This Is My Real Life

Here we go. First week of school. Maggie in second grade and Jessie in preschool. How is this even possible? Both jumping back into this tenuous routine we have established, even temporarily until we can close on our old & new homes. [Which I cannot wait to get into our home here in Brookings, if only to have time in my day to sit and drink my coffee. Leaving the house at 6:45 a.m. does not leave much time for that.]

These pictures were taken as they/we were rushing out the door and are a little blurry, which says something about our life right now. We are living out of boxes and suitcases. I'm feeling a bit like a freeloader eating my in laws food, using their laundry [and Bonnie sometimes doing it for us]. Yet, I feel oh so blessed. The Lord has given us a roof over our heads and food in our bellies. Grandparents doting on their granddaughters in ways that they [and I] never imagined.

 

My prayer the beginning of this school year:

Bless us oh Lord

Let us be the parents you have intended for Maggie & Jessie

Watch over them in their new schools

Guide them to godly friends

Keep them physically and mentally safe from harm

Help them to make good choices

Help us to be their parent and not their friend

Show us what each needs to feel

Loved

Secure

Trusted

a blessed part of this family

And a princess of the King.



Moving

So here we are in South Dakota. Can't believe we are actually here. We are still waiting on the house to sell [prayers are MUCH appreciated for God to bless our house sale]. We are going to be staying in Watertown with Rocky's folks' basement with some stuff in Watertown, Brookings, Aberdeen and Wilmot. God is blessing our move -- I got a job offer from SDSU the same day I left Billings Clinic! We had a safe drive and have Maggie all set for school & after school. Now to get Jessie in day care.

We were blessed with lots of helpers in Billings and hope to have as many when we finally move into a house in Brookings.

Jessie checks out the moving supplies.

Maggie & Jessie check out the moving truck.

All the great helpers!

At Godfather's Pizza after.

Everything's packed up -- we are sleeping on the blow up mattresses (per Maggie's request)

Jessie & Maggie play with gummi bears on the drive to South Dakota

Taylor & Maggie in the truck after it's been unloaded (in Watertown and Brookings)

I Will Say To My Soul

Soul, be satisfied. Look around. Your faith has brought you here. You are blessed beyond measure. A new adventure. A loving husband. Bright daughters who make you laugh and delight. A roof over your head. Family who open their doors. Friends who give up a Saturday.

Be content. You have been blessed with much. So much more than you deserve. You have not gotten here on your own, but only by God's grace. 

Let go. This new adventure is a new chance. Take what you have learned and let the rest go.

This was based on a prayer writing prompt from Rachel Hackenberg. I wasn't sure if I was going to write a prayer from this prompt, until Pastor Tim preached on the same subject. I knew the Father was trying to speak to me through this.

Psalm Writing

While cleaning & packing today, I ran across an old prayer journal from 2001. I had taken a Praying the Psalm class at the church I attended and wrote a few. I wrote this one while on a Women's Retreat in Colorado and it spoke to me again today. It is dated April 29, 2001.

I can hear it in the trees

Praise the Lord

I can hear in the bird's song

Praise the Lord

I can feel it in the breeze

Praise the Lord

I can see it in the mountain tops

Praise the Lord

I can feel it in my soul

Praise to the Lord from whom blessings flow

Until my cup runs over

and my heart can take no more.

For Sale

I haven't written much about our upcoming move. I'm still a bit torn about going back to South Dakota, but with every sign pointing to this being the right thing to do ... Well, you can only argue with God for so long. So, once we made the decision to move back so Rocky could start his dream job, we put our beautiful home on the market. We have had a lot of interest, but no offer yet. I believe that God has something amazing planned, but 40+ days of keeping our home show ready is starting to wear on all of us. Ready to try anything, today, I purchased a Saint Joseph icon. This is a tradition started by Catholic nuns in the eighteenth century who would bury St. Joseph medals, asking the saint to bless their search for land for new convents. 

Growing up Presbyterian, I know very little about saints. I have prayed to St Anthony for assistant in finding lost objects (though it took him awhile to lead us to my rings). I have vague knowledge that there are patron saints of a lot of areas of life, but I never thought there was one for selling your home. And for it to be St Joseph! But I guess it does make sense as he moved his family several times during Jesus' first few years on Earth.

So tonight, we will bury the St Joseph statue in our yard and pray for his assistance. I'm very happy there is a chest sheet with this statue as I wasn't sure how to explain all this to Maggie!

Dear Saint Joseph, God the Father chose you from all the men to be the husband of Mary and the foster father of Jesus. You cared thoughtfully and wholeheartedly for them while on earth. It was through you that Jesus first learned of His Heavenly Father's gentleness, compassion, protection, and provision. So close were you that He was known simply as the carpenter's son. We now ask your help in these our requests. Please intercede before our Heavenly Father for His protection, provision, and peace.  Help us sell our home and find a new one, suitable for our needs. Grant us harmony and grace in our home, and may we be ever hospitable to family, friends and neighbors. Finally when our life on earth is over, bring us safely to our heavenly home, where at last we shall enjoy joy with you and all the family of God. Amen. 

Saint Joseph, foster father of Jesus, pray for us. Saint Joseph, Patron Saint of a happy home and safeguard of families, pray for us.

Prayer of Unplugging

I need to unplug more, I think! I wrote this on Maggie and my first morning of Girl Scout camp. I was awake before anyone else and just used the time to relish God's beautiful world.

Good morning Lord! I do so love to wake up to this: the birds, the river. I hear you! I want to, need to drink all this in. The morning sun coming over the mountain. The hawk hunting for breakfast. The fog lingering over the mountain, waiting for the sun. The purple and yellow flowers coloring the meadow. I need this. That fresh pine scent covering me, taking me back to other mornings like this in Michigan, Colorado, Virginia, Luccock and now here. The warm smell of coffee (please let there be coffee) that awaits me at breakfast. I need this to refresh my soul. This is amazing. And I am so happy and blessed that You have given us Maggie who also sees this wonder. The clouds drifting, birds perched on the very tops of trees singing to each other. What a blessing to be here.