Closed Doors, Open Windows to our New Life

First of all, let me say a big THANK YOU to all of you who have taken a moment to read and respond to my previous post HERE.  It has been such a busy time, and there just hasn't been time for me to reply to each comment, but I have read them and cherish your thoughts and each and every one of YOU.  Likewise, I haven't been able to get around and visit everyone else as I should, so I pray you will forgive me. Once this move is completely over there should be more time to visit.  It seems my brain, like this wind spinner,  is going in too many different directions right now, and I can't seem to focus on any one thing long enough to compose my thoughts.  So bear with me. It's going to get better soon. 

This is my reminder to "Rejoice in each new day"...even when I'm bone weary tired! Just sit down in the back yard of the Parsonage and relax with a cup of tea (when it's not too hot to be outside...) and let God restore and revive my weary bones and spirit...

So here is an update on what's been happening since we last visited. We finally got all of our stuff out of the old house and got it cleaned and ready for the new owners. I wish I could say it looked as good as new...but in reality, it looked pretty sad and in need of some new carpet (or no carpet at all...which would have been my choice!) and probably some fresh paint.  I didn't take any pictures of the house after we completely emptied it...it just looked too "sad".  But I must tell you that I was not sad...just very glad...and thankful that God had finally "Closed" that door...and has now "Opened" a very lovely large window into our future, and we are extremely thankful and rejoicing in what He has done.

We did bring with us some very special things and "critters"....This beautiful bench that my sons made for me for the Secret Garden...which will soon have a new home in a new Secret Garden at our new home...

These few plants from the Memorial Garden, especially the Rose of Sharon bush that my daughter in law selected because of its purple flowers, and one of the climbing Don Juan rose bushes that my siblings gave me for the Memorial Garden. I have since cut them back and am keeping them well watered, and praying they will survive thee move.

These little bunnies look like they are kind of unsure about where they are and what's going on, but they will also soon find a new home in the new Secret Garden...

Along with Mr. Froggy_Splatt...who seems to be quite pleased right where he is. I think he will love the new pond setting at the new house...

 And of course we couldn't leave behind Bobby the Squirrel...He is making friends here in the back yard...well, maybe not...I can hear the resident squirrels in the treetops scolding him for just sitting there and not coming up the tree to play...

Yesterday was the final closing for our "old" house, and the new buyers signed their papers and paid their money, and we are now totally free from that house. I can only say to you that we feel a profound sense of relief and thanksgiving. I do pray they will love it and enjoy it and make it their own very special home.

Meanwhile, we are getting prepared for our next move into our new home. Our closing there will not be until August 12, but we have many things to take care of in the meantime. Lining up quotes for some of the repair work that we need to do to make it our own home, as well as making sure all of the paper work is done prior to closing.  This keeps my brain swimming with details, and many lists are being made.  I am so glad we have this interim time to accomplish these tasks. God certainly had it all timed perfectly.

And speaking of God...the whole purpose in making this move was because we fell in love with this community and this church and these people.  I know I haven't shared any Sermon Notes in a while. Let me say that our new pastor is doing an excellent job in preaching to us exactly what we need to hear...this past Sunday was about us being the "Temple of God"..taken from I Corinthians 3:16-17 and I Corinthians 6:19-20.  Interestingly, our Sunday School lesson was on us being the "Body of Christ"...so between these two lessons we are understanding even better just who we are in the grand plan of God...we are His Temple, where He dwells, and we are Christ's Body, and we each have a very important purpose in being here...to love one another and to encourage the other members of the Body of Christ...to share the love of Christ with the world, and to worship and honor God with all that we do....

And one more beautiful part of this is that now we are able to also attend the Sunday evening service at church. We couldn't go before because it was just too far for us to travel two times in one day, but now we are about a mile from the church and have no good excuse! So we were blessed by the evening service, filled with music and praise and prayer...I told our friends there that I felt like I had been to "Camp Meeting"...it was so refreshing and filled with joy.  We are looking forward to adding this to our Sunday worship each week. 

Now to end on a funny note...this past weekend my hubby made the mistake of throwing something up in the air and it landed in this big tree beside the house (the parsonage).  Well, it got stuck in the tree, and so he tried to find something to knock it back down. Before he was done he had brooms, pipes, rakes and even a small shovel stuck up in that tree! I kid you not!  That tree has branches that grasp anything you throw and refuses to let go! SO, last evening our kids came over to visit and brought pizza for supper! (Another reason for our being so happy here...our kids live just a couple of miles away)...and they all took their turns trying to knock all these things out of the tree...it finally took a few hits with a large plastic bottle filled with water to knock most of the items down...there is still a broom that refuses to let go, however...and so we will save that for another day...

 Here below our daughter in law is throwing a Bocce Ball into the tree to see if that would knock the items down...she had a good arm and I think she was more successful than the guys at getting things knocked down.   We had to quit because a big storm was brewing and we didn't want to get hit by lightning....which soon became quite close and frequent...

After the storm and after the kids went back home, hubby and I took a walk and enjoyed this sunset...

And thus we come to the end of another day...but a day filled with joy and promise and hope for our new life here in this new "Open Window".  It won't be long before we will be moving into our new house and will have many more new adventures to share with you.  But for now, if you don't hear from me regularly, just pray that God is giving me the strength to keep up with everything each day. I know He will...but it's nice to know you are praying.

Have a blessed and glorious day wherever you are and in whatever adventures God is calling you to do.  Remember, God is with you wherever you go...He will never leave you nor forsake you...just trust in Him and He will guide you and keep you safe in the palm of His loving hands. 

"Fear not, for I am with you;

Be not dismayed, for I am your God.

I will strengthen you,

Yes, I will help you,

I will uphold you with My righteous right hand." 

Isaiah 41:10