Together, They Built...

"And so, Together, they built a life they loved".

Thank you, Hobby Lobby! I saw this quote on a canvas and it resonated with me so much that I went down the crafting isle, purchased a chalk board, chalk markers and a door latch so I could replicate it at a fraction of the cost. I removed an existing cabinet door, took the hinges from that door and added it to my chalk board along with this new adorable latch to keep it closed. Now I can constantly be reminded of the current theme of our purpose as we go. I can also erase it and add a new theme when inspiration strikes.

Building On A Sure Foundation

Grady proposed to me when we were 18 years old. 6 weeks later we were married. It would be an understatement to say that we didn't face challenges along the way, some of them pretty major. When my mom was asked how she stayed together in marriage with the same man for so many years she simply said, "It was a decision!" Building a life together is hard work! Don't fool yourself into thinking others don't face challenges. Every couple does. People don't always feel warm and fuzzy heart flutters in marriage and sometimes negative emotions rise up where love should reside. But as we work to draw boundary lines and learn to cohabit-ate with this alien from another planet, we do well to remember why we started life together and how to build on a solid foundation. My life with Grady is built on the foundation of Jesus Christ and His Holy Word, the Bible.   I am certain this is why our house still stands.  

The 2 Became 1

Grady and I have spent considerable time talking about our present future; our goals for this week, this month, this year, and the distant future; our goals for careers, family, budget, residence, and retirement. The planning phase always looks like this mornings foggy view from the front window of our RV. If your life is like ours, I hope you use an erasable chalk board to map out your plans because they can change as often as the seasons. Sometimes very unexpected events can move you from  the home you love (in Texas) to a totally different culture (in New England). As we submitted to the shift in our plans, together we started new and fresh and built a beautiful life that we loved (in CT). The key words are together we built.

Ask God to Schedule You

Last night the weather shifted. It became cold, rainy and unpleasant in Willis, TX where we have parked our RV for the past 21 days. It just so happened that we are scheduled to go further south today to our next RV site in Rockport TX where it is warmer and sunny. I know this because I cheated and looked at the weather app.

I'm so happy that we have been near my family for the past 3 weeks and were here to help settle my sister, Suzanne, in her new assisted living residence. On retrospect, none of us knew she would begin the process of Alzheimers at the age of 56, or that she would fall and break her hip at 63, or that she would need to live in an assisted living residence for the rest of her life. We didn't know decisions would need to be made while we were nearby and we would be needed to help with the transition. We had no marvelous app that could tell us the forecast of the future, but we did pray before we left home that God would schedule us.

This is our comfort and our peace when plans shift and change:

1. to know that God is in control of our lives

2. even though we don't always understand and may not be happy about the shift in plans or the current events, we can completely trust Him and cling to each other as we build, bearing one another burdens.

3. together we can do this thing ... 

Building a Life We Love

Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could love every detail of our life? I must say, I'm not too disappointed with this day. We have a great rig and a great destination. We even get to stop along the way so Grady can take a rest with his little Gina friend. We love this phase of life and would like to think that we planned it and built this life that we love, but it's not true. We had different plans. Grady was going to work for 3 more years. I was going to build an amazing Vocational Training Center in Varnville, SC. My friends and I were going to be entrepreneurs together in our 126,000 sq ft warehouse. And the list goes on. But, because our foundation is built on a Solid Rock, when our plans were changed we were able to cling to each other and look to the Lord who gives peace. We are finding joy in our journey. We love our life together and can definitely state that, "Together, we built..."  

Go with God.