Home...Coming!!!

Setting mind to purpose...the task of packing up the family and moving on to our next provision.  Isn't God so good?  He delights me.  He surprises me.  I feel like He snuck up on us this past week, covered our eyes and then..."SURPRISE!  Look at my intentionality in your life!  Check it out...go on (scooting us along with His big Papa hands), go see what I've done for you beloved."

The past few years have been a practice in the "art of letting go." By letting go, I mean, learning to relinquish control of my future and the key word there is "control."  Not my dreams, never the dreams...those are from Him and I know He brings those to pass in His perfect time.  It seems to be a treacherous endeavor, this "letting go", but this past year I have become more and more convinced that He is so totally for me, and He so totally LOVES me, and I can claim the scripture from Jeremiah: 

"For I know the thoughts and plans that I have for you, says the Lord, thoughts and plans for welfare and peace and not for evil, to give you hope in your final outcome!"

His plan unfolds before us and the absolute sweetest revelation of them all is that I can just be about the task of living and He can be glorified in all of it because He is the author and finisher...and so much more.  My heart is so full.

So, yes, back to the house.  It's such a great story.  I'll try to keep it short but that won't be easy.  Rewind to a few weeks ago visiting my Daddy in Reno while Mom was down south at the Aglow National Conference (Graham Cooke my peeps...blessed be, the CD she gave me is amazing)...getting off track. Sorry.  Out of somewhere, Dad says to me, "I'm really praying that the Father provides you guys with a bigger place.  The boys need their own rooms."  Aaaaw, Daddy...always looking out for his kids.  I heard his heart, and yes, I too would so love more space for the crew, but we are where we are, and though it is tight quarters, we are happy and I know at the right time God will provide.

Fast-forward to Caleb's homecoming parade on Friday, October 12.  Brian stayed home that day because oldest had received the title of Sophomore "prince" and would be participating in the festivities and Brian wanted to be part of this day.  While waiting on Main St., Benjamin expressed his hunger (we were parked across the street from Subway...his fave.)  We decided to grab lunch and while waiting in line, in walked a gal who is a local realtor in our little town.  I knew her from my Jazzercise days (lol) and we embraced and proceeded to talk about life, family, rentals.  She asked if we were settled and I told her we were in a precious little home on a beautiful piece of property...a little cramped but it works.  In turn, she told us about a place she had available...4-5 bedrooms, 3 baths.  Would we be interested?  B. and I looked at each other and both of us knew what the other was thinking...probably too pricey, and not really looking to move at the moment.  Life is busy...adding a move to the busy-ness is quite inconcievable.

The weekend came and went...homecoming game, dance, Ben's baptism (precious), more math for mommy...but at least we were now on fall break and I could let my hair down...just a little.  Monday night found me staring blankly at the computer screen trying to get through a lesson on linear equations and graphing functions.  I decided to get online and check out pictures of the place.  When I flipped through the pictures of the rooms, I got a bit excited.  Hmmmm, looks like they have boys...3 boys!  Looks like a Holbrook house!  I called hubby and he gave me the go-ahead to call the office and make an apt. to see the house..."looking is free, right?!!"

Fast-forward again to Wednesday morning.  B and I are standing in the middle of what would potentially be our bedroom and I'm thinking, "Yup, I could see this."  Bella would be right across the hall in a beautiful room of her own.  Down the stairs we went and that's when Bri and I looked at each other as if to say, "Perfect!  Boy haven!!!"  They would have their own rooms, bathroom and the most gorgeous realization of all...the laundry room is inside!!!  (I detest having to go out into a freezing garage to put clothes in the washer/dryer.)  We chit-chatted with Bob for a while and left the place, but not before Brian went hiking around on the property to scope out the lay of the land...2 acres of boy-romping adventure to be had.

Back at the ranch, it was time to start praying about what God's will was in all of this.  Was it even time to start thinking about a move.  I went out on a run Thursday morning with the intention of praying that God would either totally open this door and make it so obvious that this was Him, or slam it shut.  Either way, we were good.  Took Belle to dance class later that morning...ended up being only her and teacher Debbie (the other girls were sick).  Debbie and I had a chance to talk and I shared with her what was transpiring.  Her exact words to me were, "I'm going to pray that God makes it so clear that this is His will, or He completely shuts the door."

Thursday trickled away.  I would email Bob (the realtor, Gayle's husband) a question about the house, and he would shoot an answer back...always the answer we were hoping for like, "Could we put in a gate on the side of the deck that is open to the property?"  "Can we switch out propane companies?"  "Is there storage under the house?"  "Are the owners willing to pay utilities?"  Everything seemed to be happening so fast and with such ease.  We had our applications in by Thursday evening.  This would be our last fleece.  Knowing that our credit was so messed-up by the past couple of years would be the clincher.  The ball was in their court, but we felt total peace either way.  After all, we did not go looking for this so if it truly was a "God-thing" then God would push wide this last heavy door.

Friday, Benjamin and I are hanging out and he says, "Mom, it would be so great to get that house.  We need more room."  I was just opening my inbox when I noticed the email from Bob and Gayle..."When would you like to sign the lease and for what date?"  I grinned at Ben, "Well babe, God just answered your prayers."  We both let out a squeal of delight and I immediately called B. to get his reaction.  All systems go!

Then, the daunting task of calling our most amazing landlords to give them the news of our move.  Aaaah...but God goes before us, right?  He was already paving the way and I received a call from precious Denny on Saturday morning.  She had received my message and was so excited for us.  Her and Arno had recently been talking about how they were sort-of expecting this call once the end of our lease was up.  They knew how small the house was for us and were only thankful that we could be their first renters.  So sweet.

At this point, even with the huge job of packing up in my sights, I am only filled with praise and wonder at the beauty of my King.  He goes before me always and is SO FAITHFUL to my beautiful family.  From the beginning of my life, to my last breath, He is my ever-faithful One and I am sooooo excited about this move and this journey.  There is NOTHING He cannot do.  Absolutely nothing.  These past four + years have not been easy, by any stretch of the imagination.  Some of you are very familiar with our story and our healing...but GOD!!!  He is our testimony and this is His story.  Glad you can join us as we start yet a new chapter!

My last little note as I close...giggled when I thought about the fact that God chose Caleb's homecoming parade to reveal this plan of His to us.  It's as though He was shouting, "Home...Coming!"