Getting shinier

So, here we are. This is Georgia. A Georgia which is apparently nice and sunny most of the time, but decided to make me feel nice and at home since arriving-thus being bleak and rainy. Nice. Thanks Georgia for pulling out all the stops ;-)

Anyway, last night Brett and I were driving home from a dinner engagement and we discussed how TIRED we were! Yet once we stopped to think what had been going on in our lives the last few weeks it was concluded that we were more emotionally tired than anything. In short, new lives are tiring to get.

How's this new life going, you ask? Well, that's tough to say...I've been waiting to write this particular blog post until a time when I wouldn't burst into tears at the slightest thing and I think that'll be today! hahaha! In short, I am continually impressed that while I keep thinking that with each move it couldn't POSSIBLY be MORE SO than the LAST move ( aka. I am prepared this time), I am always surprised to find there are NEW things to get used to and new things with which to rely on the Lord for strength.

This time the major blow came about a week into our cross-country trek, when the Woods called and offered us their home to live in for 6 months. Now, I'm going to take a big deep breath and try to explain what this means:

Ok, so the Chuck and Deb Wood are a Navigator couple who are actually over the Navigator Army ministry altogether. This basically means that they travel for MOST of the year. Before they took this job, they ran the Nav ministry here at Fort Benning. In fact, it was through Chuck that Brett got involved with the Navigators back in 2004/2005. Brett actually lived with the Woods during the 18 months that he was at Fort Benning...which brings me to their house. They have a "ministry" house. Its basically a nice sized four bedroom home, but it also has an added apartment ( with a kitchen, living area etc-this is where Chuck and Deb now live when they are in Georgia between travels) and also an added meeting room and a bunk room. All of this added together and you get a house that is perfect for having guys move in and live so that they can have closer discipleship training-which is one of the key principles and main focuses of the Navigator ministry. Its also great for bible studies and ministry functions...

Annnnywho, the Woods called us up and said that starting in January there would not be anyone living in their main house-and they were wondering if we'd like to move in.

Pause for dramatic affect.

I think I've been very disappointed with everyone that I've told about this piece of news, because EVERYONE has been excited for us and said what a great idea it is...when deep down ( ok, it hasn't been deep down at all) I have been crying and moaning and complaining about this EVER SINCE THAT INITIAL invite....why the complaining? Well, because it meant putting all of our things in storage. It meant moving again in six months ( remember how much I HATE moving?), it meant sharing my first months back with my husband with more ministry demands, it meant putting on clothes when I leave my bedroom ( no roaming a house where there are other people in your PJs!), it meant living in a house where my iphone gets zero reception, it meant living a good 20 minutes from any stores or coffee shops...and countless other "inconveniences".

In short, I was faced HEADLONG with my very shallow/selfish/spoiled ( hey! Look! I'm an alliteration of character flaws!) self.

Now, I'll be honest with you...I spent a WHOLE YEAR diving head long into ministry. I was ALL about it! I was one hundred percent on board. And some little part of me thought that I DESERVED a break. That I deserved to have what *I* wanted for a change...and wow. Until this whole housing thing came up, I didn't even realize that's what I was thinking...

So yesterday I woke up to an email from my dear friend Tabitha-who laid the proverbial slap down on me ( it should be noted she did it in this oddly encouraging/ nice way that I should really try to master) basically equating me with Jonah. Ouch! She was right! And THEN to pile on the coals of Truth...I went and did my quiet time...and I JUST SO HAPPENED to be reading about Moses going to Pharaoh and asking over and over again that Pharaoh do what God was asking ( and Pharaoh kept hardening his heart) and yeah...we all know how THAT turned out. And THEN I turned over to my New Testament reading and I JUST SO HAPPENED to be reading about the Rich Young Ruler in Matthew. DOUBLE OUCH. Here I was crying over an iPhone and here was a dude turning his back on following Jesus because he couldn't seem to give up his riches.....I don't think it takes an English major to see the parallels there.

As you can see...this move has not been an easy one....and I'm going to go ahead and say THEY NEVER WILL BE. But what I WILL go ahead and say, is that if you'd like to shake up your pre-existing assumptions about yourself, your relationships and most importantly your priorities and walk with God...you should consider moving. It'll be hard, but I have great faith that at the end of this I'll be a little bit shinier ( think gold being refined illustration here).

OH and I'm keeping my phone. It gets reception pretty much everywhere but in the house, and even there I still get text messages and voicemails...so I still feel pretty in touch.

*Other business:
If you'd like the new Brett and Abigail address and the new Brett and Abigail landline phone-number you can email me or message me and I'll get that to you right away. ALSO some of you have been asking if Brett has a cell phone number. He does not. I you still have his 817 number, delete that...you'll disturb some poor old lady if you call it. He'll be getting a new number soon!