I woke up yesterday (Friday, May 12) with a wicked migraine. I wasn't too surprised since the weather was crummy for the second day in a row. I was distressed, though, because I was supposed to be cleaning the house for our open house on Saturday. I took my meds and got the kitchen straightened up. C got up and helped me make some muffins with chocolate chips - it was my bribe to get the kids to help me clean. I was so "out of it" that I messed up the recipe and put twice as much milk in as I was supposed to, but the muffins actually turned out better with more milk. Hurray! We have a new muffin recipe!
I took more meds and had the kids put on a movie while I took a nap. When I got up, I felt better, so we did some of the cleaning then. L and I still had to pack for AWANA activity camp. It was just an overnight thing, so it only took a little while to pack, but the packing disrupted the cleaning. I finally sat down and wrote up a comprehensive list of what cleaning needed to be done since I obviously wasn't going to get much more done. P was in a meeting at work and still wasn't home by 3:30, and I was getting worried. He called at 4pm, so I had him stop and the grocery store for a couple of things while I made some mac and cheese (one of my emergency "migraine meals") and got my and L's packing finished. L and I were still not quite ready to go a little after 5 when my friend got here to pick us up, but we managed to find the last few items we needed without making everyone too terribly late. Unfortunately, I left P with a long cleaning list to be done before the open house on Saturday.
Friday's migraine was pretty clearly triggered by weather. But, it wasn't helped by the fact that the open house was coming up. The open house is one of the most tangible steps toward really selling this house that we've taken; and selling the house is the next big step in this new "domestic adventure". Yes, the house is on the market and all that, but the open house is opening it up for anyone to come in and look, whether or not they're with a realtor. It's saying, "Yes, we're serious about selling. Come, take a look. Please buy this house."
When we moved into this town 9 years ago, we had this house built for us with all the little details done just the way we wanted. I told P that I wanted to die in this house - not in some morbid way - I just didn't want to ever have to move again. I love the music room with the french doors. I love the whirlpool tub. I love the plant shelf. I really love the deck. But, God has other plans for us right now. And, they don't include this house. Steven Curtis Chapman has a wonderful song about following God and not looking back.
Burn the ships Luke 09:62; Phil. 3:12-14; Jn. 10:10
In the spring of 1519 a Spanish fleet set sail
Cortez told his sailors this mission must not fail
On the eastern shore of Mexico they landed with great dreams
But the hardships of the new world made them restless and weak
Quietly they whispered, lets sail back to the life we knew
But the one who led them there was saying
Burn the ships, we're here to stay
There's no way we could go back
Now that we've come this far by faith
Burn the ships, we've past the point of no return
Our life is here
So let the ships burn
In the spring of new beginnings a searching heart set sail
Looking for a new life and a love that would not fail
On the shores of grace and mercy we landed with great joy
But an enemy was waiting to steal, kill and destroy
And quietly he whispers, go back to the life you knew
But the one who led us here is saying
Burn the ships, we're here to stay
There's no way we could go back
Now that we've come this far by faith
Burn the ships, we've past the point of no return
Our life is here
So let the ships burn
Nobody said it would be easy
But the one who brought us here
Is never gonna leave us alone
Burn the ships, we're here to stay
There's no way we could go back
Now that we've come this far by faith
Burn the ships, we've past the point of no return
Our life is here
So let the ships burn
So let the ships burn
Let them burn
Let the ships burn
Written by Steven Curtis Chapman & James Isaac Elliottc1994 Sparrow Song (a div. of The Sparrow Corp.)/Peach Hill Songs (BMI)/Cabinetmaker Music (admin. by Integrated Copyright Services, Inc.) (ASCAP)
Every time I hear this song, I am reminded that God is with our family in every step of this adventure that we call life. Every day, we trust God more and give him more of our lives, even the house. So, burn the ships! Why would we want to go back to a life with more stuff but less God? I'm OK without this house. Let's have an open house and find the right family for this house. God, I'll move on with You. "But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." Philippians 3:13-14
P.S. Only one person came to the open house, and she wasn't very interested.
1 comment:
Are you sure God's plan for you doesn't include that house? Perhaps you should spend another six months to one year in the house using the insurance money to supplement P's income and spend that time working on ideas to increase his income. You could also look at refinancing the house to a 30 year mortgage until you can afford to pay it off at a 15 year rate. If it was me I'd fight for that house for about six months until I sold it. Of course, it might take a while to sell it.
I dont get this quote of yours:
"Why would we want to go back to a life with more stuff but less God?"
If you manage to work out a great plan to have a really good income and keep your house, that doesn't mean that you will have less God.
The amount of stuff or money that you have shouldn't correlate to your relationship with God.
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