Learning Lessons

This morning I morphed into the energizer bunny!  Right now, I feel like my battery needs to be recharged.
BUT, this morning I had FIVE CHILD-FREE HOURS to pack, pack, pack!

After the first hour and a half a lot of reflecting took place.  I was feeling so bad as I packed up all my kids toys and all their things.  Feeling a bit guilty that they were going to come home to a pretty bare and empty bedroom and I had not warned Noah that I was packing all of his things away.

As I was packing the Lord gave me some sweet reminders of how our life has changed over the last 5 months.  Our life has changed because of HIM.  HE changed our hearts and still is.  These are some lessons HE reminded me of that HE is trying to teach us.  It was so neat to look back and see how the Lord really has changed my heart. And not only mine, but my children's and Steve's.

We moved out of our home five months ago and rented it out.  We LOVED our new little home of exactly two years.  We put so much money and sweat into making that place a home. Our FAMILY put so much money and sweat and hours into making it a sweet home for our family!!  We couldn't be more grateful.   It was a filthy place when we moved in and needed lots of TLC.  We saw so much potential in it and some of the final touches happened the DAY we moved out and rented it.  That was hard!  Things we had wanted to do for the first two years didn't get accomplished until it was time to leave it.

Then, we moved into the missionary house next to the church.  That was a hard transition I was not prepared for.  I was so worried about Romania being a hard transition for my children, I didn't think twice about this first move.  The first two months were horrendous!

We felt like we had two newborns who couldn't sleep through the night.

 Many discipline problems with our little Paige.

The house was so small we never wanted to be in it.

But we have grown to love this little place that has become our home over the last five months.  For the first two months here, Noah would often mention our real house and he wanted his own room back so badly!  We would just cry together over it!  My heart ached, even though I knew that where God was calling us made every family member sacrifice and it was for our good!

Here are a couple things we have/are learning from the Lord & His Word:

Lesson Learning #1:  This world is not our home. It is so temporary and we eagerly await to be at home with our Savior!  "...Having acknowledged they were strangers and exiles on the earth." ~Heb. 11:13

*Last night we were sitting in the floor playing and Steve asked Noah where his home was. He said, "right here."  This brought much comfort to me to know that he realizes wherever the four of us are together--that is our home.  It isn't one house or one state .....it is wherever Noah, Paige, Cali and Steve are.  Our family makes a home.

"But our citizenship is in Heaven, and from it we await a Savior the Lord Jesus Christ." ~Phil. 3:20

Lesson Learning #2:  This world has nothing for me!  The Lord continues to ask me, "where is your treasure?"  Is it in a home, decorating a home, clothing, stuff or is it the Gospel--Jesus Christ?

Packing up all of our stuff, much of which we cannot bring along is hard.  I realized today that some things I really wanted to take with me just will not fit.  The Lord continues to remind me of how much stuff we have and it really is not necessary.

"Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.  For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." 
 ~Matt. 6:19-21

"The Kingdom of Heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. Again, the kingdom of Heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it."  ~Matt. 13:44-46

The Gospel...Jesus....is the treasure.  I am living fully invested to Him..not to this world!

Lesson Learning #3:  Living with Arms wide open
I keep imagining what life will be like in Romania.  It is fun to dream and imagine and then compare that to reality in a month!  It will be interesting to see the stark contrasts I am sure.  As I am packing I keep thinking to myself, what if someone steals this?  what if someone just comes in our home when we aren't there and takes _____?  I am so concerned about my stuff sometimes!  So, the Lord is teaching us to live with hands wide open, palms up to Him and just saying "Lord all of this is Yours! You gave it! We want to take care of everything He has blessed us with from small material possessions that are special to us to the most valuable gifts of all--our children.  We will do our best, but we also want to make sure that we are careful how we cling to things and the motive of clinging to it.

This quote is a great reminder for me.
"Whatever you are holding on to in this life, hold it loosely so it won't hurt when the Lord has to pry your fingers open to take it away."

Well, it just hurts when things get taken away that we love or want.  My house for instance!  Steve's job!  Our church!  Our family! We are just learning to live with hands wide open, palms face up to Him.  For it is all His in the first place.

He knows what to do with it best!

I just need to trust Him!

"Indeed I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. "
~Phil. 3:8a