good gifts...

From Prayers with Purpose For Women by Jackie M. Johnson

God Has Good Plans for Me

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”

JEREMIAH 29:11-13

 

Lord, I am glad to know that You have plans for me—because the future is so unclear in my mind. You desire to prosper not to harm me. As the giver of all good gifts, You wrap up hope and a future as my present. I call upon You, Lord, knowing that You always listen. I seek You with all my heart, Lord, and look forward with expectant hope to good things to come.

In Jesus Christ’s name, I pray.

Amen.

 

I’ve shared we have our home and place for sale, right? I think I have. Sheesh. If not: Our country casa and place are for sale.

Most of the time I can stay in peace about this reality—believing that My God has a plan for My Sweet Hubby (aka MSH) and me. About once a week? I have a small meltdown. Fears. Exhaustion. Confusion. All overwhelm me as we try to figure out what to do with over forty years of accumulated “stuff.” Where are we going to live—in the event our home sells? Because it surely will. Eventually. (At this point, we have a couple who is very much wanting to buy it. If all of their plans work out, we could be moving in May. I type these words with tears stinging my eyes.)

When we bought this exquisite piece of property in early 2000, we never dreamed we’d need to leave/downsize/get old. MSH and I assumed we’d be here literally forever. We didn’t consider so many things. Like the fact that none of our five children intend to come back here. Like the fact that MSH would have two heart attacks in two years and all of the work necessary to keep up almost 34 acres of land, a home and a barn with a 2-bedroom apartment would become truly difficult. Physically. Emotionally.

I’ve been in this area since the Fall of l973—minus eight months. MSH? Since he was 19—minus a year. Y’all—that’s a combination of almost one hundred years. ONE HUNDRED YEARS. (54 for him and 44 for me. That’s 98. Almost ONE HUNDRED YEARS.)

TLC was born in the hospital that’s about 15 miles from our home now. Went all through public school and college in what MSH and I have considered OUR Hometown for a long, long time. She cherishes her life she lived in this sweet, happy country Texas town. Little Leighton and Baby Elle love to come here. Our other five grandchildren have never been as physically (distance-wise in miles) close as our two youngest and, therefore, have never been here with us as much as we’d have loved for them to be. But they’ve also enjoyed our country casa for holidays, celebrations and family visits.

Thankfully, I've taken and printed hundreds and thousands of pictures of our time here in the country. I’ll be looking forward to the days when I can organize them and put them in albums for our children and grandchildren. I’m certain that means many more tears. The only thing we can ever truly count on—besides of the love of God and Christ—is change.

Change is coming to our lives. I don’t know when. I only know it’s inevitable. I’ll try not to be too whiny over the next few weeks and months. Promise.

Hope y’all have a Wonderful Week! Wherever in this World you are…

ELC

P.S.: To My TLC—I love Tuesdays with TLC! And if you do a post even 2 out of 4 Tuesdays each month? It’ll be a small miracle. Teeheehee. I love you, Daughter O’ Mine!