lessons

The photo is of E, T, and S cleaning the sandpit at the "new" house as E keeps calling it. The sand pit is outside of the "tubby" house.

These past few weeks have as I've already mentioned been so full on. I feel that there are a plethora of lessons that I have learned. I'll try and record a couple.

First of all, I've re-learned that sleep is a privilege. I was getting super grumpy about the LACK of sleep that I have been getting, and was super protective of any sleep that I did get. It was a terrible way to be behaving and thankfully was gently reminded by T that lack of sleep is a fact of life right now, and that I was making myself miserable by moping "i'm tired" all the time.

Secondly, I think that I have learned some really cool ways to serve people. Going through all that we have been through we have encountered some really gracious and wonderful people and acts of service. I really hope to remember those ways we were served and do it for others. I think for me I get scared that I'll intrude by trying to serve, but I never felt intruded upon, instead I always just felt totally loved and supported.

It's been amazing being supported by prayer. I know that there are people out there praying for us through this time. I want to remember to be encouraged how important and powerful it is to be praying for others.

I think one of the lessons that I am in the middle of getting my head around, is that life is a journey. I realized the other day that I keep talking about this magical time when everything will be settled and nice and lovely. That's not the life God promised me. The life here is one of sacrifice and daily death. Yet, I keep thinking that life is to be about me, comfort, and ease. Yes, there are sweet and wonderful things about this life, there is abundance of peace and blessing, BUT life is hard. The aspects of life that I keep thinking are hiccups are actually the true journey and not hiccups at all. So what I can expect is different twists and turns in life. Even as I write, I realize I see these twists and turns as obstacles. An obstacle is something that stands in your way of something else. But what is the obstacle keeping me from? A perfect life of no pain, no suffering, no hardship? That doesn't exist this side of heaven. I hope to go forward from this moment, and remember that these twists and turns are part of the journey, they are part of God's sanctification, and that amidst them I am fully equipped to be filled with His joy, even when it's hard.

finally back on line

WOW, it's been nearly a month since I have had access to the internet, I feel a bit giddy and a bit guilty because there are so many other things that I need to be doing with my time right now. So much has happened in this last month. We got booted out of our first home because the owner sold the house fast and because of having a baby and T starting a new job we got a late start to looking for another house. We would find a house, then lose the house all due to different circumstances. Finally, settlement date came and we had to move. So we moved into a friend's house. This house, I'll call it Digby Ave house, was sold by our friends, and they had already bought a new house. So they moved into their new house and we moved into Digby Ave house. We didn't have phone or internet while living there, and we lived there exactly 4 weeks. We finally found a home to live in YAY!!!! We moved on June 2nd, it was suppose to be the 1st of June but the movers didn't show, and because we didn't have a phone they couldn't ring to say they weren't coming. Thankfully they came the next day and moved us. Other major event was the engine on our car seized, and is now in the shop being fixed. For awhile we were living in a borrowed house with a borrowed car. Now we are just using the borrowed car. We have definitely been tried and tested over these past few weeks. I still feel pretty burnt by it all, and quite emotional. At some moments I think, "I'm okay" and then at others I think "life stinks!".

I've learned so much through all of this. One of the main things is how fickle I am, and how weak my faith is. The other is how constant God is, and how much I desperately need Him.

K - I think about you all the time. It's good to read your last two posts. Homeschooling must be super scary when it becomes reality and not just theory. I think you will do an awesome job though!! A sounds super fun. I'm glad that 5 is a good age. At the moment I'm finding 1 and 2 to be a bit hard...especially the 2 year old.. Miss you kind friend, thank you for your prayers, please pray that very soon I'll be back into a regular time of reading/praying.

Oh and my parents arrive here on the 15th of this month, first time they will get to meet their grandkids. Crazy huh!

Finally, N is nearly 4 months and I am totally in love...so sweet!

Finally Five!

A's birthday was yesterday although we have been celebrating for a week now. We have sang "Happy Birthday" three times, had cake twice and yesterday we had cupcakes. It was the first year I held a birthday party and invited her little friends. I was nervous but everything went well. A is sure that she is a big girl now, she is ready to travel to China, ride a bike, maybe go off to college. It is a fun age, as she is getting more and more responsible and engaged, but it's also scary because you never know what is going to come out of her mouth (brutal honesty).

M- How are you? Miss you and praying that things are going well!