Just What I Needed

Yesterday, I enjoyed the day off work. I got to sleep in, finish grading some of my precious students writings, do some mild cleaning, and even make a dollar store run to get items to fill two Operation Christmas Child shoe boxes.

It was a glorious day. It sounds pretty simple, but it was just want I needed. Chris was in class all day and I was able to spend some time all by myself.

We live in an adorable small apartment, but there is seldom a time when I am alone. Guess I'm just a little introverted since I liked getting to snuggle in my pj pants and bop around without someone else there. I really enjoyed getting to just be home and do what I wanted to do, with no real agenda.

Having a Tuesday off was a bit unusual, and it messed with our routine at school. It made it feel like we had two 'mondays' this week. But I'm hoping that it also will make Thursday and Friday fly by!

Stop

Have you ever had a moment when God tells you to just stop?

To just

Stop

everything

and pause.

Well with all the new and exciting things going on around us here in NOLA lately,

that's exactly the moment I had on Sunday.

God told me to just stop everything.

Stop worrying,

stop looking around,

stop fretting about the future,

stop worrying about finances,

stop thinking,

stop blaming,

stop wishing for something else,

stop wanting what others have,

just stop

and be still.

In the movement

when I set everything aside,

it all made sense.

Everything in our current situation all has a purpose.

In the time I personally needed it most, God gave us a reason for being here.

Moving and living here is not all roses and sunshine.

Sometimes it downright stinks.

Chris and I have been here for almost a year and a half.

And we were sick of it.

Our conversations mostly revolved around what we want to do when he get 'home' to GA.

What we want to do with family,

the kind of little house we want,

where we would like to work,

and having sweet precious babies.

We want and miss it all.

It can get lonely here too.

Yea, we got friends.

We have lots here.

People who we enjoy spending time with,

but it still gets lonely.

We miss the familiar,

we miss just being able to go to the grocery store without having fear,

we miss just being able to ride around with the windows down looking for somewhere fun to go.

On Sunday when I stopped,

he was able to start.

Many times my own wishes and thinking gets in the way of his grand plan for things.

And like I said, in the moment when I had downright had enough of living here, and stopped to listen to him, he took over.

The past couple of weeks Chris and I have been trekking it down the highway to the sweetest and cutest little Louisiana town for him to preach.

I can't wait to write and show all of you pictures and tell about how adorable this little church is.

The first time we pulled in the parking lot,

I told Chris that I loved it already. 

On Sunday, Chris was asked to stay and be their interim pastor. In a second everything we have both been going through just clicked.

We now have some excitement back in our lives, and we both immediately snapped out of our moody feelings about living in NOLA.

This news gave us what we've been needing

and we are thankful that we serve an almighty God.

Be still and know that I am God. Psalm 46:10

Gary

I have been working on this blog post for several months now. 

I keep starting it and then stopping to just start all over.

Gary is Chris's Dad and one of the most loving guys I know.

He loves his family like nobodies business
when times are good and when times are bad.

And let me just tell ya,
he sure loves his boys.

Gary has been there for Christopher and I

more times than I can count.

He is always willing to lend helpful advice,

and he truly knows a lot about all kinds of different stuff.

He has helped us out tons,

and during this first year at seminary, we would have really struggled without him.

I have told my family and several friends,

that Gary is one of my favorite people in his family.

When I am in a mood where I don't feel like talking,

 I know all I have to do is go stand by Gary 

cause he will talk enough so I won't have to say much.

He sure has some good stories to tell, 

and I think my most favorite ones are about when he was a teenager.

I'd say he raised a little cane back in the day:)

I like listening to stories about him having to 'babysit' Chris's mom,

and how she would go to bed and he would stay up all night with MyMy and Paula.

I also love the stories about Chris and Alex growing up

and how he gets a big look of pride when he is talking about them.

I'll say it again,

he sure does love 'em boys.

Gary thanks for allowing me into your family as one of your 'girls'.

I am truly blessed to have one big hearted and generous father in law!

You are loved more than I believe you know,

and Chris and I pray for you and Christi every day.