2 Corinthians 1:20 For all the promises of God in Him are YES and in Him Amen to the glory of God through us.
You’d think my word for 2023 was NO – because that is what came out frequently to my precious husband, suffering from advanced lung disease.
No, you can’t drive.
No, you can’t go without your walker.
No, you can’t go without your oxygen.
No, we can’t have company – I’m too tired.
After a Bible study lesson on “grace” my goal was to be a grace giver to my husband vs a care giver. I read the verse below every morning –
So, chosen by God for this new life of love, dress in the wardrobe God picked out for you: compassion, kindness, humility, quiet strength, discipline. Be even tempered, content with second place, quick to forgive an offense. Forgive as quickly and completely as the Master forgave you. And regardless of what else you put on, wear love. It’s your basic all-purpose garment.
The Message Colossians 3:12-14
These beautiful words were indeed my covering each morning, but my actions sometimes soiled the wardrobe God picked out for me. After several difficult days when John was very weak and required constant care, I muttered as I walked to the kitchen, “I can’t do this!” In my spirit I heard, “YES, you can with my help! Dress in the wardrobe I picked out for you. And give me the glory.”
Just two months later, as John breathed his last, I said, “No, Lord,” but God said.
“YES, it’s his time to be free from pain, free from his walker, free from his oxygen and to experience my glory forever!”
Thank you, Lord, for your promise of a better YES – to you be the glory. I choose to wear love!
Exhausted from unpacking, the glow of the security light seemed to say, “it’s gonna be alright. You are home!” It was July 2005 and we were partially moved in.
Each night for sixteen years I would think,” thank you Lord for my house.” Then getting into bed I’d tell my husband, “Did I ever tell you I just love this house? Thank you for building it for us.”
One day, I thought I heard God say, “What if I asked you to give up your house?”
My response was “Can’t imagine that, but you know best and I pray you will make me willing.” Never thinking He would!
Our family enjoyed sharing life on Shekinah Lane – John’s folks on the corner and our son and family down the road. All John’s family would come for holidays and we thought we would live there forever.
But God had other plans.
In October of 2020, our son was blessed to find property off N. Mauney Road. We prepared his house to sell. It sold in a month – he moved out and stored his belongings in our barn and he and grandson began task of clearing and built a road into the property.
Two campers, several loads of gravel and many manhours later, the road to Strick Hollow was in. They had trouble completing the road for people driving in thinking a new subdivision was being built.
Isaiah 40:5 And the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all people will see it together.
Our lot was cleared next to build a smaller, one-level house. Plans needed to be decided, when to sell our house and how. I listed on Zillow in February. Then in April decided to list with agent – which was the best decision. Dana Nelson of Coldwell Banker not only staged our house for showing but prayed with us for right buyer.
Have you ever had your house prepared for showing and try to live in it???
I stashed our stuff – in closets, in wardrobes and of course cleaned the house constantly.
All the while praying for the right family to purchase our Shekinah Lane property. I just wanted someone to love this place like I do.
Our mountain view was crowded out by trees putting on their spring leaves. Tulips bloomed and roses showed their stuff. The yard looked amazing as it greened up with spring rains. The snowball bush I purchased last year was in full bloom as prospective buyers began to come.
God answered our prayers, the family who purchased our property love it and are so excited to be living on Shekinah Lane.
Isaiah 40: 6“All people are like grass, and all their faithfulness is like the flowers of the field. 7 The grass withers and the flowers fall, because the breath of the Lord blows on them. Surely the people are grass. 8 The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever.”
The last few months have been a whirlwind. Preparing for moving sale – packing, moving and settling in our neighbor’s cabin. What a blessing – neighbor’s cabin just down road from our house on Shekinah lane. Wonderful friends and neighbors helped with all the moving.
Just as planned, Kevin Green and his crew finished the house (well mostly, except for air conditioning which was backordered) by end of July. We began moving things first week of August and have been unpacking since. Everything will not fit in smaller house! Still filling shelves at Habitat and our church’s Elijay’s Closet.
No, I never expected to move from Shekinah Lane. But God has this season of our lives in His hands; and, our son and grandson are sharing the glory of seeing God move in our lives.
Shekinah Lane needs to be updated to 29 moves in 56 years and I discovered additional things that made it all the way to add:
Amber bowl
Horsehead lamps
corning mixing bowls.
Horse head lamps!
So we are now living on Strick Hollow Road!
Can you see that mountaini?
Not finished yet – but it is coming! Yes, we have a family relic shelf.
Isaiah 40:12 Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, or with the breadth of his hand marked off the heavens? Who has held the dust of the earth in a basket, or weighed the mountains on the scales and the hills in a balance?
