Anticipation

Since the reveal post of our decision to move to SC we have been soooooo busy.  I have barely slept since February.  I am so excited.  Anticipation for this move is killing me.  I cannot wait.

Even when I go to bed at a normal hour I lay awake for hours thinking of all the things to do and wondering what life will be like in SC.  Often I get up and work for another couple of hours before finally becoming too weary to keep moving.

I made it through tax season. This involved long work days and working 6 or 7 days a week. When I came home brain dead I would grab a box or a drawer from the garage or other place in the house and sort it while watching tv.  Give away, throw away, keep.  Of course there is also the 4th category:  What in the world should I do with this?

During this phase I made it through all of the garage and most of the office and closets except the kitchen.  So now, I knew what was in my house.   Just when I thought I had been through everything, BC began bringing boxes down from the attic.  Oh my goodness.   Tax return info from 1984, all neatly stored away, out of sight, out of mind.  One funny thing he found was a suitcase from our Hungary trip last year.  It still had clothes in it.  Mostly socks.  We have been accusing k of losing her socks because we couldn’t find them anywhere.

Real Packing.    I bought boxes from the 1/2 price box store and had them delivered.   And we fill them, and fill them, and fill them.  And there is still more to pack.  Lots more.

God’s timing is great.  A friend was having a garage sale to raise money to go abroad to pick up their little girl they are adopting.  She took 4 loads of our things, dishes, games, clothes, junk.   I was so glad she could benefit from these items.

We also made arrangements to go visit SC.  Unfortunately, the details didn’t work out right and BC couldn’t go.  But k and I went.  It was so beautiful.  Just what I needed, when I needed it.  While the main purpose of the trip was to meet everyone and see what the space was like we were moving into, the biggest benefit to me was the time k and I had to rest.  She had been sick a few days the week before and needed some recovery time.  I just needed sleep.  We had a few rainy days where we just got cozy in bed and read and slept.   When is the last time you could actually lay in bed on a rainy day without feeling guilt?   It was marvelous.

We had some bonding time.  We saw Jurassic Park in 3D.  Okay, that wasn’t relaxing.   We got lost one night on our way home but we finally made it.  We thought we were in a movie because we kept coming to this same intersection no matter which road we took.   We found the local Sonic.  We spent time visiting with future friends.

It was a lovely trip.

We will live in this lovely home.  K told someone it was a mansion.

k on the front porch.

I love azaleas

View from our Front Porch

After our visit the reality of the short amount of time versus the growing to do list set in.  There are days I’m a bit panicked.   Can I squeeze all these things into the remaining 3 weeks?    The excitement of going is protecting my heart from excessive panic.

Have you every looked forward to something this much?   I think the last time for me was when k was born and before that was our wedding and when BC came to visit me for the first time when we began our courtship.

I am looking forward to enjoying nature more.  I look forward to some time on that front porch.  I look forward to time off with just BC.  I look forward to developing a relationship with the girls.

Thank you God for this beautiful place.  Thank you for the beautiful hearts of the people who have paved the way provide service to children in need.  Bless the young people we will be serving.

What are you looking forward to?   As excited as I am about SC, its beauty and blessings will not compare to our heavenly home.

^” But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells. So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him.”   2 Peter 3:13-14 (NIV)

He Told Us To Go

If you have experienced a personal revelation from reading God’s word, an answered prayer like no other answered prayer, or a call from God, then you know what it is like to know how real it is and still be unable to explain it to someone else.  It wasn’t their call so they don’t get it.  But I have been so encouraged by how many people we have talked to who do get it.  Believers who are excited to see someone answering the call of God.

We have received so much encouragement as we begin to tell friends and family we are moving to South Carolina to take a position as houseparents of troubled teens.

I don’t know why something that has been dormant for almost a year is suddenly a blazing fire unless the Spirit is lighting the fire.    About a month ago I decided to browse some of the blogs I’m subscribed to.  One of them is a site that posts openings for Christian Children’s homes.  I found several postings for openings for houseparents.  All would require a major life decision.  All would require a move away from home.

We prayed about it and decided it was another prodding from God to go down a path we felt He was leading us on before.   You can read about that original prodding here, here, here, and here.

We decided to inquire and continue going through the doors as long as God kept opening them.  The doors kept opening.  Each place we talked with seemed like a great place to work and minister.  We finally accepted a position at Southestern Children’s Home in Duncan, South Carolina.

It all came to this:  We talk and sing and read about stepping out on faith all the time.  We decided having faith in God is more than just allowing Him to carry you through bad times.  I’m not knocking that we need Him to carry us then, but we hardly ever hear about people’s faith any time except when they are going through trials.  Can’t we show a little faith in other ways also?

There are many things to do before we go…many decisions, many unanswered questions, many concerns, but we know this:

God will provide, God will show the way, God will protect.

“The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you.”  Genesis 12:1 NIV