Treasured Moments

While reading Kara Tippett's blog Mundane Faithfulness she asked what are the little things in life, the moments we treasure the most. It reminded me once again of how I need to be intentional in seeing and savoring those moments to most fully engage in this life God has given me; to look for joy, peace and grace that is always available regardless of how hard the circumstances are, even in the midst of our tears.

My hubby and I joke how so far all of 2014 was not in our plans. While not our plans, we are so thankful for one who is sovereign over all and has His perfect plan and purpose for our lives.

Isaiah 55:8-9 reminds me God's way and my ways are so different and often at odds. His ways are so much higher and motivated by God's glory rather than my selfish ambition or desires of comfort.  He is more concerned about my holiness and eternal good and His glory than the ease of today or this year. 

Our year began with my Multiple Chemical Sensitivity causing me such horrendous reactions to the dust mitigation chemicals used in Arizona. They became so severe that by the first Monday in February my doctor advised us to relocate. Moving was not in our plans. We had less than two years before down-sized into a home we thought we could live in now and in our retirement fifteen years down the road. We were very involved in our Arizona church with many we dearly loved. My husband was serving as an ordained pastor/elder alongside the teaching pastor as well as working his full time IT job. It was a huge gift that my hubby's immediate response was asking the doctor questions about where would be good locations for me then saying we will move as soon as God leads in securing a job and selling our home in Arizona. But that night, when we arrived on our pastor and wife's home to share this burden, we all sat there stunned, saying how much it sucked, shedding tears and pouring our hearts out to God in prayer.

Summit of Lookout Pass at Idaho/Montana border February 28, 2014 on our way to say good-bye to Mom P.

The next two months were a whirl wind of prepping our home to sell, a week visit from our daughter and her family, travels to say good-bye to my sweet godly 93 year old mother-in-love in Idaho and 80th birthday party for my Dad in Washington,

My Dad and I at his 80th birthday with some of his art behind us

My parents, siblings and I at Dad's 80th birthday party

packing, cleaning, house hunting trip to Colorado and the many lasts times and good-byes. Those months, while crazy, were filled with many sweet moments. Moments of sitting at my mom-in-love's bedside and being able to thank her for her example and tell her what a wonderful, godly, self-sacrificing and loving man her son is and how I know her influence and prayers had much to do with it. The moment of seeing her tears of joy hearing those words. In Washington, moments of joy, laughter and story- telling with my extended family: parents, aunts, uncles, cousins, our grown children, their spouses and grandchildren. We celebrated my Dad's 80th birthday, where we all for the first time saw all his paintings on display. We watched our Minnesota and Washington grands meet for the first time and the joy they had together. One favorite moment was watching the three of them squealing with joy and chasing bubbles together!

We had precious moments as friends served us in love to prep our home for sale, cleaning and packing for our move. We ended up having more times with friends who lovingly helped and served us since I was physically unable to do nearly as much. Spontaneous laughter, sharing life, praises and prayers with my three dear sisters in Christ who came over and helped me so much the last weeks up to our move were so precious. I treasure those moments and still six months after moving away, treasure them for continuing to point me to God and His goodness when they call or text me with scripture verses, prayers and encouraging words. The many good-byes were hard and bittersweet but joy in knowing we will be together again, if not here then in eternity.

My precious sisters, JoAnn, Angie, Anna and I

 Out to dinner at our favorite organic restaurant in Arizona for the last time with our good friends Doug and JoAnn

Just before pulling out of Arizona to begin our move to Colorado

Laughing at the wind at a rest stop on our move in southern Colorado

The first weekend in May, just days after arriving in our new state of Colorado, we flew up for the funeral of my husband's dear Mom. She passed on Good Friday, which was so fitting as Easter was her favorite holiday. This year she got to spend it with her Savior. Again, precious time with family as while we grieved we shared stories about Mom and moments of laughter in the remembering. 

Joel with all but one of his siblings the weekend of Mom's funeral. Joel's the handsome guy on the right.

This summer we were blessed with two more granddaughters. The one in Washington we were able to spend time there snuggling her and her two year old big sister. Wet kisses, reading stories, swinging at the park filled that week with joy. Our second new granddaughter was born in August and we have yet to see her as we got news of Joel being laid off from his job a couple days before we were to travel there for a week visit. We felt it wise for Joel to get immediately involved in the process of job hunting and cashing in 70 hours of vacation to help tide us over in how ever long this season of unemployment lasts.

As Joel's job ended October 10th, God has continued to meet us with a sense of peace and an ability to rest in Him and enjoy the many treasured moments He graces our lives with each day. We have been enthralled with the beauty of the Colorado autumn colors and have spent time taking drives and hikes in the Colorado Front Range and walks into neighborhood open spaces. We have laughter over goofy things and the joy of a look from across a crowded room that fans our love and desire. We watch the antics of numerous prairie dogs or observe the dragonflies in our garden. We enjoy observing the ever-changing mountain views from our bedroom window or as we drive in the area.

These extra tame prairie dogs were fighting over trail mix we share with them from our trail head
 picnic table overlooking a lake.

Elm tree in its autumn finery in our front yard Sunday morning October 19, 2014

So as our plans disappear and in our human logic the year has spun out of control, we look for Him in those small precious moments. We never dreamed this year would hold major health obstacles, a move to a new state, loss of a parent, and loss of a job Joel had enjoyed for over fifteen and a half years. But we see His hand in so many details great and minute. We are learning to have greater dependency on Christ and are growing in ways we had not expected. We are confidant of His faithfulness in what the rest of this year and the years to come will hold.

So today as I write this, Joel is at yet another job interview. Please join us as we are praying that God will close all doors but the one He has for him, the one that will be for our best and His glory.

Blessings,

Deb

Glimpses of God at Work

We received news Friday August 29 that my husband was going to be part of a major lay-off at the company he has worked with for over 15 years. His last day at work will be October 10. We were both shocked by the news. My hubby was saddened because enjoys his work and has very good relationships with co-workers that he has known between 5-15 years. Though we don't know the future and looking at unemployment is scary, we did not feel our world tilted or fell apart. Instead we felt God's presence and peace and saw His body rally around us to pray, encourage, network, write resumes and recommendations. We feel hope and peace and are anticipating what God will do in the near future.

God was so gracious and His timing so perfect. I had a good week digging in the word and reading in Philippians which had prepared my heart. That morning I had another set of IV treatments of Meyer's Cocktail and glutathione. The Myer's Cocktail has, among many other ingredients, a high dose of magnesium which is very relaxing. Then that afternoon as Joel was getting the news of his lay off, I was getting a free hour massage for new patients at my chiropractor's. So I was very calm and relaxed when I received the news. 

God has enabled us through our prayers and prayers of many to both remain calm, resting in the knowledge God has a sovereign plan and none of this takes Him by surprise. We have had more peace than humanly possible in these circumstances. I know the true test of walking in faith will come when the last pay check arrives. We are purposing to keep focused on our Savior and the knowledge that He does have a perfect plan for our lives for our eternal good and His glory and our asking all our friends to pray for us to do that as well as pray for another job.

The first evening as we talked and prayed we once again remembered a favorite story from the Bible. This story takes place in 1 Samuel 30. In the story David and his 600 mighty men return home to find their home town Ziklag burned to the ground and all their women and children had been taken captive by their enemies the Amalekites. David's men were naturally very upset and there was mutinous talk about stoning him. So what did David do? Did he ride away on a swift horse or put a political spin on it to take the pressure off of himself? Did he give into despair since his own 2 wives and children were also taken? No he did the simplest and most powerful thing we can every do in hard situations he looked to the Lord for strength and encouragement.

And David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him, because all the people were bitter in soul, each for his sons and daughters. But David strengthened himself in the LORD his God. 

1 Samuel 30:6 ESV

In the King James version it reads, "but David encouraged himself in the LORD his God". I can imagine David wandering a distance from the men to commune with God. He was likely remembering how God had cared for him in the past when things looked very difficult. He recalled how when he was a shepherd boy God enabled him to kill lions and bears that came after his sheep. And remembered how the LORD was victorious through him when he killed the giant Goliath with five small stones and a sling. Then there were the many times Saul had hunted him with murderous intent and God protected and spared his life. He encouraged himself in the LORD who had cared for him time after time and strengthened his faith that God would work again.

Last Friday as we were absorbing this news we remembered this story and began recounting the many ways God has cared for us personally: how He worked 15 1/2 years ago to provide this job when Joel was last laid off, how He worked in our recent move from Arizona to Colorado in such speedy and miraculous ways. Even when circumstances have been hard, He has been there for us sustaining, leading and providing. As we recounted time and time again when we saw His hand working in our lives we were encouraged in our faith and strengthened in our hope and faith for this situation. We continue to remind ourselves and each other of that.

Last blog post I wrote about how God used a tree falling over in the wind to meet neighbors and save over $1200. (You can read that here.) We now see that God was protecting our finances for this next season, though we had no clue at the time. We  were suppose to have taken vacation to drive 14 hours to visit our daughter's family and see our newest grand baby leaving last weekend. The day before the news of his layoff, Joel came down with a bug with fevers and cough and our daughter asked us to postpone our trip due to the risk of a respiratory bug with a newborn and two older siblings with a rare lung disease. By not leaving, not only did it give us time to process and figure out what's next, it enabled us to realize Joel really needed to be here busy job-hunting and the 70 hours vacation pay will be welcomed funds when his job ends. While my Nana's heart longs to snuggle and love on this newest grandchild and her siblings, the timing is another way God is caring for our needs and part of His plan.

So we have many questions and as of yet no answers, but there is confident hope and peace in trusting the One who has all the answers. We are trying to be wise with our decisions and choices but we need to be careful in our researching and figuring to not let the "what-ifs" overwhelm us or cause us to panic. We need to consider options but not be consumed by them. When we dwell in fear we are no longer walking in faith since fear is the opposite of faith. In fact God gives us grace for each day, not for the "what-ifs"

of the future. Pray we rest in His grace-giving care and hope as we await what is next.

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for,

the conviction of things not seen.

Hebrews 11:1

Rocky Mountain National Park

I lift up my eyes to the mountains—

where does my help come from?

  My help comes from the Lord

the maker of heaven and earth.

Psalm 121:1-2

Praying this week each of you catch glimpses of God at work in your own circumstances.

Blessings,

Deb