Processing

Wowww! So much going on over here. The blog is outdated & needs to be updated with new pictures and a new theme for our family, but right now I just need a place to process all that is happening in our world.

Soooo...house goes on the market in 7 weeks from today, and I have a 2 week-old baby boy, a 2 1/2 year-old handful of charm & mischief, an almost 8 year-old helper and an almost 10 year-old helper. Did I mention these girls need schooling, too, and that's my job? And there's more cleaning out, packing up, tidying, organizing, and did I mention...cleaning...to do??!!? Wowww...I have to keep reminding myself that when God calls us to do something, he always equips us for the task at hand. I'm excited about this journey...daunted by it, too...but definitely pumped about the radical changes occurring/about to occur in our lives.

I was asked by a friend what sparked this idea of abandoning all that is familiar to us here and hitting the road with my family in an RV for the next year(s), and what I hope to gain from it. I'm copying & pasting my answer here because it was a good exercise for once again, sorting out & reminding myself why we're doing this.

A couple years ago while on vacation, I met a family doing the same thing. I mentioned it to Steve as a point of curiosity, & that was it. Then last year, out of the blue, he mentioned he'd been thinking about it & doing a little online research about it, & wondered what I thought. And I shocked both of us by not being opposed to the idea; in fact, I was excited about the prospect. He told me he was prepared to drop it if I wasn't on board with it, but since I was, we began to do further research & really pray for God to confirm that this was or wasn't his leading. I feel like God has indeed confirmed his blessing over this new path, & we are moving swiftly ahead.

As for what I hope to get out of it...there's several things. I think the biggest thing is learning to truly trust & rely on God. Doing this is a huge leap of faith, and while it feels scary, it also is peace-giving to feel like we are really following him. That's exciting!

Secondly, I'm looking forward to really strengthening my marriage. I anticipate that the first couple months of our adventure will actually be pretty challenging as we adjust to being together all the time. In the rat race of life, with Steve working a full-time job, working additional hours to try to provide well for our family, plus pursuing health goals & hobbies, not to mention house maintenance & church volunteering ...add to that four children and me as the homeschooling mom, it is so easy to be too busy for each other. The end result is that naturally, without conscious effort, we drift apart emotionally. I don't think we can do this without unity, and I don't think it's possible to do this without strengthening our marriage, which will ultimately strengthen our family. To me, that is a win-win, even though it involves some challenges & people looking at us like we're crazy (which oddly enough, most people have been very supportive of our decision).

In addition, we really hope to instill in ourselves & our kids a love for experiences over things. A love for "stuff" runs in the family, and I really don't want our kids to grow up with that struggle.  I hope to instill in our kids a love for God, first and foremost, followed by people and experiences.  

So, there you have it...I don't ultimately know where God is leading us. I really have no idea where we'll end up & where we'll be in a year or two, but I know that for now, we're stepping out of the boat & answering his call.

I think that really does sum it up. Sure, there are other things we hope to gain from this experience, but these are the primary things that I feel like God has drawn my attention to. It is a little scary, sometimes a lot, to consider leaving all that is familiar behind, but I cannot wait to see what God is calling us to. In the meantime, we're praying that God gives us exactly what we need for the journey ahead.

Immediate prayers:

1) strength & endurance for the work that must be done in the next 7 weeks leading up to the house going on the market

2) supernatural ability to keep our house in "show condition," despite 4 children, homeschooling, & did I mention...brand new baby & a 2 year-old???

3) the right buyer at the right time -- if God has called us to this, then he will provide, plain & simple. He absolutely knows our current circumstances (see #2 above) & that is not insurmountable to him, though it is overwhelming to me.

4) supernatural ability to quickly sell off the rest of our belongings/furniture after the house sells

5) peace & unity in our household, between me & Steve, between us & the kids, during this crazy time of transition.

6) continued confirmation that we are following God's lead, both in direction & timing.

I can't wait to come back, look over this list, and see examples of how God has answered each & every one of these requests in his perfect way & perfect timing.