Prayers Answered…
Again, and Again, and Again!
Empty rooms, undefined spaces, and a garage filled with cardboard boxes quickly enveloped our lives just over a week ago. We moved from a home we loved into a new home that we will love as well, with a great deal of mixed emotions. I am not even sure reality has fully set it in yet. There are moments that I feel like I am on vacation, staying in an AirBnb, with my own furniture and belongings. It is a fun, yet strange feeling. The home we purchased is really a gift to our family and friends. A place we call home, but share with others. We want our home to feel warm, welcoming, and comfortable, and be the place you don't want to leave (or at least do want to return to soon).
Maple loves the new loft space as much as the kids!
Last Saturday we had a generous crew of family and friends swoop in and help us clear out our "old" house, load our lives into a U Haul and other vehicles, and proceed to gently plant us in our new location. During the hustle and bustle of furniture placement and box direction, a sweet neighbor girl from next door stopped over to introduce herself. She instantly made a connection with our middle child, and they declared their friendship right then and there. A couple of hours later she returned with her mom and a package of homemade cookies for our family.
The kindness of this gesture set the tone for our whole experience thus far. There has not been a day yet that our kids have spent at home looking for things to do. Our neighborhood has a plethora of children who are the same ages as our children, and it has been THE ABSOLUTE BEST situation. We know for multiple reasons that we were meant to live in this home, but the confirmations continue as we watch our children develop and grow their friendships. We have met multiple neighbors who have all been kind and welcoming.
THIS IS WHAT COMMUNITY LOOKS LIKE
One primary reason for our move was to be in a neighborhood with children similar in age to our kids. We already knew a handful of families living in this neighborhood, but I think I was unprepared for the heartwarming beauty found in the organic friendships all three of our children have established with our neighbors.
I cannot say that I have had a day yet free from the mental battle of "What-ifs." Oftentimes my thoughts return to the scans and follow up appointments that are on the horizon for me. I do not have anything scheduled yet, but I am already feeling occasional anxiety about them. And honestly! I have this floater that has taken up residence in my left eye and it bugs me, especially when I am tired. So annoying, but it offers an unwelcome distraction, causing my mind to wander back toward the questions that plague me. I have been told that as time marches on it does get better, and instead of being the first thought, it will steadily move back. I cannot wait for that.
What I do know is that I have no reason to fear. I have no reason to worry.
“God did not give me a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self control.”
I will stand on that word and trust that God's promises are true for me today, just as He has already proven to me. I see His handiwork in the beauty of our blessings, and the community we are surrounded by. The friendships we have been gifted, and the friendships our children are finding in this new beginning offer a sense of peace that I may have known was missing, but struggled to articulate. I have a sense of deep gratitude.
I pray you also find the peace that may be missing in your story.
Cancer is Dumb!
God is good!
