Our line in the sand

Very few things have been written in stone for us lately. All of us at the Viking Hus have learned the value of "going with the flow" and "letting go and letting God" in recent years.

But, when it comes to coordinating a cross-region/three-state move, at some point you have to (poop) or get off the pot! LOL

After sitting down with all the respective calendars (his work, Flicka's school, summer camps, etc), DaHubby and I finally put a stamp on Fourth of July weekend as the weekend we are leaving our home state of Michigan and heading to Illinois for whatever new adventure God is setting up for us there.

And, it causing me some heart break.

I found myself tearing up at church today when I considered this will be our last Easter there.

And, our favorite children's church worker today announced to the congregation that he's leaving his "day job" as a middle school principal and going into the ministry full time! Praise God - but we won't be able to see his move from teaching to Pastor of Children's Ministry.

I've started a local "bucket list" of things I want to do (alone, with DaHubby, and with the kids) before we leave this area.

Seventy-six days and counting...

Seventy-six days to see additional way God will move in our lives to bring this plan of His to completion.

Seventy-six days until we are living as a family under one roof again.

And, for that and more, I say "PRAISE GOD"!

Mercies in Disguise?

We've been through a lot these last few years. Our lessons have been in patience, waiting for God's timing, faith in His promises, and trust in His provision. And, He has kept every last one - just not always as we expected.

It's been a refining time. Our belief is stronger; our faith is deeper. But, we've learned that that doesn't happen with simply reading the Word and/or attending church. Or, by simply trying to "be a good person."

It has come from pain, discomfort, friction, stress...and the ways in which each are handled.

At this point in our travels, it's very hard for me to listen to this song without sobbing by the end. LOL But, it so perfectly puts into words much of what we've painfully learned since 2008.

And, if anyone is unable to hear or make out all the lyrics, I've copied them below...



We pray for blessings
We pray for peace
Comfort for family, protection while we sleep
We pray for healing, for prosperity
We pray for Your mighty hand to ease our suffering
All the while, You hear each spoken need
Yet love us way too much to give us lesser things

(Chorus)
'Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if the thousand sleepless nights are what it takes to know You're near
What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise

We pray for wisdom
Your voice to hear
We cry in anger when we cannot feel You near
We doubt Your goodness, we doubt Your love
As if every promise from Your Word is not enough
And all the while, You hear each desperate plea
And long that we'd have faith to believe

Chorus

When friends betray us
When darkness seems to win
We know the pain reminds this heart
That this is not, this is not our home

Chorus

What if my greatest disappointments
Or the aching of this life
Is the revealing of a greater thirst this world can't satisfy
What if trials of this life
The rain, the storms, the hardest nights
Are your mercies in disguise

And, some things I've been making...

One of my best friends turned me on to this very simple craft to spiff up plain shirts. It is also good for hiding stains on favorite shirts that the Vikings are not ready to let go of yet. LOL

Old shirts + contrasting "scrap" or bargain material + iron-on transfer web = these little beauties!