As I prepared to go upstairs for the night (last night at 9:45), a good song was on the radio, so I started to dance around the dining room. Then my eyes beheld a slithering snake on the floor about 3 feet from the french door. Oh no! What to do? (I'll stop here and say it was about 12 inches long, about the size of my little finger in diameter, but his head kept coming up like they did in those snake charmer scenes when I was a kid.)
This was what came to my mind.
1. Cover with a pot cover? No, Mamma did that for a mouse one time.
2. Smother with salt? No, that's what I did for slugs in Texas.
3. Squirt with ammonia? No, that would damage the hardwood floor and might upset him.
4. Douse with clorox? No, that, too, would damage the floor.
5. Call the fire department? Can't find the number. Too nervous.
Aha, call my sister. She'd call a friend of hers. She called me back and told me her friend suggested I call "311" and ask for animal patrol. If that didn't work, call 911. I did the 311 call. Nothing. I called 911 and explained the situation. "Is he aggressive?"
"No."
"Is he outdoors?"
"No, he's in my dining room."
"Dining room??"
"Yes."
She would send someone over to help.
Sister called back. She was coming over, but before that, put on her L.L. Bean boots. I went to put on my green gum-rubber style boots. All the time, watching Sammy Snake slither around trying to get out the door to the patio. He first slid into the space at the bottom of the door and the threshhold, but I could still see him. Then he slithered up the door between the door and the frame. At times I couldn't see him but then his head would poke out. I tried to do the dishes to make use of the time I was having to stay up, but I really wanted to know where he was at all times.
My sister arrived and felt my lounge-around-the-house-cotton-shirt was too short. I agreed. She went up to get me something longer and the doorbell rang. I let my sister's friend and one of his boys in, grabbed a blanket and wrapped it around my waist. The guys took my broom, opened the door, and scooted said snake out! Whew!!
There we girls were with boots on and me with a blanket around me looking pretty foolish. The "boy" is a visiting young man from Japan and my sister told him my get-up wasn't "normal" American garb! It was his 30th birthday and we all got a good laugh over the incident.
Thank God for sisters and friends.
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Monday, March 26, 2012
Sunday, March 25, 2012
Spring: White, Green, and Pink
Sunday, March 25, 2012,
..... outdoors on my garden-patio, admidst the bursting leaves and flowers, sun on my back, listening to chirping birds.... the prettiest day since I've lived here.
I'm in the beginning of spring. Well, more accurately, nature is in the beginning of spring and I'm an excited observer. Living in southeast Texas for 30-plus years pretty much separated me from spring. Well, not really, but the spring I'd known in New England. Charlotte's spring is beautiful and colorful and a complete surprise to me. This is what spring should be. This is one of the reasons I moved here and I've not been disappointed. In fact, as I already wrote, I'm excited!
First of all several trees on my street bloomed into white flowers in about three days. Then as I drove down other streets, I'd see one-after-another pristine white trees and they reminded me of maids of honor walking down the aisle with their bouquets. What a sight!
Then two of the trees on this patio began to bloom with greenery just this week and yesterday's rain helped them open up last night, so this morning, when I looked down onto the patio from my windows, I couldn't see all the bird feeders and I realized the trees were filled with leaves. Tiny leaves, yellowish green, and oh so fun to watch open up. Just now, I'm seeing shade on this patio. A new thing. And now one more tree is turning pink with delicate, spikey flowers on each branch. Maybe it's a bush that went wild, but it's a "tree" now and it's beautiful. Some birds are talking from it right now.
Which brings me to something I've just paid attention to today. I knew the birds that come to feed here, like black sunflower seeds, but they are pricey, so last time I bought food, I bought two bags...one of sunflower seeds and one of a mixture. On Thurs., when I filled the feeders, I put the mixture in. BAD choice! Over the weekend when I had my brother and sister-in-law here, I wondered why the birds weren't flocking here, as usual. I figured it had to do with the rain, or that I was in and out more, and not paying attention. Today when I came home from church, I realized the feeders were practically full, and THEN caught on. They didn't like my menu choice! So I put sunflower seeds in and now they are probably spreading the word, but won't come to eat while I'm out here. The sun's getting hot on my neck, so I'll go in soon when I finish this.
I wanted you to know how much I'm getting filled up on the beauty I see here now. God is putting on a show for me and I appreciate it immensely!
I hope you have a beautiful show going on outdoors where you live. Enjoy it. Appreciate it. Thank God for it.
..... outdoors on my garden-patio, admidst the bursting leaves and flowers, sun on my back, listening to chirping birds.... the prettiest day since I've lived here.
I'm in the beginning of spring. Well, more accurately, nature is in the beginning of spring and I'm an excited observer. Living in southeast Texas for 30-plus years pretty much separated me from spring. Well, not really, but the spring I'd known in New England. Charlotte's spring is beautiful and colorful and a complete surprise to me. This is what spring should be. This is one of the reasons I moved here and I've not been disappointed. In fact, as I already wrote, I'm excited!
First of all several trees on my street bloomed into white flowers in about three days. Then as I drove down other streets, I'd see one-after-another pristine white trees and they reminded me of maids of honor walking down the aisle with their bouquets. What a sight!
Then two of the trees on this patio began to bloom with greenery just this week and yesterday's rain helped them open up last night, so this morning, when I looked down onto the patio from my windows, I couldn't see all the bird feeders and I realized the trees were filled with leaves. Tiny leaves, yellowish green, and oh so fun to watch open up. Just now, I'm seeing shade on this patio. A new thing. And now one more tree is turning pink with delicate, spikey flowers on each branch. Maybe it's a bush that went wild, but it's a "tree" now and it's beautiful. Some birds are talking from it right now.
Which brings me to something I've just paid attention to today. I knew the birds that come to feed here, like black sunflower seeds, but they are pricey, so last time I bought food, I bought two bags...one of sunflower seeds and one of a mixture. On Thurs., when I filled the feeders, I put the mixture in. BAD choice! Over the weekend when I had my brother and sister-in-law here, I wondered why the birds weren't flocking here, as usual. I figured it had to do with the rain, or that I was in and out more, and not paying attention. Today when I came home from church, I realized the feeders were practically full, and THEN caught on. They didn't like my menu choice! So I put sunflower seeds in and now they are probably spreading the word, but won't come to eat while I'm out here. The sun's getting hot on my neck, so I'll go in soon when I finish this.
I wanted you to know how much I'm getting filled up on the beauty I see here now. God is putting on a show for me and I appreciate it immensely!
I hope you have a beautiful show going on outdoors where you live. Enjoy it. Appreciate it. Thank God for it.
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Being locked in the garage
Once upon a time, (Ok, last week) a woman (who shall be left nameless) was getting ready for some relatives to come visit her home. She was emptying boxes from her recent move and trying to put away all her stuff. She had more to do than time to do it, but as she'd empty two or three boxes, she'd put them in the garage.
The door to the garage from the kitchen has two locks. One needs a key. One is a button lock. (Don't get ahead of me.) The lady (who shall still be left nameless) was usually careful to not shut the door, for the button lock was locked. Somehow she felt safe leaving that button lock locked. Well, on this particular day when she went to put the boxes in the garage, the door shut. Oh oh. She tried and it wouldn't open. Here she was in the garage. With her car. But with no key to the car. She could push the garage door opener button and get outdoors, but then what? Go to a neighbor's? She'd only met them enough to say "Hello".
Ahha, she had her phone in her pocket. Smart. Call her sister and have HER bring her key to the house and let said woman in. No problem. Ooops, sister was on an errand. She is running a business, for heaven's sake, and had things to do for a customer. Okay, sister would come in about an hour.
Nameless woman retrieved blanket in trunk and wrapped it around her shoulders. 40s in the garage was taking its toll. Ladies, you know what's coming next....the need for a little girls' room. Now what?
A quick glance around the garage netted cardboard boxes. No help. A wooden barrel sort of thing. It was a possibility, but not water-tight, or any-liquid-tight, for that matter. There was a recycle bin and a trash bin, but stood taller than the woman's waist. How could she hoist herself up that high? Then she spotted a plastic waste basket. Enough said.
After a bit, she slid into the driver's seat of her car and let the back of the seat down. Time for a nap. Later the back seat seemed a better spot, and lo and behold, there was a fleece vest! That felt good and then the blanket went around her shoulders again. Stretching out on the backseat felt more comfortable than the front seat, but oh oh, the cold seat made the need for "the little girls' room" again. I'll stop here.
Sister finally came to let her in to the warm kitchen.
Keys have now been hidden, and button lock stays open.
Hope nameless woman can always enjoy a good laugh!
The door to the garage from the kitchen has two locks. One needs a key. One is a button lock. (Don't get ahead of me.) The lady (who shall still be left nameless) was usually careful to not shut the door, for the button lock was locked. Somehow she felt safe leaving that button lock locked. Well, on this particular day when she went to put the boxes in the garage, the door shut. Oh oh. She tried and it wouldn't open. Here she was in the garage. With her car. But with no key to the car. She could push the garage door opener button and get outdoors, but then what? Go to a neighbor's? She'd only met them enough to say "Hello".
Ahha, she had her phone in her pocket. Smart. Call her sister and have HER bring her key to the house and let said woman in. No problem. Ooops, sister was on an errand. She is running a business, for heaven's sake, and had things to do for a customer. Okay, sister would come in about an hour.
Nameless woman retrieved blanket in trunk and wrapped it around her shoulders. 40s in the garage was taking its toll. Ladies, you know what's coming next....the need for a little girls' room. Now what?
A quick glance around the garage netted cardboard boxes. No help. A wooden barrel sort of thing. It was a possibility, but not water-tight, or any-liquid-tight, for that matter. There was a recycle bin and a trash bin, but stood taller than the woman's waist. How could she hoist herself up that high? Then she spotted a plastic waste basket. Enough said.
After a bit, she slid into the driver's seat of her car and let the back of the seat down. Time for a nap. Later the back seat seemed a better spot, and lo and behold, there was a fleece vest! That felt good and then the blanket went around her shoulders again. Stretching out on the backseat felt more comfortable than the front seat, but oh oh, the cold seat made the need for "the little girls' room" again. I'll stop here.
Sister finally came to let her in to the warm kitchen.
Keys have now been hidden, and button lock stays open.
Hope nameless woman can always enjoy a good laugh!
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Greatly Blessed and Highly Favored
On the car radio this morning when I was driving back from taking Mom to the airport, the Gaithers were singing "Greatly Blessed and Highly Favored" about "a forgiven child of God" and I am that, but the title also expresses my feelings about my weekend with my mom and my two sisters. I am absolutely "greatly blessed" and I am absolutely "highly favored" with these three women in my life.
Once a year we four get together and call it the "Girls' Weekend". Last year we met the day after Christmas in Florida and enjoyed a condo, the ocean, the sand, and sunrises while bundled up under blankets. Boy, it was windy and cold! Inside we ate candy from Len Libby's in Maine, played Banana Gram and Hand and Foot, ate out, and totally enjoyed laughing and hanging around together. This year, we spent the week after Christmas at Mom's and shared the week with our two brothers, doing our fair share of eating, laughing, playing Scrabble, and telling stories.
This long weekend was just for us girls and we spent the time at my new home. We'd planned to divide the time between my sister's home and my place, but she decided to leave everyone here and not make our out-of-town guests pack up and move to her house. So we ate here, we ate out, (a Mongolian Grill was fun and a new experience for our guests), we went to antique stores, and we put two jig-saw puzzles together. We worshipped together at my church on Sunday. Greatly blessed. We watched videos on youtube and laughed our heads off! We skyped with my two grandchildren and my sister's granddaughter. We told stories of our childhood and asked Mom about her childhood days. We prayed together for a cousin who's very sick. We took turns cooking. We made peanut butter fudge and ate it warm off spoons while doing the puzzle. We stayed up late and no one wanted to go to bed before the others for fear of missing something to laugh about. We barged in to another's room in the morning, again, for fear of missing the conversation. We laughed over silly things. We laughed over familiar things. We laughed over old stories and new stories and just about everything else.
We shared serious parts of ourselves. Bodies growing older. Medical needs. We shared our concerns of hair loss, memory loss, and hearing loss. We consoled each other with "it's not that bad", or "I do the same thing", or "you can't really tell". Sharing lightens the concerns. "We're in this together" is our chant.
We shared hopes and dreams and plans. We listened to new business ideas. We listened to wants and needs. We asked questions of each other. We are each other's compass. We are each other's sounding boards. We are in our 50's, 60's and 80's, and we travel this life together, listening, encouraging, loving and laughing together. We are single, married, divorced and widowed. Three of us are mothers. Some of us are mothers-in-law. We are all readers. We are each creative in unique ways. We are similar in looks, and different in personalities. Most like strong coffee. One didn't have a coffee maker to make said coffee. Ugh. One needs it perfectly dark when she sleeps. One stays up late. One goes to bed early. We all like putting puzzles together, though one of us talks about each piece she's looking for and the others tell that one to stop talking! One likes to do the edges. One likes to do a subject within the picture. We all like to finish and be the one with the final piece!
We are different. We are the same. We laugh together. We sometimes cry together. We love each other and like each other (there is a difference!) and enjoy spending a weekend (or more) together. We would each say we are "Greatly Blessed and Highly Favored."
Once a year we four get together and call it the "Girls' Weekend". Last year we met the day after Christmas in Florida and enjoyed a condo, the ocean, the sand, and sunrises while bundled up under blankets. Boy, it was windy and cold! Inside we ate candy from Len Libby's in Maine, played Banana Gram and Hand and Foot, ate out, and totally enjoyed laughing and hanging around together. This year, we spent the week after Christmas at Mom's and shared the week with our two brothers, doing our fair share of eating, laughing, playing Scrabble, and telling stories.
This long weekend was just for us girls and we spent the time at my new home. We'd planned to divide the time between my sister's home and my place, but she decided to leave everyone here and not make our out-of-town guests pack up and move to her house. So we ate here, we ate out, (a Mongolian Grill was fun and a new experience for our guests), we went to antique stores, and we put two jig-saw puzzles together. We worshipped together at my church on Sunday. Greatly blessed. We watched videos on youtube and laughed our heads off! We skyped with my two grandchildren and my sister's granddaughter. We told stories of our childhood and asked Mom about her childhood days. We prayed together for a cousin who's very sick. We took turns cooking. We made peanut butter fudge and ate it warm off spoons while doing the puzzle. We stayed up late and no one wanted to go to bed before the others for fear of missing something to laugh about. We barged in to another's room in the morning, again, for fear of missing the conversation. We laughed over silly things. We laughed over familiar things. We laughed over old stories and new stories and just about everything else.
We shared serious parts of ourselves. Bodies growing older. Medical needs. We shared our concerns of hair loss, memory loss, and hearing loss. We consoled each other with "it's not that bad", or "I do the same thing", or "you can't really tell". Sharing lightens the concerns. "We're in this together" is our chant.
We shared hopes and dreams and plans. We listened to new business ideas. We listened to wants and needs. We asked questions of each other. We are each other's compass. We are each other's sounding boards. We are in our 50's, 60's and 80's, and we travel this life together, listening, encouraging, loving and laughing together. We are single, married, divorced and widowed. Three of us are mothers. Some of us are mothers-in-law. We are all readers. We are each creative in unique ways. We are similar in looks, and different in personalities. Most like strong coffee. One didn't have a coffee maker to make said coffee. Ugh. One needs it perfectly dark when she sleeps. One stays up late. One goes to bed early. We all like putting puzzles together, though one of us talks about each piece she's looking for and the others tell that one to stop talking! One likes to do the edges. One likes to do a subject within the picture. We all like to finish and be the one with the final piece!
We are different. We are the same. We laugh together. We sometimes cry together. We love each other and like each other (there is a difference!) and enjoy spending a weekend (or more) together. We would each say we are "Greatly Blessed and Highly Favored."
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Christmas Traditions, Cameron-style
Okay, so I got the idea from my niece, but I realized traditions make my family what it is. My family. No one else does the same traditions or in the same way. I am the Nanna now, and since I moved away this year, I'll go to my daughter's house and be a part of their traditions. There probably will be new traditions mixed in with ones I recognize.
For me, here's what we did when we were raising our kids.
1. I have a red book that was put out for all visitors to sign. The year Scott Sinclair died (at 21) I went to the red book to read all his posts. It brought great comfort and allowed us to laugh at the Christmas Eves he had come by to eat chocolate peanut butter balls.
2. Chocolate peanut butter balls. The BEST candy around and I make it only once a year. BUT, I always managed to hide some on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator and later on, after December, when someone had a bad day, I just might forage around and bring out a forgotten chocolate peanut butter ball. Scott loved them.
3. Going to Scott's grave site on Christmas Eve. For years, my daughter, or my daughter, son and I would go to Scott's grave site and eat a chocolate peanut butter ball and reminisce about Scott. It may sound sad to you, but it really was fun. Scott was so funny we'd laugh and remember him with great stories.
4. Going to church on Christmas Eve. Singing Silent Night and holding candles. The best.
5. Me reading Luke 2 and Bruce reading Twas the Night Before Christmas. The best, also.
6. Christmas Eve, hanging stockings and taking pictures. The best, third.
7. Sticky rolls and fruit on Christmas morning. Sometimes cocoa. Also orange juice with a cherry in the bottom of the glass. Surprise!
8. Finding baby Jesus in the manger. (He was not there till Christmas morning.)
9. Opening stockings. Wicked fun.
10. Solid chocolate Santa and an orange in everyone's stocking.
11. Being dressed before gifts were opened.
12. Me with a clipboard with notebook paper and lines drawn vertically and horizontally. People who gave gifts along the left side. The four of our names above the columns. I always kept track of who received what so we could do the thank you notes knowing what had been received.
13. Darren being "Santa" and passing gifts out.
14. Opening gifts one by one. Watching each opener.
15. Heather being neat with her wrapping paper. Opening gifts carefully. Paper being able to be used again.
16. Darren being excited about giving his gifts first. He couldn't wait for us to open them.
17. Me crying at some point of opening a gift.
Thank you for letting me share my memory of our traditions.
May each of you who read this have a Very Merry Christmas and I hope you have traditions that make your family special, too. Enjoy them. Celebrate them.
For me, here's what we did when we were raising our kids.
1. I have a red book that was put out for all visitors to sign. The year Scott Sinclair died (at 21) I went to the red book to read all his posts. It brought great comfort and allowed us to laugh at the Christmas Eves he had come by to eat chocolate peanut butter balls.
2. Chocolate peanut butter balls. The BEST candy around and I make it only once a year. BUT, I always managed to hide some on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator and later on, after December, when someone had a bad day, I just might forage around and bring out a forgotten chocolate peanut butter ball. Scott loved them.
3. Going to Scott's grave site on Christmas Eve. For years, my daughter, or my daughter, son and I would go to Scott's grave site and eat a chocolate peanut butter ball and reminisce about Scott. It may sound sad to you, but it really was fun. Scott was so funny we'd laugh and remember him with great stories.
4. Going to church on Christmas Eve. Singing Silent Night and holding candles. The best.
5. Me reading Luke 2 and Bruce reading Twas the Night Before Christmas. The best, also.
6. Christmas Eve, hanging stockings and taking pictures. The best, third.
7. Sticky rolls and fruit on Christmas morning. Sometimes cocoa. Also orange juice with a cherry in the bottom of the glass. Surprise!
8. Finding baby Jesus in the manger. (He was not there till Christmas morning.)
9. Opening stockings. Wicked fun.
10. Solid chocolate Santa and an orange in everyone's stocking.
11. Being dressed before gifts were opened.
12. Me with a clipboard with notebook paper and lines drawn vertically and horizontally. People who gave gifts along the left side. The four of our names above the columns. I always kept track of who received what so we could do the thank you notes knowing what had been received.
13. Darren being "Santa" and passing gifts out.
14. Opening gifts one by one. Watching each opener.
15. Heather being neat with her wrapping paper. Opening gifts carefully. Paper being able to be used again.
16. Darren being excited about giving his gifts first. He couldn't wait for us to open them.
17. Me crying at some point of opening a gift.
Thank you for letting me share my memory of our traditions.
May each of you who read this have a Very Merry Christmas and I hope you have traditions that make your family special, too. Enjoy them. Celebrate them.
Monday, September 26, 2011
Week 3 in North Carolina
"All to Jesus I surrender
All to Him I freely give
I will ever love and trust him
In his presence daily live.
I surrender all
I surrender all
All to Jesus I surrender
I surrender all."
This was the last hymn we sang in church yesterday morning. I had no intention of joining Carmel Baptist Church but I did. During the sermon, the pastor talked about how God will take us to where we've never been before, and I was thinking, "That's where I am right now...where I've never been before!!" New city. New state. No job. No house. Alone. I talked to God in my mind and reminded him I had no intention of joining this (or any!) church, till I found out if they had a Divorce Care class (they don't) and if not, why? I'd been told they had had one at another time, and I was curious to see what their position was and why they didn't offer that class currently. God told me He'd take care of that. I waited and as they began the second verse, I thought what better way to "surrender it all" than to claim a church home before I got a "real" home.
Speaking of my "real" home, the TX sale has still not closed. I've been strung along with promises of "tomorrow" or "next week" or "the middle of next week". All stories. All thrown to us by the "other side" in hopes of placating us. I've felt frustrated, bamboozled, lied to, between a rock and a hard spot....all not worth thinking about. As I've talked to God, my emotions have calmed down and I've prayed that my real estate people be blessed as they deal with me. Not by me, of course, but by God. I've made the decision to keep trusting Him in spite of daily frustrations. My realtors call every morning and as of today, "we should close by Friday". BUT I've been down this road many times, so don't hold your breath, but pray that I'll be found faithful and trusting.
I miss my kids, grandkids, friends, familiar streets, Blue Bell ice cream, house, and sunshine. I'm enjoying my stay with my sister, my Apple classes (on my MAC), going to visit Nancy Magby, a friend from church when I was in junior high, learning my way around new streets, finding a Marshalls, TJ Maxx and Steinmart, eating Brusters' ice cream, cooler weather, and watching Netflix with Jayne each night and laughing over foolishness!!
Speaking of my "real" home, the TX sale has still not closed. I've been strung along with promises of "tomorrow" or "next week" or "the middle of next week". All stories. All thrown to us by the "other side" in hopes of placating us. I've felt frustrated, bamboozled, lied to, between a rock and a hard spot....all not worth thinking about. As I've talked to God, my emotions have calmed down and I've prayed that my real estate people be blessed as they deal with me. Not by me, of course, but by God. I've made the decision to keep trusting Him in spite of daily frustrations. My realtors call every morning and as of today, "we should close by Friday". BUT I've been down this road many times, so don't hold your breath, but pray that I'll be found faithful and trusting.
I miss my kids, grandkids, friends, familiar streets, Blue Bell ice cream, house, and sunshine. I'm enjoying my stay with my sister, my Apple classes (on my MAC), going to visit Nancy Magby, a friend from church when I was in junior high, learning my way around new streets, finding a Marshalls, TJ Maxx and Steinmart, eating Brusters' ice cream, cooler weather, and watching Netflix with Jayne each night and laughing over foolishness!!
Monday, September 5, 2011
Moving...Phase 2
The packing and pod-filling, the vacuuming and cleaning behind the refrigerator, the ordering of the second pod and filling that, the saying "good bye" to friends, the actual leaving my daughter and grandchildren, and crying, the driving to Atlanta to see some family and celebrate my new adventure, and then the drive to my new city are over. I am here. Saturday at noon, well, 12:15, I arrived at my sister's.
Since I am staying with my her, we are both trying to wrap our minds around the fact that this is not a visit. I am here. In her house. Getting to know Charlotte as my new home.
Today, Labor Day, I had the scary thought again, "what have you done?". You gave up you familiar life. You left your friends. You left your kids. You won't see them anytime you want to. YIKES!!
As quickly as that seeped into my brain, I thought, "Wait a minute. God is still in control." Yesterday at church, I listened to the sermon on "Preparation" and felt that I have been being prepared for this change in my life. I heard that getting prepared is harder than doing the thing (test, vacation, basball game, for instance) we're preparing for. We train hard, or we study hard, or we do all the things that are required to take a vacation.
In life, we get to the point where God has taken us (prepared us) but we still have to take that next step of trust. And then I realized. Trust. That is my word. Do I trust Him enough that I'd leave my family and friends to do this thing that I still don't know what it is? Yes. This part, the continued preparation, is all part of the plan. Selling my house. Good part. Waiting to close. Hard part. Getting to live with one of my sisters. Really good part. Missing my kids/friends. Really bad part.
So as I go forward, I need prayers to be willing to trust. Trust that I'll know what God has for me to do. Trust that I'll get through this "what have I done?" phase. Trust that I'll have enough money to keep me till I find a job. Trust that I'll know what to buy for a home and when to buy said home.
Now I think of that song again. "Trust and obey, for there's no other way, to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey." Hmmmm, three years ago, I sang this song in my kitchen. Guess I need to sing it again.
Since I am staying with my her, we are both trying to wrap our minds around the fact that this is not a visit. I am here. In her house. Getting to know Charlotte as my new home.
Today, Labor Day, I had the scary thought again, "what have you done?". You gave up you familiar life. You left your friends. You left your kids. You won't see them anytime you want to. YIKES!!
As quickly as that seeped into my brain, I thought, "Wait a minute. God is still in control." Yesterday at church, I listened to the sermon on "Preparation" and felt that I have been being prepared for this change in my life. I heard that getting prepared is harder than doing the thing (test, vacation, basball game, for instance) we're preparing for. We train hard, or we study hard, or we do all the things that are required to take a vacation.
In life, we get to the point where God has taken us (prepared us) but we still have to take that next step of trust. And then I realized. Trust. That is my word. Do I trust Him enough that I'd leave my family and friends to do this thing that I still don't know what it is? Yes. This part, the continued preparation, is all part of the plan. Selling my house. Good part. Waiting to close. Hard part. Getting to live with one of my sisters. Really good part. Missing my kids/friends. Really bad part.
So as I go forward, I need prayers to be willing to trust. Trust that I'll know what God has for me to do. Trust that I'll get through this "what have I done?" phase. Trust that I'll have enough money to keep me till I find a job. Trust that I'll know what to buy for a home and when to buy said home.
Now I think of that song again. "Trust and obey, for there's no other way, to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey." Hmmmm, three years ago, I sang this song in my kitchen. Guess I need to sing it again.
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