When life is full of frazzle, I tend to be quiet. It is a quality that was exaggerated and put a tremendous strain on my husband when I was in labor with my children. It was best for him to hold his breath during my contractions. Yes, even if he turned red (Dads have labor too, right?). I like it quiet until the hard part is over. Anyone relate?
Life lately has been like a contraction but without the intense pain. More a discomfort actually. And we will be giving birth to something new on the other side of this labor.
Three years ago Dale began working away from home. The change in the economy at the end of 2008 slowed the prospering commercial construction industry to a snails pace. As a result, the company he works for had to expand their horizons and went into building wind farms which are four or more hours away from home.
As you might imagine, there have been some challenges and many questions swirling around in our minds regarding our future. It started as a temporary, 'not so far away' adventure ...with a four or five hour trip home on the weekends. But in December he went states away to Florida for six months and now he is off to Montana on Friday...then perhaps New Mexico after that.
I've been left home with the farm and my shop after the {mostly} empty nest. It's a lot to take care of and the inconsistency of living this way is wearing on us so we felt we needed to make a change. We have pursued several things. New jobs, selling the farm, etc. Until now, nothing has opened up. We have been in "hard prayer mode" for three years.
Before leaving Florida, Dale was having great success selling everything he used there (washer, dryer, microwave, etc) for profit on Craig's List. Even the USED curly light bulbs. No kidding! So one day I said to him,
"You are on such a roll, we should put the farm on Craig's List!"
We have a record of doing things this way. On a whim and a prayer.
He told me to write a description and I sent it to him over a week later, after dragging my feet (from fear of packing I think~lol). The next day I got a text saying, "Are you ready?"
Um, yeah...
A week later I flew down to Florida to drive back one of his two vehicles. The job was finished and he was coming home. It was a four day adventure with a truck losing power going into the mountains, but miraculously making it up as we prayed, and then the next day, a popped tire on the trailer. During that time we received emails with interest on the house and even set up a showing for the following weekend.
That meant when we got home we had tons to do. Yard, decks, house. We exhausted ourselves, and by Saturday we were as ready as we could be. We had appointments for two showings that day and one the next.
I felt in my heart that the 4:30 Saturday appointment would be our buyers. I felt God had put it on my heart. MUCH prayer (did I already say that?) has gone into the sale of our home over the past three years. We wavered between wanting to sell and wanting to stay. We wanted "the word" from God.
Its hard to describe how clear His voice has been to me at times over the past six months. (I will talk about that in another post) And it has been exhilarating to experience God moving so dramatically as He has in our life through this season of questioning.
While on the road and separated from all his projects at home, Dale has drawn nearer to the Lord, and as a result nearer to me. God has moved his heart toward more giving for the kingdom and toward hearing His voice. He EVEN read most of a book!
Without dragging out this post, (I will relay more of this story in the future), we did receive a full cash offer on our house (from the 4:30 Saturday showing) and are still waiting for some finalization on plans and the paper work. I am super-excited to share with you the rest of the story~Its AMAZING what God has done in answer to our prayers!!!
My summer plan is to spend time with Dale in Montana (or wherever he is!!!) and travel back here off and on to be with my kids and grandson and to keep things up in the yard until our closing date which will most likely be the end of July sometime.
My plan for Bittersweet Farm is:
Closing for the summer on Saturday, June 9th
and then I plan on
opening up something somewhere mid September for a fall sale
(typically the time of the shop's anniversary and Amery Fall Festival).
I will keep you posted.
For those on my mailing list, look for details on a SALE in the mail soon!
May you feel the light of the Lord's presence with you today, and may you come to know Him more!
