A Successful Father's Day

Happy Father's Day....x's 7

There was no better way to liven up our day than with the incredibly successful showing of our house. We all seemed so caught up in the preparations for it that we all kind of lost sight of the fact it was still indeed Father's Day. The children and I have worked hard to pack stuff up and get this place in HGTV worthy order. And, above all, we have prayed endlessly for this process to go well. Admittedly, I did not cope so well yesterday and by the end of the day was apologizing to all of the children for my own behaviour and lack of self control. The comment that still just amazes me that we get on a regular basis from strangers is the "Oh! You must have more patience than me!!!!" or "You must have the patience of a saint!" Those 2 very comments were heard while in town only 2 short days ago. Ummmmm......no lady. I probably have less than you do. People never believe me when I tell them that.

So, desperately lacking on the patience end of the spectrum yesterday, I laid awake in bed last night pondering the day's events and regretting so many of my harsh words and actions. It is just a house and these are my children. Either the Lord will sell this thing like He has so many of our other things or we will stay here and change the course of our actions according to whatever He chooses to do next in our lives. As we have sought so hard and fought so mightily to get out of all debt He has been faithful to reward and bless us in every endeavor....and I mean EVERY endeavor. Why my faith wobbles now is only due to the fear of the past repeating itself.....a fear I have not yet conquered in whole quite yet.

Brad arrived home with an a/c unit for the playroom, giving me the ability to now work and clean instead of sit and cry out of heated and irritated frustration. He spent the morning installing it and cleaning out the shop with Grayson while Evye put away the last of the clothes, did the dishes and then Grayson mowed. It enabled me to tend to the last minute odds and ends of what I did not have the patience for yesterday. Half an hour before they were due to arrive the house looked as though it was new and the only evidence of 7 children within it was the many beds we have going. The children were sent to the newly air conditioned playroom to finally play and were freed of all responsibility.

Just as promised the couple and their teenage son arrived and proceeded to fall in love with the house. But then, what is not to love about our little piece of heaven? Just as we were not so long ago, they are wading through the process of being hired and waiting for word to go ahead and move their lives here. The house showed well but it has a way of selling itself. It is hard not to get my hopes up. Now the confusing part comes of trying to figure out the never ending process of "faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." I have forever wondered what exactly that means. And to this day still am a bit lost in trying to muddle through that part of it. So, if we begin to hope and begin to have faith that this is it... what happens if this is not, after all, the will of God and does not pan out at all? Or is it simply hoping that this will work but knowing and possessing the faith that if it does not we are being protected from things we cannot see? The faith that He ultimately is in control of this entire process.

As it drew to a close it was peaceful.....much like what life has been since stepping out into so many uncharted areas. They loved it and now the waiting game begins. It became even more evident that God is indeed involved in this, whether it be sold to them or not, since they will not need it until October giving us more time to settle housing issues in FW and giving Brad less commute time. And it gives me time to not go so crazy in my attempts at packing this place up and getting it ready to go. And it seemed absolutely unbelievable that these people are from this tiny town and are longing to return home. So, needless to say, they do not have to be sold on the town or worry about the distance of our little town from the big town. They graduated from the school and know more people than we do. It definitely seemed to boost my confidence that when we finally got to a place and are settled and at peace with this whole process that God has the room to work mightily in our lives. It is still a long way from being sold but the fact they said they want it gave me great hope. And it reassures me that despite the fact we have 9 people living in this 3 bdrm home we can still live minimally enough, organized enough and clean enough that it does not hinder what people see when they come. I do not want to be the stumbling block. And I think it personally hinders the testimony of a large family and of you as a person in general to live in disorganized dirtiness. If you cannot maintain a reasonable standard of cleanliness it is time to re-evaluate and pare down.

But, so are my thoughts on personal cleanliness, organization and keeping up with my God given responsibilities within the home.

It definitely made everything we have done worthwhile and has definitely allowed me to see that we are being blessed in our coming in and in our going out. I am continually amazed at the wonders God is working on our behalf.

Grant was growing a little tired of the picture taking.