I bet you thought I was busy moving

Yeah, when you thought I was hard at the work of unpacking boxes, and setting up a new living space, I was really just enjoying the lush surroundings of a beautiful tropical paradise.

No, I am not on vacation.

Because our house back in Georgia has not yet sold (that was a shameless plug for a few prayers on the house selling front), we have moved into a nice furnished villa. Therefore, "moving in" consisted of hanging our summer clothes in the closets, and carrying in a few boxes of each of our "necessities", admittedly the easiest move we've ever made.

So, while I would have LOVED to have been setting up my very own space, and not my temporary one, I was not complaining while we enjoyed this.

Or this,

or, while gazing at these, while basking in the sun at the pool.

I know, you feel so sorry for me don't you??

The hardest part

We have lived in a lot of beautiful places. We have spent almost all of the first twenty three years of our marriage in various towns on the coast of the Carolina's. When we moved inland to Georgia almost two years ago, we traded the colorful sunset horizons of the Ocean, for the untainted loveliness of West Point Lake. The marsh covered flat lands of the low country were replaced by rolling pastures of cattle covered farm land. Straight tall Palmetto trees, and bending moss covered Live Oak trees, were now sky high magnolias and sweet smelling cedars.

In spite of the differences in our surroundings, it was the people that we really found to be the real surprise in our new lives here, and it will be the people that we miss most now that we are gone.

Sweet friends have been what has made this place home, and sweet friends are what makes leaving so hard. Meaningful relationships have made our short stay here have purpose. This kind friend Tammy, has been a kindred spirit, and has been an encouragement to me in so many ways. Our busyness, and the 45 minute distance, has kept us from spending as much time together as I would have liked, but I have a feeling we will be staying in touch for many years to come.

Her daughters have been just as encouraging to my girls, and their boys to my Eliza and Kartwright, and their Daddy to my better half. I love this family, and they will be missed.

Then there have been these two lovelies, that from the very beginning have stolen the hearts of our whole family. We first met them at a church fellowship, and later they followed us around the church grounds every Sunday. We cheered for the cougars together, watched them perform in school functions, and celebrated birthdays together. they too have been a wonderful encouragement and example to my girls, and likewise to me.

I have been so blessed by the teen girls in this community who have given time and attention to my girls. They are such great examples of young ladies, and I will so miss them all.

For Kartwright there have been both Kevins, Drew and Boyd, Nathan and Trip and Matt and Devon, and several others.

There have been so many that made our short stay here a sweet memory. The Tuesday morning ladies, the graduates mommas, Lucy and Amy, Anne and Kindra and Yashika, and so many more. Some were just a kind face once a week, like Mrs. Barbara, others were ministry partners, like Deborah. Each one has had a part in teaching us community, helping us grieve, and encouraging our walk.

This couple has taught Michael and I much as well. Greg and Sherri are both so very different then us in personality, and even in interests, and yet so very much like us in their love for the Lord, and God's people. I expect also that they will remain life long friends.

And these people, they are the hardest to say good-bye to. It has been such a blessing to be close enough to get together often with our oldest son and his beautiful family. I have so enjoyed our times together, and wish now that there had been even more. Though we just saw one another this past Sunday, being miles apart makes me miss them more. I will continue to pray that they will soon live close to us again.

So, from our family to yours my sweet Georgia people, we love you, and miss you already. Thank you for making Georgia such a nice memory.

I've been keeping something from you

I have a confession of sorts, I've been keeping something from you. I didn't want to, but in the name of safety for my children, and myself, I had to......cuz I don't  really know you!

Well, I don't know all of you, and most of those I do know, unless you are out of  town, already know the secret, cuz I know you are not axe murderers, or armed robbers. Not that you who I don't know are axe murderers or armed robbers, but how would I know that, cuz like I said, I don't really know you.

We are moving, like now, today, like, as you are reading this. That is a weird thought, as I am sitting here writing this ahead of time knowing that I really should be doing.....well, any number of things to get ready for said move, but instead, I am blogging......cuz it's more fun to confess, than to pack.

Michael accepted a new position, in a new company, in a new state, back in January. That was 5 months ago, and we have been living the long distance family life since then....yuck!  He has been coming home about every three weeks, thus leaving us alone for long stretches of time. That has not been fun for us, or for him, but could have been fun for axe murderers and armed robbers, so I didn't tell you, just in case. Don't be mad, I don't really know you!

So while I've been hanging, out on a limb, without my better half, the Lord has been teaching me a lot about trust. Not only do I not trust you, because I don't really know you, I don't always trust Him fully either.  Could it be that I don't know Him well enough? He is always faithful to provide however, and it is that very faithfulness that has supplied my needs during this hard time, past hard times, and will supply them in the hard times to come. Because, believe me, there will always be hard times!

That doesn't mean that He supplies my needs exactly the way I desire, or in the timing that I expect, or even in the way I deem appropriate, but supply them He does!

During a conversation months ago with a young woman that was experiencing some upheaval and unknowns in her life, she said to me, "I'll just be glad when things can just be settled". That comment has been rolling around in my brain for several months now. At the time, I tried to encourage her that things would be better soon. Then I got to thinking about my own story.
When have things ever really been settled??
Even at those times in my life when I might have thought things were settled, there was always a surprise right around the bend.
Does my Heavenly Father really want me to be settled, or comfortable,  or relaxed?
Hasn't it always been those times of upheaval, or tension, or vulnerability, that I have depended on Him the most?

So as I swing out on this limb yet again, and face new challenges in a new place, some exciting, some scary, some invigorating, and some potentially painful, I confess, that I am trying to trust Him more deeply, depend on Him more fully, and He is continually supplying my needs. I know Him well enough to know that.

And if you are an axe murderer, or an armed robber, well, to bad for you. If you are out on a limb, like me, welcome to reality, get comfortable, enjoy the ride, and trust Him to catch you.

Camp Viola

Last week Kartwright was a camp councilor,
and Haven was a part of the camp clean up crew.

 All of the children that attended this free camp had very little.
 Most did not have in-tact families. 
Many had not experienced a loving and nurturing home life.
Some had never heard the gospel.

All of them have heard it now.
Most of them went home with hope.
Many now know what it feels like to be loved.
Some accepted God's offer of redemption and will never be the same.

It was a wonderful experience to watch my children be involved in such a hands on outreach. The thing I love most about our church here, is it's commitment to community. I have never been a part of a fellowship that cares so very much about getting involved with the nitty gritty of peoples lives like this one. Lives were changed last week, because people cared enough to take the time to get involved.

Happy Birthday Haven

Michael had the privilege of baptising his little girl on her twelfth birthday Sunday.

It was a sweet sight.

 There is something so very wonderful about watching the love of your life baptise out of obedience to your Lord, one of the biggest blessings that very same Lord has given you, with many of the other blessings He has given watching on also.

I think it was wonderful for them as well.

Happy Birthday sweet Haven Dorothy!

Okay, okay

OOPS, Correction, you do not sow the the fruits of your labor......duh, you REAP the fruits of your labor. You sow the seeds that you will later reap, because of the sowing. The seeds that you sow produce the fruits that you later reap. It is the sowing that makes the very fruit possible to reap, otherwise there would be no reaping. No sowing, equals no reaping. I get it now :)

First Harvest

We are just beginning to sow the fruits of our labor, so fun. I love the vivid colors of new veggies, and all the surprises they bring. What a gift from our generous Heavenly Father, that just a small dead seed can bring so much joy, and excitement, and nourishment. Did you plant this year? Oh do tell, what is growing in your garden?