Moving

So. As I mentioned in my last post, we've done some moving. Casa del Rand is no longer in Greenville, it's in Central, and it's pretty sweet. This whole weekend has been momentous for me in more ways than I first realized. I never thought I'd be excited to call the Clemson area home, but my heart settles into a beautiful calm now as I near our new home because I know that God has done this.

Several weeks ago, after church, Jeromie and I drove by the new Kalbaugh pad (pre-lease-signing) on our way to meet folks for running... just to check out their new location. Little did I know what this would stir in me. Running = thinking & praying time for me, and by the time we got back I decided to voice what was percolating: could we move back??

We joked about it a little bit... and then... we got down to some serious praying & consideration. And then... we hit an obstacle (65lb lab is not compatible with an absolutely-no-dogs rule). And then... we kept praying about it. And then... God made not just one, but two ways! And then... we signed a lease! And then... and then... and then! (I know, I know - I sound like a very excited 6 year old!)

Things weren't all smooth sailing during the process. I think Jeromie and I both encountered a good bit of spiritual warfare - his in the form of doubts, mine in the form of a seething apathy (oxymoron? I beg to differ...), but God faithfully broke through these, too, in His time.

So... the past week has been full of working and packing and packing and working and working and not running like we should and packing. With the help of some incredible friends, we got everything moved on Saturday and started the process of settling in.

I feel like God has answered a lot of prayers through all this. Long-time prayers, and not remotely in any way we expected. He is bringing us both back to life, and it's beautiful.



Perhaps what describes it best was the outcome of yesterday's listening at DCF. My reflections as I listened to Winn speak took the form of a poem... something that doesn't happen very often, so I'm pretty sure God had something to do with it. :-)

* * * * * * *



Home

We are here.
dcf.
Central.
Unsettled, but at rest
because You are our Refuge.
Your body our community,
Our community Your body.

From everlasting to everlasting.
From dust to dust.
As far as the heavens are above the earth
so are Your thoughts above our own.
We pass away, but You remain.

"Teach us to number our days aright,
that we may gain a heart of wisdom." (Psalm 90:12)

Teach us to seek You.
Teach us to pray.
Teach us to hope, to surrender, to obey.
Our lives are not limitless,
Our knowledge is not wisdom.

We have frittered away Your precious gift
of a redeemed life.
We withdrew.
We withheld.
We grasped at and horded
moments of life
instead of entering in.

But You enter in.
You pursue.
You forgive.
With sure strokes, You carve out a home
in our hearts, and channels of hope,
and You pour
Your life
into us.

Father God, please forgive me for how I have made myself the center. Of this moment, of this day, of my life. My sins are countless. When left alone, I take every breath as an opportunity to run away. But You enter in.

Thank You.

iRead: The Heart is a Lonely Hunter by Carson McCullers

(Part of this post is from a note I wrote on Facebook last week... I figured I'd just go ahead and post it here.)

So I've been a bit quiet lately. It started with being knocked out with a cold for the better part of a week... and the two weeks since then have been full of work & praying about moving & deciding to move & packing... and Saturday will be full of MOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVING.

Not much time to think about books, other than at work where I get to help people find good ones! This morning I was puttering along, unsuspecting, shelving books, when I stumbled across one that's held my attention ever since:

The Heart is a Lonely Hunter
by Carson McCullers

As I understand so far, the story follows a deaf man by the name of John Singer and the lives some of the people he interacts with. I haven't gotten very far yet... gotta work, you know... but so far, I'm thoroughly enjoying it. It seems very well written.

* * * * * * *

Now, a few days later, I'm about a 3rd of the way through the book, and it's only gotten better. The way the author develops the characters draws you in & makes you curious. Books are great for different reasons - with this one, I feel like I've gained at least 3 new friends! :-)

I'd be done by now if it weren't for moving, but we've still got a ton of boxes to unpack, so I'll just have to wait.

(But I *really* don't want to! :-D )