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Showing posts with label good-byes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label good-byes. Show all posts

Monday, June 23, 2014

Land Hunt... Treasure Found!

Here's our current State of the Union Address...

It's been 6 months since we packed up the farm and said goodbye to dirt roads, goat baby snuggles and quiet walks in the woods.

We have been on an exciting, roller-coaster journey ever since... many have followed the Hunt through thick and thin!  Lots of places to see and explore, miles of roads to cover with an abundance of pros and cons to weigh... to be honest, there were days when I tearfully feared we had made a huge mistake.  I desparately longed for the safety of our tree-lined drive and wanted nothing more than to head back home...

 
Our lowest point of the hunt was back earlier this spring.  Despite a torn rotator cuff, we spent the day with our realtor and found a place that whispered home to our hearts.
 
It was the last stop of the day and we fell in love.
 
But our hopes were dashed when we found out that the cost of running electricity to the 11 acre property was "astronomical" putting it squarely out of our reach...
 
Sad.  De-railed.  Not sure of our next steps... It is when fear took hold and was, oh, so very hard to shake. 
 
Just what did we think we were doing?  Maybe, possibly, we had mis-judged?  Time to re-group and get torn rotator cuffs repaired...
 
God graciously re-filled our cups and the dream flared bright... with recuperation of torn tendons came hours to spend pouring over maps and listings.  We drove endlessly, enjoying the advent of spring and countless stops at small town Dairy Queens for Blizzard breaks... 
 
And we kept coming back to our 11 acre paradise to see if anyone else had bought it. We were like crazy, land stalker people... smile...
 
We just couldn't shake it.  Nothing else we saw could compare... And I think maybe God had a plan.
 
He just had to convince us to trust Him.
 
Amazingly enough, the 11 acres remained on the market despite a lot of activity. 
 
And so... Last month we made an offer.  A low offer.  And held our breath. 
 
It felt a bit like we were standing on the edge of the high dive... scared, nervous, excited... How many times did we ask, "God, are you sure?" 
 
He was sure.
 
The offer was accepted without even a counter...
 
 
It's Ours!
 
 
 
Back at home, down tree-lined dirt roads...
 
 
 
Quiet walks under the sun dappled oak canopy...
 
 
 
Meandering Brushy Creek borders the property, just begging
the kayakers and fishermen to come play...
 
 
 
Wildlife abundant...
 
 
 
The banks of beautiful Lake Texoma bordering our southern boundary...
 
We closed on the property this past week and are still pinching ourselves.  Truly?  Ours?  Thanksgiving pouring freely...
 
Silly grins on our faces, pouring over log cabin designs and planning future family gatherings...
 
Oh, and the electric?  Still don't have it.  Yep...  And water?  Not that either... We took the plunge off that high dive with abandon.
 
Seems that this farmer family doesn't do easy...
 
We do Adventure.
We do Glorious.
We do Crazy very, very well...
 
But, oh, the joy it brings to our very souls.
 
 
 
Throwing Gratitude Heavenward for all Good Gifts.
Trusting the Gift-Giver for each step of the Journey ahead...
 
Giddy with Grace,
           Jane  
 
 

Wednesday, June 5, 2013

Time and Love Enough



 
A Welcome Mat of beautiful Texas wildflowers dazzle the eye!
 
 
 
Ready to be headed home...And yet...
 
The leaving was hard.
 
We are not ready to say Good-bye.  But jobs, and farm and life pull at us...  Millie and Don are in a "holding" zone.  Weak, yet stable.  Content, yet facing uncertainty.
 
The hugs were long, the 'I love you's' whispered hoarse, eyes blurred wet as we set out for home.
 
We have left a "safety-net" of neighbors, family, and meals-on-wheels for Don.  He seems satisfied with the arrangements, but knows he will have struggles.  Missing Millie will be the biggest.  And yet, she is doing well in the rehab center.  The rest, attention and therapy are what she needs most right now.  Don is resigned to the fact that he just can't provide that for her at home... And so, for the first time in over 62 years, they sleep under separate roofs but just a few miles apart.
 
And for the first time in all our married years, we say Good-Bye, truly not knowing if we will see their sweet faces again in this place.  Praying for added days and months and years, but knowing, in all honesty, that God has already graced them with time and love enough for this lifetime and beyond. 
 
We have been given that gift.  Time enough.  Love enough.  And we will rest in it... even when worries gnaw and hearts ache.  Their living example of Romans 12:12 is a constant reminder of a confident Life Walk with a God who has lead them all the way, even to this, the final walk Home:
 
"Be joyful in hope,
patient in affliction,
(and) faithful in prayer."
                        ~  Romans 12:12
 
  Praying moment to moment,
trusting in a God, whose Love is Ever-Present,
All- Powerful and Completely Sufficient,
 
for even this.