Mission Possible

During the past few days, my ability to find praise in every situation has been tested. I dove head first into a funk on Friday night and it is now Tuesday. I can officially say that last night I found my way back up to the surface and the Lord has me right where He wants me now.

A few weeks ago I put up a wall decal in my hallway. I walk by it several times a day. It says this...

'The best things in life aren't things'

As I've read this quote, I have thought of "things" like cars, furniture, expensive clothing, generally... stuff. The quote has come to take on a whole new meaning for me recently though. The best things in life aren't things... Including houses.

I am a homemaker. I love to take care of my home. I love to decorate and organize. I love to make my house our home and make others feel comfortable and cozy here. I view hospitality as a God given gift that He gave me!

In April, we packed up our home where we had lived for more than ten years. We packed up and moved down from the big hill, a little closer to J's work and a lot closer to school for the boys. The circumstances weren't the best, but the guidance that we felt from the Lord was INCREDIBLE. We were lead to this house that we now live in and it has felt right from the very beginning. There were days of frustration and sadness too, but all the while, we felt like our lives were in God's hands and He placed us exactly where we are supposed to be.

Fast forward six months.

On Friday we received a phone call from our land lord. She told us that she wants to list the house for sale in April. She wants to give us first opportunity to buy it, but it will go on the market in April if we decide not to purchase. WOW... Totally shocked with this one! When we originally signed the lease with her in April there were no signs that this would happen. In fact, she stressed that she would love to have us long term if we would stay. We were happy to oblige.

So... Here we are again. Clay in the Potter's hands. J and I have talked and talked about this one, and I know that the talking is far from over. There are many thoughts traveling through our heads. Thoughts of past mistakes, thoughts of the future. Thoughts that are from Him, and others that are so NOT from Him. Right before we went to sleep last night though, I said to my hubby in the dark stillness of night...

"What if we are supposed to adopt the attitudes and even partial lifestyle of missionaries in all of this? What if THAT is what this is all about?"

Our purpose here in this house has been extremely evident. The journey here was not a mistake. From the very beginning of all of this I have found huge amounts of comfort in that. So why should I find anything else except comfort in what God has planned for us next?

When I look at the negatives, such as moving our three boys again (thus creating a feeling of instability but then again, maybe they see it as adventure), having to "find" another home for us and our three furry children (we didn't find this one, God led us straight to it!), and having to make another house a home (wait... didn't I say that I LOVE to do that?) it's easy to see that there is positive inside every negative. What seems at first to be an impossible thought becomes possible in every way.

I may not be on an international mission field, but I do believe God has me and my family on a mission of our own. I'm thankful that He pulled me from the depths of where I plummeted the other day in self-pity. He showed me that this is all the same road He put us on awhile ago. Still things to be learned. Still love to be shared. Still that pliable piece of nothing that He is shaping into something grand.

I can praise Him because He holds me still.

Beautiful Things

I've been listening to this song on K~ Love for weeks now. Every time I hear it, I hear whispers of truth being spoken into me. It's easy to let ourselves feel everything BUT beautiful in this world we live in. We are confronted daily with what the world believes to be "beautiful". This weekend I went to the ocean with my hubby and boys. On our way, I received a text from a good friend of mine. I had just shared with her the night before about my struggles with feeling beautiful. She sent this...

"He brought me out into a spacious place; He rescued me because He delighted in me." 2 Samuel 22:20

My friend knew that there would be many "beach bodies" looming in front of me for the weekend. She knew my insecurities, and she provided this scripture as a reminder that the Lord DELIGHTS in me! He sees beauty in me, and that is what matters most!

The Lord is SO able to make beautiful things out of the nastiest, filthiest dust that lies in front of us daily. There is only one requirement...

Are our hearts open to listening to only His truths and NOT the truths of the world?

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