Remember I told you how "a few days later the phone rang"? (See "A mess you can't get out of"). Well it was a friend of ours telling us about someone they knew who was getting kicked-out of her place. For whatever reason, our friend called us. The woman moved in with us that night. A couple of months later and an identical call (but from a different friend) had us asking our 5 year old if we could give her bed to someone who needed a place to live - and was coming to live with us. She said "yes," and then jumped into bed with her sister. Over two years later and our girls still voluntarily share a bed!
Our small three bedroom town home (our first home) was now a relatively full-house (6 in total). These once strangers who occupied our basement and third bedroom quickly became family. Over the next two years, as they found their feet and moved out, others moved in.
A good friend of mine said something to me this morning that stuck with me throughout the day. It wasn't until my drive home that I was able to put it down, and I take it up again only now to tell you about it. She said, "I think that you may be putting a lot (meaning expectations) on this trip." Maybe I am? Are we setting ourselves up for a giant letdown? These were two of many thoughts I wrestled with throughout the day. I was genuinely worried that that was exactly what we are doing...
But what occurred to me so clearly during the drive home is that the very reason we are doing all of this (selling everything and hitting the road) is because we ARE "putting a lot" on this trip - - in fact, we're putting everything on this trip!
I was reminded today of our expectations for this odyssey:
We want untainted time with each other and with our children. I anticipate that.
We want to slow down, to become single-taskers, opposed to multi-taskers. I anticipate that.
We want to meet people, and to see what's happening outside of our familiar-zone. I anticipate that.
And we want to have time where we can push into God - the one who created us. We want time to LISTEN, to be still, to read and to pray. And I anticipate that.
When we asked God to use our home and our resources (in that old prayer), He came through in a big way. I expect nothing less this time around.
Thanks Kim for all of your wisdom and encouragement as we prepare.
