New Era

Quite a few months ago, I saw this meme on Facebook, so I saved it on my phone.  I thought it was a good quote.  But it speaks to me on deeper level now than it did then.  And from it, I find great inspiration and encouragement.  Here's why:

The past few months, My husband and myself have been doing exactly what this quote says.  We have been weeping.  Weeping and grieving over what we thought our life would be like when we moved out west. Three and a half years ago, we uprooted our family, and moved almost completely across the country to a small town where we knew no one.  The one thing we did know, however, was that God wanted us here.  After selling half of our belongings, we made the long trek out here and we moved into our new town.  We quickly began making friends and settled into our new role in our new church.  And we loved it.

At first, everything was good.  We were very happy and very very busy.  But, as with many things in life, circumstances and situations arise that can completely change what you thought your life was going to be like.  And that's what happened.  Circumstances began to arise and our thoughts of what we anticipated for our lives to be like out here began to change.  After months of praying, weeping, talking, seeking godly advice and praying some more, it became evident that it was time for our church and us to part ways.  I will not get into the gritty details, but I will say that it has been a very long 18 months.  We have faced some hard trials and we have experienced some of the deepest hurt we have ever felt.

The parting of ways happened at the beginning of March.  Since then, it has been a tough time for our family.  We have wept deeply over what feels like a death to us.  We have grieved a great loss.  We have worked to keep our children protected as much as possible from hurt.  We have spent a lot of time together to keep our family unit strong and intact.  We have spent time seeking The Lord and crying out to Him - looking to Him for strength and guidance.

And now it is time for us to "wash our faces" and move on with our life.  My husband has not found a new job yet - and not for lack of trying.  Which means we have not have a consistent pay check in some months.  We, like so many of you, live pay check to pay check.  We do not have a huge savings account to fall back on to support us.  We have waited to see what The Lord has for us next.  But nothing specific has been revealed to us at this time. The financial pressure of having monthly bills - especially a mortgage has weighed heavily on us.  And while we have been able to take care of it thus far, the end of eing able to do that is in sight .  So we decided almost two weeks ago to take a step of "blind faith" and put our house on the market.

And it sold.  We accepted a good solid offer on it 6 days later.

We were both shocked that it happened so fast.  And while I could sit down and start to panic about the logistics of packing everything up and moving - we still don't know where - I am not doing that.  Because I know that this is God's plan.  The financial burden of the mortgage has been lifted.  We feel a huge relief from that pressure.

It would be nice if we got a phone call or text from God telling us exactly what the next year (or five) was going to look like.  But God doesn't work that way.  Sometimes - actually oftentimes - He shows us one step at a time.  For us - the first step was to put the house on market.  Next - we will pack what possessions we can fit into a 10x10 storage unit and sell the rest.  Come June 30, we will leave our lovely home here for good.  And next - we are still waiting to see.

This is not what I envisioned our lives to be like right now.  My husband and I have been married for 11 years next month.  And the longest we have lived in one home is 3 years.  When we moved into this current house, I thought for sure we would be here for many years. (In fact, I remember telling my husband that I never wanted to move again!).   This is not what I would have wanted or chosen for us.  But I am done grieving over what "I" wanted.  As the quote above says - I have wept.  I have grieved.  But now I am washing my face and embracing what God has for us.  I am trusting Him.

I share this with you all to ask you to pray.  Pray with us as we seek The Lord in what He would have for us.  Pray for us as our hearts are still hurting and in need of healing.  Pray for our children as this has been confusing and hard on them.  Pray that we will continue to point them to The Lord - showing through our own actions that it is so WORTH IT to always follow Him, even when we don't understand.  Please, just pray for us as we face this new, scary, uncertain, yet exciting time in our lives.

Until next time...

Yet Another Lesson from My Child

This past Sunday was an exciting day in our household.  Sunday morning, at church, our Little Handsome followed the Lord's leading and was baptized.  Now, I am not sure of what all reading this believe, but we do not believe in infant baptism.  We believe that, after one has put their faith in Christ for their eternal salvation, then they can follow in believer's baptism.  This is merely a public testimony of their trust in Christ Jesus and is not necessary as part of their salvation.  It is simply a step of obedience.  We also believe in baptism by full immersion, not sprinkling.

All that was to say that this past Sunday, Little Handsome made that step of obedience.  I have been thinking of the proper words to describe how I felt watching him do this, but no words come to mind.  I guess the only thing that keeps coming to mind is the verse 3 John 4, "I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth."  That closely sums it up.  Apart from the joy I felt sitting on the couch next to him as he prayed to the Lord and gave his life to Him, Sunday was the greatest joy I have felt.

I also was so proud of him.  Proud in a good way.  You see, Little Handsome has not yet gotten over his fear of having his head completely under water.  And he knew this was what was going to happen - even for just a few seconds.  We had been talking to him about it, making sure he was prepared. (And for the record, this was his decision.  We do not push our children into making these very important spiritual decisions.  We just explain to them what it all means, and leave it to them to decide when they are ready.)

When his turn came (he was the last of 10 to be baptised that day), he climbed in the water and stood next to his dad.  I was standing next to the baptistery and was saying a few words to the crowd about Little Handsome.  As I talked, I looked over and saw him, clinging to his father.  You could tell he was a bit fearful.  You could tell he was nervous.  But you could also tell he was very much trying to be brave.  He knew this was what he wanted to do - what he was supposed to do.  It choked me up to see him following the Lord even though he was fearful.

When I was finished, my husband looked down at Little Handsome and asked him to publicly answer if he had ever put his faith and trust in Christ.  Little Handsome, with his strong and loud voice said unwavering, "Yes."  And then, with tears in his own eyes, Mr. Handsome baptised his son.  The crowd of about 200 all applauded and many said "Amen."

As soon as he came above the water, Little Handsome turned to his daddy with his arms up and his daddy lifted him up into his arms and held him tight.  My eyes filled with tears at that point, as did many others.  And it has been since then that I have had that image in my head.  I keep thinking about it and it reminds me of how our Heavenly Father is with us.

This life is not easy.  There are many trials and struggles we go through.  There are things that we just plain don't understand.  Why did this happen?  Why did we lose that family member whom we loved so dearly?  Why do I have this constant health struggle?  Why do I have chronic pain?  Why cancer?  I want children so badly, Lord.  Why have you not given them to me?  Why are the finances so tight?  Why do we struggle to keep food on the table?  Why have you called me to do this?

These are just a few of the many struggles we may face in this life.  And often, we don't have the answers.  And that makes us fearful.  We are afraid.  We are nervous.  But God has promised us if we follow Him, He will be right there with us. "Be strong and courageous.  Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you.  He will not leave you or forsake you." (Deut. 31:6)

God told us we would encounter hard times, but that we need not fear. We can have peace.  He is in control and He has a plan.  "I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace.  In the world you will have tribulation.  But take heart; I have overcome the world." (John 16:33)

I picture it just like it was with my husband and son on Sunday.  My son was afraid.  He was fearful.  But he knew what he needed to do and he put those fears aside, trusting in his father.  We had assured him that Daddy would be right there the whole time.  Daddy was not going to let go or leave him.  Little Handsome, in his sweet childlike faith, took his father at his word and trusted in him.  And when it was done and he was at his point of greatest fear, his Daddy came through with his word and was right there, lifting him into his arms.

God has assured us that He is not going to let go.  He is here for us.  And when we feel we are drowning in our troubles, in our fear, we can hold up our hands and He is right there, as HE SAID HE WOULD BE, and He will lift us in His strong, loving arms and hold us tight, assuring us that He will protect us.

We cannot go through life without any trouble.  We won't go without any difficulties.  But, if we are a child of Him, we can go in peace because we have God our Father right there, ready to pick us up when we feel we are overwhelmed and drowning in fear.  He is there for us to cling on to when we are about to go into the unknown.  He is a big God and He can handle any situation, even when we cannot.  All we need to do, just as my son did, is take God at His word and trust Him.  He is there. And He always will be.

Until next time...

New Year's

Happy New Year!  What's that you say?  I'm a little late with my greetings?  Bummer.  Well, that's how things go.  I still hope your are having a happy new year.  We are.  We welcomed the year in with a great group of friends from church.  There was lots of food, lots of laugh, and an all around great time.  Instead of counting down and screaming and yelling and kissing or whatever, we always pray in the new year.  Which is exactly what we did.  As the clock turned midnight, we were dedicating our coming year - with all its unknowns - to the Lord.

New Years is like turning the page to a book.  Except that nothing has been written on that page yet.  Its a blank slate.  We can make what we want of it.  I think that is why so many people make "resolutions."  They aim to do better in certain areas of their lives.   A lot of the resolutions have to do with losing weight, getting fit and healthy, changing eating habits (why else do you think the t.v. commercials and billboards, etc. are filled with Weight Watcher adds and exercise equipment promos?).  Some resolutions have to do with life goals - like making a certain amount of money, get a promotion, retire, go on a dream vacation, etc.

I guess that as we look at the blank page before us, we make these resolutions to become a better version of ourselves.  Or, more accurately, better versions of the person we wish or want to be.  I don't necessarily think there is anything wrong with that.

I, for one, don't really make official "resolutions."  I never have.  I don't exactly know why.  I guess its because I don't like always doing what "everyone else is doing."  Or something like that.  But I do, however, look back on my previous year and see what sticks out as the main thing that I may "regret" or be unhappy with how I was and pray and work on attempting to do a little better.  Maybe you may be thinking, "Uh, Honey, that is exactly a resolution."  Well, okay, maybe it is.  I just don't personally call it that.  I just think of them as a goal.

So, what's my goal for 2014?  Two words: Make Time.

When I look back on the previous year, the main thing that comes to my mind is how busy I was.  I think of how I was always saying, "We are so busy.  I don't have time for such-and-such."  And to an extent, that is true.  We were (and still are) busy.  But here's the thing.  I don't know one person who is NOT busy.  We all have our agenda.  We all have our lists (whether physically written or mentally written) of things we have to do in a day/week/month.  We all are busy.  I want to stop using that as an excuse for not doing things that I really want to be doing.

I remember there being times that I was too "busy" to call and talk with my family on the phone or Facetime.  There were times that I was too "busy" to sit down and play Barbies with my girls or hockey with my son.  There were times when I was too "busy" to blog.  There were times when I was too "busy" to make a special treat for Mr. Handsome.  There were times when I was too "busy" to sit down in the afternoon or whenever and read a little bit of a book - for myself!  There were times, unfortunately, when I was too "busy" to read my Bible or pray.  There were times when I was just too "busy."

Did you catch what I did there?  Did you see that I started putting "busy" in quotes? Here's the reason.  I have come to the conclusion that we really aren't as "busy" as we think we are or need to be.  We don't have to be that "busy."  I've heard it said and I've said it myself: we make time for what is important to us.

Now, obviously we have work and school that we have to go to.  But beyond that, really, we are our own rule makers.  We decide what we can and cannot do.  So I have decided that everything I stated above that I was too "busy" for last year, I am not going to be too "busy" for this year.

I am going to MAKE TIME to call my family and friends more often.  If I've learned anything recently, its that life is so short and you never know when the Lord will take someone home.  I want to look back and be able to say, "I loved all our good chats and visits" rather than have to look back and say, "I wish I had made more time to keep in touch with them."

I am going to MAKE TIME to sit down and play Barbies or Doc McStuffins or hockey with my children.  The laundry, dishes, and vacuuming can wait.  I want my kids to look back and say, "Mom was always there for me and was never too busy to listen to what I had to say" rather than, "I had a very clean house growing up but Mom was always so busy she never took time for me."

I am going to MAKE TIME to blog more.  I don't even know if anyone besides my husband and sometimes mom reads this.  Its not really my goal to have a post go viral or anything.  I just love to write and it is an output for me  And I love to look back and read about what funny things the kids may have done or what important lesson the Lord was teaching me.

I am going to MAKE TIME to make special treats that Mr. Handsome loves to eat.  I am not big on sweets (I love the salty!), but Mr. Handsome loves to munch on something sweet every once in a while.  I want him to know that he is important to me and I care about what he likes and dislikes.

I am going to MAKE TIME to read a book - for myself.  Apart from writing, reading is my favorite thing to do.  I LOVE TO READ!!!!  But I find that with kids, homeschooling, church, etc., I just don't make the time to read anything above a Grade 2 level.  So I am going to find some time each week (probably won't happen every day - gotta be realistic here! :-) ) to just read some book that I want.  I have stacks of books in boxes (we don't have a bookshelf!) and lots on my Kindle that are just waiting for me to read!

I am going to MAKE TIME to, no matter what, read and pray more.  There is so much more about the Bible that I want to read and find out.  I want my walk with the Lord to be so much deeper than it is now.  I know so many people with burdens and struggles and hurts.  I want to make more time to dedicate to reading the Bible and praying for them.

So, this year, I aim to just plain MAKE TIME.  I no longer want to be too "busy" for what is really important.  So if it means saying no to some of the other things that just aren't as important, then so be it.

And now I ask you.  What's your goal for 2014?

Until next time....

Lessons from Snow Angels

It started snowing yesterday around noon.  And did not stop until today around noon.  I think we got at least a foot of snow, probably more.  When the kids first saw yesterday that it was snowing, you would have thought it was Christmas.  They came running down the stairs to our basement where Mr. Handsome and I were sitting.  They were yelling with immense excitement, "It's snowing!  It's snowing!"  They spent the next few minutes jumping up and down and running around.  Their thrill and excitement got me thinking.

Its funny how something so simple like snowflakes falling from the sky can bring such excitement to young children.  They see it snowing and they immediately think of snowmen, snowball fights, snow forts, sliding, etc.  They can't wait until there is enough on the ground so they can go out and play.  

This was our second snow of the year.  We got some the week before.  Oh, it was really only an inch or so, but it was still snow!  It started early Sunday morning, and by the time we came home from church, there was enough to play in.  And they did.  As soon are their lunches were eaten, they got in their snow gear and went out to play with the neighbour kids.  I watched them out the window, seeing the joy and excitement on their faces.  And do you know what the very first thing they did when got out was?  They fell back and made snow angels.  Several of them.  I think I was smiling to myself as I watched.  Their thrill of such a simple thing was inspiring.

Somewhere in the process of growing from a child to an adult, we lose that thrill of the simple things.  Now, as adults, when we see snow, we think of it a little differently.  Oh, we still may get a little excited about some fun family outings in the snow.  But let's get real.  We also think of all the other "stuff."  

We think of the cost of snow tires.  We think of the exhausting task of shoveling out the driveway and sidewalks.  We think of the dangers of driving in the snow and possible ice.  We think of the cost of keeping the family properly clothed - boots, hats, coats, gloves, pants, etc. We think of the cold and the cost of heating the house - whether it be electric, gas furnace, or wood stove. We think of the mess its gonna make when they come inside.  We think of the extra time it takes to get out the door because you have to help bundle up all the kids.  (Like putting snow boots on your 1 year old.  If you have never done that, imagine having to put shoes on two of the tentacles of on an octopus.  That might be somewhat akin to the difficulty of the task.  And don't get me started on gloves....) 

I guess what I am trying to get at is this.  I think that the older we get, the more negative and critical we become of life circumstances.  Yes, all the things we as adults have to think about are real and important.  But why is it that that is the very first thing we tend to go to when we come upon a circumstance?  Why do we tend to be "glass is have empty" in our attitudes?  Why can't our first reaction be to run outside and make a snow angel?

I have always leaned toward looking more on the positive side.  I think that certain situations in my life have made me want to look for the good.  But I am finding that, now that I am older, I don't jump to find the good first.  I find myself complaining more often.  Now, I may be the only person who this is happening to, but I dare say I am not.  

Yes, as we become adults, we have much more cares, responsibilities and concerns.  We aren't as naive about life.  We know more of how things can change.  But does that mean we have to be negative right off the bat?

Have you ever been around a person who is negative all the time?  Don't you find that you get worn down and almost want to avoid that person?  What if that person is you?

So here's the thing.  As I watched my children laugh and play in the snow as they made snow angels, snow cupcakes, and whatnot, I was challenged.  I need to have that attitude more often.  When life brings about a situation, I want to have my first response to be seeing the good in it - to see the possibility of snow angels.  I know this won't be easy.  I know that there are things in life that are just plain hard.  I know that - believe me, I know it.  But I want to be more positive.  I want to encourage others to be more positive (hence, this post!).   

There is a popular saying these days - You Only Live Once (YOLO).  And while I think this is way overused and often used as a free ticket to do dumb and careless things with little or no responsibility, I do think it makes a point.  We do only have one life that God has given us.  We do have one chance at things.  Why not enjoy it with a positive attitude, rather than always looking for what could go wrong, or what is so terrible about the circumstances.  

Let's smile, jump up and down, and run outside and make snow angels.

Until next time....

What I Didn't Know

I had read many books on what to expect.  I had asked questions.  I had gone to the classes.  I thought I was well prepared.  I thought I had it all figured out.  But when those first contractions hit in the early morning hours, I suddenly realized I had no idea what I was doing.

It was in the early morning hours of September 28, 2006.  Mr. Handsome, my mom, and my mother-in-law were all sleeping soundly in our tiny two-room apartment.  I had tried to get comfortable, but that just wasn't happening.  I remembered learning in our childbirth class about different things to do to help relieve that pain from the contractions.  I was trying all of them.  But with each passing contraction they were getting more intense.  I was debating whether I should wake everyone up just yet.  This being my first pregnancy, I wasn't for sure if this was "the real thing" or not.  I had already gone to the hospital twice in false labour.  The last thing I wanted was to go again only to be sent home, again.  But really, I knew.  I knew this was it.  I was about to have a baby.  Our lives were about to change - forever.

It was now just after 7 a.m.  I had been having contractions for a few hours, and they were now closer together.  Mr. Handsome had been timing them with me for a little while when we knew it was time to head to the hospital.  We woke up our moms, grabbed our bag and headed out the door.  It was hard to walk.  I was having contractions every few minutes and couldn't even stand up straight.  We lived in the second floor of a boy's dormitory at the school where I worked and my husband was getting his master's degree.  But I couldn't take the stairs.  We got on the elevator almost full of boys headed to their first hour class.  I wish I could have taken a picture of their faces - they looked terrified that I was going to give birth right there!

We got in the car and headed to the hospital.  There was a sense of anticipation and excitement in the air.  This was it!  We got to the hospital, got all registered, and before I knew it, I was in a labour and delivery room.  Mr. Handsome was at my side, answering my every beck and call - wiping my face with a cold cloth, getting me ice chips, holding my hand when I needed it.  He likes to complain about how hard I squeezed and how much it hurt.  I have no sympathy.

I was trying to go drug free, but I just wanted some relief.  So I asked for a little something to take the edge off.  I took some Nubain and it helped me at least relax some.  And then, it was time.  I told them that I needed to push.  The room then became alive with movement.  Nurses moving in and out - turning on the heat light and getting the bed ready for our baby.  The doctor coming in getting her gown on preparing to deliver.  I remember looking at my husband, with a surreal feeling in my mind, and saying, "Honey, we are about to have a baby!"

The next 20ish minutes I did what my body was telling me to do - push with all my might.  The pain was intense.  Some of the worst I have ever felt.  I wanted that baby out and I wanted it out NOW!  The nurses that were counting to ten were getting on my nerves.  I wanted to slap them and tell them to shut up.  Mr. Handsome was right at my side, encouraging me on, telling me I was doing great.

And then, with one hearty push - the pain immediately subsided.  My baby - my firstborn emerged and let out a loud, beautiful scream.  "Its a boy!" the doctor proclaimed (we were fairly certain of this already). I was only able to hold him for a short minute as there was meconium and they had to take him to suction out his lungs to be sure he hadn't swallowed any.  During this time my husband was crying, kissing me, and telling me how proud he was of me.  Our moms were crying and saying how beautiful he was.  And I was laying there, in awe at what just happened.

It was only a few minutes before he was cleared and our Little Handsome was placed back in my arms.  I just stared at him, taking in every part of his face.  I looked at his hands, his fingers, his feet.  He was perfect.  Then a nurse came and helped me nurse him for the first time.  I sat there, almost in shock at what was going on.  I looked at Mr. Handsome and saw the look of utter satisfaction and pleasure on his face.  He was a father.  I was a mother.  We were so blessed.

As we sat in that hospital room, I thought of all the books I had read.  How prepared I thought I was.  But nothing could have really prepared me for what I was feeling and experiencing.  No, there was much I didn't know before this moment.

What I didn't know was how incredibly hard and painful labour was going to be.  I didn't know how it would be even a bit scary when the doctor says there was meconium and they called for the pediatrician.  I didn't know that I could be that physically exhausted, yet still having to continue on, because I was the only one who could do this.  I didn't know that I could get so annoyed with nurses who were just trying to help me.  I didn't know that I could be that hot and sweaty in an air conditioned room.

But there was much more I didn't know. I didn't know how that terrible pain I had been experiencing would be gone in an instant. I didn't know how intense a love I would feel the moment I heard that first cry, the moment I first laid eyes on my son.  I didn't know how my love for my husband would grow by leaps and bounds just seeing him hold my son - OUR son - for the first time.  I didn't know my heart could hold so much love.

And over the next few weeks, I didn't know how I could be so tired and survive on so little sleep, yet not begrudge it because it was to give care to one of the most precious things in my life.  I didn't know how protective I would become when someone wanted to hold him and I would insist they wash their hands AND use hand sanitizer first.  I didn't know how hard it would be to leave him in the care of someone else when he was just 3 months old and I had to return to work.  I didn't know how he would be on my mind day and night.  I didn't know how sad it would make me when I knew he wasn't feeling well.

September 28, 2006.  Seven years ago when Little Handsome entered this world.  I cannot believe that much time has already passed.  There was so much I didn't know then.  And there is still so much I don't know now.

But I do know this - I would never ever change those seven years with him in our lives.  Yes, our lives changed forever.  But so much for the better.  Since then my love for our baby boy has grown beyond words.  I can't find any words to adequately express how I feel about him.  I thank God every single day for my son.  Happy Birthday, Little Handsome.  I am so blessed to be your mommy.

Until next time....

How God Provided Our Home

It was this time last year that we were just ending our ministry and waiting on God to lead us to our new ministry.  After that it was five months of no income and lots of praying and seeking His face as to where He was leading next.  We knew that wherever that was, it would probably involve a move.  So we, by faith, put our house on the market.  And we waited.  And waited.

It wasn't until several months had passed that we finally knew where God wanted us to go.  So we made plans and started packing up our home.  But the house had not sold.  We learned so many lessons during those months.  Lessons of patience.  Lessons of trust.  Lessons of faith.  It was not easy a lot of the time. But we did our best to trust God and take each step as He showed it to us.  When the day finally came for us to pull out and begin our journey to our new life, we left, even though our house still had not sold.  But we knew without a shadow of a doubt that this was His plan.

And wouldn't you know that not even three hours down the road we got the call from the realtor that we had an offer on the house!  After some negotiation, we had a deal and made good use of the hotels' fax machines as we made our way to our new town.

It was great news that we would not have to worry about managing a home hundreds and hundreds of miles from where would be living.  The "bad" news was that we did not get the price that we really wanted/needed in order to purchase a new home.   So, that was the reason we ended up renting for the first 6 months of living in our new town.

I don't need to go into detail here, but I will say that was a long 6 months in that home.  It was not ideal situation for us, but I know that it was just where God wanted us at the time.

As soon as we got here, we knew that by June we would need a new place to live, since we only signed a 6-month lease.  So we slowly began to look at all our options.  Through careful planning, saving, and God's awesome provision, we were able to set aside money for a down payment on a house.

So in May we began to actively search for a home.  By this time we had built a good relationship with our realtor, and he was busily showing us houses and looking for us.  I don't exactly know how many houses we looked at, but it was quite a few.  I felt like we were on an episode of House Hunters.  Time was starting to pass and we started to get a little antsy.  Were we ever going to find a house that would fit our family and be in our price range?  We are not the type to take on a mortgage higher than we knew we could afford.  So it was difficult to find houses that fit all the criteria.

Then, one day, we went and saw three houses.  And two of them fit the bill.  Perfectly.  They were both in really great locations, actually not too far from where we were currently living.  One had 5 bedrooms, one had 4.  Mr. Handsome loved the 5 bedroom whereas I loved the 4 bedroom one more.  But we both liked them both and could see ourselves living in either one. One was aver 30 years old, one was only 2 years old.  One had an absolutely beautiful yard - one that was completely fenced in.  It also had a garage.  The other one had a grassed yard, but no fence or garage.  After some deliberating and praying and getting advice, we decided to go with the 5 bedroom house.

It was a little over our price range, but we knew the owners were getting a bit desperate as they already had another home they were living in half the time.  So we put in a lower offer.  And wouldn't you know, it was accepted!  We were thrilled!  I started decorating each room in my head, and had it all planned where each kid would go, where I would place the furniture, what paint colors I would use, and all that fun stuff.

Mr. Handsome was busily taking care of the financial stuff with the mortgage broker and we were able to lock in at an unbelievable rate.  We were just so excited!  And then, we got news that felt like it knocked the wind right out of us.  We were all approved for the mortgage.  But we were not approved by the mortgage insurance company.  Since we could only put 5% down instead of 20%, we could not get a mortgage without insurance.

We tried everything to get approved.  At times it seemed "they" were just making up excuses for not approving us.  We had many, many people tell us they had never heard of this before - the "reasons" they were giving us.  But basically, their final answer as to why we were not approved was because Mr. Handsome had not been employed at his job for long enough.  He had to have worked there for at least a year.

So we were then back to square one.  We tried to work with the homeowners on a rent-to-own deal, but they just said they "were sympathetic to our situation, but no."  I can definitely say we were devastated.  What were we going to do?  But this time we had just about three weeks left until we had to be out of our rental.  Our landlord had already rented it out to someone else, as well as had it up for sale (which there were showings all the time - what a stress that was!).

People were very kind and were offering their basements and camper trailers to us if we needed it.  There were no houses for rent in our town.  We just didn't know what to do.  Then, one day, I remembered the other house we had loved.  Mr. Handsome called our realtor about contacting the homeowner about doing a rent-to-own deal just until January when we would then be approved for the insurance.  It took several days to get a hold of the homeowner since she doesn't live in this town.

But once he got a hold of her, it didn't take long.  She was very willing to work something out!  Within days we had the paperwork all signed, and the deal done!  The awesome part too was that the house was already empty, ready to be moved in to!  About a week before we were scheduled to move in, we met with the owner and the realtor at the home to be able to meet face to face and give her our postdated checks for rent.  Mr. Handsome and I were both secretly hoping she would give us the keys that night, but didn't think she would really do that.  And you know what?  She did?  She said to move in whenever we wanted, and to enjoy the house and enjoy raising our family in it!  We were so surprised, happy and grateful.  We thanked her very much for working with us and she graciously said she was happy to help.

The next week was crazy busy and super exhausting, but with the help of some church people we were all moved in.  As you can see from the pictures in the previous post, it is perfect for us and a beautiful home.  We are so very thankful for this place.  I don't know why the other house didn't work out.  Perhaps it has something terribly wrong with it that we didn't know about. ( By the way, it has since sold)  Perhaps we would have had terrible neighbours.  Or, perhaps, God was yet again teaching us that His timing is not always our timing, and He knows what is best for us.

Whatever the reason, I am so thankful for God's work and provision in our lives.  And I don't plan on ever taking this home for granted.  We have dedicated it to the Lord and plan to use it to His glory.

Until next time...