So... Ya. Such a great week, such a great night - till we opened the door and walked inside... That's how this story starts but I need to back up a bit because this is a moment... I sense God's divine hand.
I am in an overloaded state in life; overloaded at home, at work... With things... In my mind... In my heart. Overloaded. I cannot find time for myself, time to be here - writing...
My friends would say I need to cut things out, in fact they tell me that routinely. I love them... I really do. Sometimes I think their concern comes from a place of judgement, more often, though, it's genuine. I am mostly grateful for that. I think that we all are wired to be able to handle stress and burden... All wired with a different level we can handle and I have been good...
But I say all this... Because I am overloaded... I'm carrying around too much that's become priority and I have been thinking of unloading...
I want to sift through my closets and get rid of it all... No more buying, no more clutter... No more "I'll save this till "then"" knowing full well that "then" will never come. I want to go through my kitchen's cabinets and drawers. I want to unpack, remember when and move on.
I don't want to carry this around, this stuff, even knowing that it's there weighs me down. I know I will be better, be able to do more and feel less stressed with a more simple life.
I've been thinking about all this for sometime...
Fast forward to the beginning of my story.
We had just been coming home Thursday night from parent teacher conferences and dinner with two very proud kiddos...
Approaching our door was laughter and excited banter - the key hit the door, unlock to step inside, a puddle at our feet... Over an inch in fact... An inch of water in the entry way, kitchen, dining room and living room; slowly seeping into my daughters room.
The waterline on our refrigerator had come off while we were gone and cold, filtered water had filled our home.
What I should also say is, I was to leave for a weekend women's conference in California early the next day.
Pray for us... I texted the family and friends I knew would be awake and our best friend came over with another wet dry vac and two super fans... We filled two 12 gallon barrels of water too many times to count and slowly sucked the water from our home.
My sweet husband let me head to bed at midnight while he continued one more hour, sucking out water and pouring it out of our home.
I have had the following Bible Verses floating around my head since then...
James 1:2
Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds.
Phillipeans 4:4-9
4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. 9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peacewill be with you.
Rejoice in the wet and the ruined... Rejoice in the ripping up and throwing out... Rejoice in the deep cleaning... Rejoice in the foundation baptized by water...
I still went to the conference, no reason to stay home waiting for my home to dry out..
The baptized home, the women's conference and sunny California, Sunday church service seals the work He is doing in my life.
Rejoice in the changes He's making physically with me, in me... In my home, within my husband and children and among my friends. Rejoice in the wounds of this life.. Old and new... Playing an active part in the person, family and home He's rebuilding...
To Him be the glory.
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