This barn is on my running route. When my kids were 5 and 7 and we were homeschooling, we discovered a park about 5 miles from our home in town. It's a lovely setting on the Apple River. Just before you get to the park, you pass this (above) picturesque hobby farm.
I asked the Lord then if we could live there someday (really, I did!) and felt like He would answer that prayer. It seemed perfect. Ethan loved, loved to be near water (it is a skip and jump from the park). He always gravitated toward flowing water of any kind. It was one of those places of boyhood dreams.
And my husband had his heart set on having a hobby farm.
Somehow,as we continued to shop the local paper for farms, I anticipated that this farm would become avaliable and it would be ours.
But God had other plans.
It turns out for the last nine years we have been living a half mile from this farm. On a different one.
Somehow, that seems noteworthy to me.
There is something that still draws me to this little farm when I run by, something about it is alluring. The setting is private, surrounded by woods and cornfields, and so near the little park...but the Lord said, "no". Today I found myself wondering "why?". Not a complaint, but a curiosity...hmm. What is the reason we were parked on the other side of the highway from this little farm and further from the beloved river.
So as I run past this barn, and delight in it's beauty, I wonder...at the Lord who "chooses the exact places where we live" (Acts 17:26b) Not on this farm, but on one a half mile away...Why?
But I don't need an answer, because I know He knows.
And that is enough for me.
Today our nest is empty. We have just signed to put the farm for sale again. Wonder where He might take us? I hope it is near water. Oh I hope!
2 comments:
Our questions can only be matched by God's peace and understanding. I pray he grants you the perfect place of rest for this "next" season of living for you. I could have never anticipated the length and breadth and depth of this new move this past June. So much to take in with such a short amount of time. I do love my parsonage home (rare that I would say that). We live in a lovely neighborhood where I can run and walk and enjoy the outdoors. It is a place of rest for me.
How glad I am for a Father who sees our "down the road" and knows what is in our best interest long before we do.
He's got you covered. Keep us posted.
peace~elaine
Hi. Been a while since I visited. I love the photo of the barn and can see why you have prayed to move to this place. In the past few months I have started taking pictures of barns when I drive around the country. I plan on doing some posts of them. Beautiful.
Isn't it funny how we yearn? I yearn to be back in the country on a little plot of ground. With a barn (we had one at our last place). You live 1/2 mile from that barn ... at least you get to enjoy the beauty of it as you run by. I do hope the next place you move to will have water and a barn! wb
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