Okay, my last blog post was a bit whiny but this one is not!
I’m jumping on here to celebrate. The last time I entered this space, I was upset about losing the bid on a house we were trying to buy. Two days later, another house came on the market. I feared even getting my hopes up.
So, I didn’t.
I’ll save you the “trying to buy a house in this crazy market” woes and will just say we bought a house! A great house. An almost brand new house surrounded by woods full of deer and other critters.
Last night our family gathered in the empty house to “pray over it.” We prayed the house would be a place where people would feel the love of Jesus, find peace and rest. We prayed our home would be filled with love and laughter and great memories. Our kids took turns praying in the living room and then we walked around the house as a gang praying over every room.
After we prayed, we went to the porch for our first family pictures. There might have been some grumbling but everyone obliged their mom. Thunder rumbled in the distance and lightening lit up the sky – in the distance.
And then the electricity went out! And then someone yelled, “Hail!” We all scrambled to get our cars in the garage and protected as the pea-sized hail turned to golf-ball sized hail. We gathered back in the living room and watched the hail pummel the roof, yard and trees.
Then the hail became baseball sized and it sounded like we were under attack.
One of my grand-girls was scared and I pulled her onto my lap as I sat on the windowsill watching the hail rain down. We talked about how we were safe in our new home.
Ironically, in my last post, I referenced a song with the lyrics:
Rain came and wind blew
My house was built on you
I’m safe with you
I’m gonna make it through
‘Cause my house is built on You
Christ my firm foundation
Ironic we gathered as a family to declare our new home as a place where others could experience the Lord as their firm foundation and then the rain, wind – and hail – came. And I talked to my grand-girl about how we were safe.
Yes, as I said in my last post, this too shall pass.
After we lost the 5thhouse we put an offer on in a year’s time, so many people told me “our house” was still waiting for us. I didn’t want to hear it.
But, they were right.
So, if you need me anytime soon, I’ll be busy packing. I was a bit jaded by having my heart wrenched out so many times so I refused to pack ONE box until the ink was dry on the paperwork.
If you are still waiting for the storm to pass, take heart. And you might want to take cover in case big ice balls rain terror down on you.
Hope deferred makes the heart sick,
but a dream fulfilled is a tree of life. Proverbs 13:12
As I celebrate, I continue to pray for those around me who are waiting for the terror of cancer, addiction, loneliness, barrenness and so many other maladies of the heart, mind and soul to pass. Praying for the dream to be fulfilled and the tree of LIFE to grow.
Amen.