If you could mail yourself a letter yesterday that you’d receive today, it would say.
Everything is going to be ok! -JL
Brad and I were sharing stories the other evening and enjoying the memories. My, how the years go by like a freight train. It almost seems like a movie where you are in every scene, but now you are watching it all roll by.
Age is underrated. That’s my perspective. Why? Because you get to the place where others’ opinions are unimportant, your greatest age gift is that your perspective grows up to. It’s all about your peace of mind and calm in your heart. And oh, I have been blessed to have his gentle eyes looking into mine every step of the way.
Brad and I are just getting started and bringing a mound of life lessons with us. If you’re like us, those hard times were the best of times. Not the circumstances, but through them, we drew closer to the Lord and each other. There’s one we remember where we were moving to another town, and Everything was to be ready. An empty house was rented ahead we traveled with all our belongings. We were exhausted from packing all morning into the late afternoon. We planned to get beds ready, eat pizza, and sleep.
Well, go figure. The landlord rented it to two families, and they got to it first.
Three hungry, tired kids and no home. This wife was not a happy one.
Brad was in high gear. He was searching and praying, and out of nowhere, a house right by the school was available right then, Yes, it seems there’s always a, But, it had been vacant for years, along with all of the things that were still in the house. I mean, it was like a time warp. They just left the house, pictures, furniture, and drawers full of kitchen items, keepsakes, and clothes. They had left everything, along with a lot of clutter.
Listen to the song “Temporary Home” by Carrie Underwood. Everything here is temporary, but Jesus says in John 14:3-4 he’s gone before us to prepare our heavenly home.
Well, with no other option. We arrived, and I could barely see through all my tears.
But the first thing I did was to open the windows, get some fresh air, and then begin cleaning. I tried to overcome the creepiness. I’m thankful that they had a room off to one end. I put most of their items in it. The boys loved going through and looking at the antiques, old TVs, radios, even a typewriter…
Well, did I say I was at the sink washing dishes and went through the floor? I was fine. Oh, a stray cat would pop up occasionally from some hole along with its little friends.
The best blessing was the big yard with that persimmon tree and the asparagus and a small lake with a little island. Old wood stove meant lots of wood cutting and stove stoking in the cold winter that old house insulation couldn’t hold out the windy chill. But it was cozy.
Those first few nights, we all slept in one big room, pushing beds close and tons of blankets.
Romans 8:28 “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.”
Now, if that had not happened, we wouldn’t have drawn closer together. Like riding bikes with the boys, mine had a seat for their little sister. We would meet up with Daddy when he got off work, down three blocks to a little brick building turned homemade cafe. It was a fun thing to do when Mom needed a break or when that old gas stove was being a pain.
I wrote songs for the second album there. One titled (John 14:1 )“Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me.”
This move was feeding my soul. Even now, I enjoy hearing the boys share memories of the old white house with the lake by the woods.
If you could mail yourself a letter yesterday that you’d receive today, it would say.
Everything is going to be ok!
Julie