I have so much for which to be thankful:

Safe travel for my husband and sons who drove two cars—one pulling a big trailer—from CO to WI.

Successful closing on two properties, with no last-minute difficulties.

For my two sisters who worked so hard to help me clean our new house. We slept on air mattresses and ‘camped out’ at the house while waiting for my family and the moving van to arrive. It was fun!

For the Atlas movers who were so careful with our things, and who worked so cheerfully and quickly. It’s the best moving experience we’ve ever had. Nothing damaged, so far!

For protection while driving. I was just a second way from being mightily rear-ended by a distracted driver. It looked like certain disaster, but God spared me.

For our new home, and air conditioning!

For dinner tonight with not only my husband and sons, but also my brother, sister-in-law, niece, her husband and their three adorable, charming children. Blessings galore!

For Romans 8:28-39.

I’m writing this on Wednesday evening after another long day of preparing to move. As I’ve said before, we’re leaving a lot of furnishings behind, but my goodness—-there’s so much that we’re taking and need to pack. Between our things and office equipment and supplies, it’s a lot. We hope it will fit in one truck, and that it will take just one day to load it. Then my husband and sons (and Libby) can hit the road toward Wisconsin. They’re driving two cars and pulling a trailer loaded with a tractor and snow blowers. I pray for the Lord’s protection as they travel.

As you read this, I’m in the process of taking a flight to Wisconsin. Our buyer needed to change our closing date in Colorado, and now we’re closing on both properties on Friday. I’m handling the one in WI, my husband will do the closing here. Right now it feels very unreal. Like my husband said last night, we’ve been too busy to have time for this transition to fully impact us.

I hope you’re not weary of this one note topic I’ve been posting about for months. So much has happened that I’ve not written about, and we’ve been consumed by the wild, constantly fluctuating, process. If I were a writer, it would make a good story. Family members, friends, and even our realtors have been amazed as they’ve watched everything unfold in God’s way and in His time. No one has been more amazed than we are.  He has so faithfully fulfilled His promise to help us, strengthen us, and uphold us by His righteous right hand. His declaration that He is our God has encouraged and sustained us when everything else seemed so chaotic. I thank God for His good sovereignty over our lives, and for revealing Himself to us through His Word. Blessed be the Name of the Lord.

Update: Tonight, when we were sitting with our jammies on, the doorbell rang. It was a couple from the family who will be living here, come Monday. They asked permission to walk the property and pray because they believe that in addition to being the family compound, it will be a place of ministry to missionaries who need a retreat. We had no idea that they were Christians, but they know we are and they wanted to let us know the property would continue to be used for ministry. They knew it would be important for us to know that. Another answer to prayer. Again, blessed be the Name of the Lord.

I’m thankful…

that our Russian Sage is coming up again. By the time it flowers I won’t be here, but it will be there for the new owners to enjoy.

that we’ve gotten most of the packing done in our house. The lodge comes next. I’ll be thankful when it’s all done. And outta here!

for hand vacs. This is miller moth season, and it’s a doozie. We battle them every night, hand vac in hand.

that this is our farewell moth season! Mosquitoes seem an easy trade. We’ll see if I change my mind about that, but I don’t think so.

for the surety of God’s sovereign rule over our lives. That truth has been a moment by moment  comfort to me these days. “All is well, since ruled by Thee.”

This has been a really busy day, but I don’t want to miss the opportunity to thank God for the amazing way that He brought together the sale of our home and our lodge. It would be a very long post to list all the works of God that we’ve already recognized. I’m certain that there will be more, and at some point I hope to write about them. The most valuable part of it is that we’ve come to know and love God more through the whole process.

As we always say, there’s never a dull moment around here. Last night we were awakened by a loud screech of an alarm. We weren’t sure whether it was the carbon monoxide alarm or the fire alarm. I woke Aaron and sent him outside with the dog. Harry and I checked everything, but nothing seemed to be wrong. The alarm had only given one blast, so we didn’t think it was carbon monoxide. But, of course, we couldn’t take a chance. We went to sleep at the lodge—very handy to have a second home! Harry called to check about the alarms and was told that if there was danger, they would have kept screeching. We think a miller moth got into a fire alarm and the dust of the wings set it off. Or, as the fire department told us, it could have been a power surge. We’re so thankful that there was no problem, and that we had a good place to go for the night until everything could be checked out well. I’m thankful for God’s protection always.

I’m also thankful that we’re working together to get everything packed and sorting through more stuff that we’ll leave behind. Moving to a much smaller, simpler home means getting rid of a whole lot of stuff. We’re ‘shucking it down.’ It actually feels kind of good, for the most part. Selling the rocking chair that I rocked my babies to sleep in gives a little twang to my heart.

I’m thankful that through the providence of God, Harry is home for two weeks instead of the usual one week. We didn’t know it would be necessary for him to be here to take care of so many things in preparation for our move, but God did. It’s one of the many, many ways God has shown us His sovereignty over every bit of our lives.

The older I get, the more life I live, the more thankful I am for the sovereignty of God. We walk blindly these days, but securely, because He orders every small and large event of our lives.

We still don’t know how or when the sale of this property will come to a close. Another ‘vitally interested’ party is coming for their second showing tomorrow, and our original buyer is working hard to bring the sale of their property to a close so that they can close on this one. In the meantime, we’re packing and praying. Perhaps this three-year-long roller coaster ride will soon end and we’ll be able to look back over each part of it and more clearly see how skillfully God worked to bring it all about.

The snow ended this afternoon, and everything is dripping with melting snow. I think we might get some green grass out of this, and I’m thankful for that too. The trees are budding tiny green leaves, signaling that they’ve survived one more winter. The irises are shooting up green leaves, the daffodils are blooming.

We have another new little grand niece in our extended family, healthy and beautiful. One good gift after another, all from our Heavenly Father. So much for which to thank Him, and I do.

As I look at news reports of the terrible weather that swept through so many States and see the pictures of the devastation, I’m thankful for the safety of blogging friends, and I’m thankful for the privilege of praying for so many who have lost loved ones and homes.

I’m thankful that we had a showing of the lodge yesterday, and the people are interested enough in buying the property to look at our log home tomorrow.

We had 5-6 inches of snow yesterday, which made our grass and pine trees happy. I’m thankful for the much-needed moisture.

I’m thankful that God speaks to us so wonderfully through His Word.

After reading and thinking about the Passion of Christ all week, words fail me.

I’m thankful for Jesus Christ, as revealed in the Scriptures.

Sometimes when you think you see a light at the end of a long tunnel, it’s merely the flash from an explosion. Yesterday we received a request from the potential buyer of our property for an extension of the contract to purchase, pushing forward the closing date to September 15. Since the current date is May 15, it’s a huge disappointment that brings enormous difficulty with it. We’re told that the buyer of our property and the buyer of their property are very motivated to close on both contracts, but still, nothing is guaranteed. They hope to close sooner than September, but again, nothing is guaranteed. If not by September, then likely everything will fall through because their properties are schools and they will have to begin a new school year at their current facilities. Our realtor continues to pursue other buyers, but not many people want such a unique property as ours.

Troubles are mounting up and threaten to undo us—financial, personal, physical. The Red Sea is before us and the Egyptians are closing in. My strong temptation is to fear, to doubt, to complain. Especially to question what God is doing, and Why? Have we been unfaithful to Him? Is there something we’re missing, not doing right? Have we made wrong decisions and gotten ahead of His will? Have we totally blown it and as a result, reel under His displeasure?

When my head is swirling and my feelings running amuck, the only solid ground is His Word. I have to go there for refuge, for searching my heart, for wisdom, for help. These are a few of many that have counseled me:

Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you. I will uphold you with my righteous right hand…..For I, the Lord your God, hold your right hand; it is I who say to you, “Fear not, I am the one who helps you.”  Isaiah 41:10, 13

“Because he holds fast to me in love, I will deliver him; I will protect him, because he knows my name. When he calls to me, I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation.” Psalm 91:14-16

For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has sown in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. We are afflicted in every way, not not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may be manifested in our bodies. For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.  2 Cor. 4:6-12

“Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will work for you today….The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent…..I will get glory over Pharoah and all his host, his chariots, and his horsemen. And the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord, when I have gotten glory over Pharoah, his chariots, and his horsemen.” Exodus 14:13,14,17,18 (read the whole chapter!)

Today I am so thankful for God’s Word and for the Holy Spirit who illumines it to my heart and keeps me from straying into wrong thinking and unbelief.

I’m thankful for circumstances that teach me that my hope is in Christ alone. Nothing else. Nothing else! All other ground is sinking sand.

I’m thankful that our Heavenly Father leads us with His own hand. It’s that personal!

I’m thankful for hymns that reinforce Scripture to my mind and heart.

I’m thankful for a husband who is strong and steady and faithful to God, and who reminds me of what is true when I begin to wobble.

I’m thankful for two days in a row of feeling better physically. That really helps!

I’m thankful that in all of this upheaval and uncertainty, God reigns and rules over every decision, every circumstance. We are uncertain of the future, but not uncertain of God.

“One of the marks of people who know God rightly and who know God well is that they are filled with thanksgivings to God. If we find in our own lives that we are prone to complain or grumble, that we often are unhappy because we didn’t get what we wanted, we need to see this for what it is. A grumbling spirit is sinful, because it fails to recognize  God’s goodness and kindness in providing for us every good thing in life that we enjoy. Instead of grumbling, we should accept both what God gives us and what he chooses not to give us, because in both cases he does what is best for us. Yes, our heavenly Father is the Giver of absolutely every good thing we have in our lives now and will receive in the future. We owe to him our deep and constant thanksgiving and praise. God is good, and all that he gives is good. Praise be to his name!  -Bruce A. Ware, in Big Truths for Young Hearts, pg. 69

This morning I’m thankful…

• for the cloudy sky and the rain that is yet to come. Everything is so dry and brown, we need all the rain or snow that we can get right now. Even the pine trees look thirsty.

• that Harry will be coming home on Saturday. Can’t wait to see his big smile and open arms coming toward me!

• for our warm home and hot, strong coffee. Even though it’s decaf, per doctor’s orders.

• for lunch with a friend yesterday, and the work that God in the life of her family.

• that in the night, God turns my thoughts toward Him.

• that He is my Rock and my Salvation.

When life feels especially crazy, it’s especially important to be still and think about the good gifts that God has lavished on us.

During this Lenten season, I’m reading Piper’s Fifty Reasons Why Jesus Came to Die. Above all things, I’m thankful that Jesus came to die, that He rose again, and that He made me a beneficiary of all that He accomplished through His death and resurrection.

I’m thankful for His sovereign control over every aspect of our lives. Things are not out of control; they’re in His control.

I’m thankful for His care over my physical being, and that my heart issues have improved. I’m thankful for medicines that work, and for a doctor who took time to explain things to me.

I’m thankful for a bit of hopeful news on the real estate front. I’m thankful that we need not fear, but can trust the mighty hand of God to uphold us. We’re His, this property is His, and He will work all things out for His purpose and glory.

Harry and I have been talking about times in the past when God has helped us in impossible situations. There are so many! When we first found the lodge (or rather, it found us), the owner leased it to us so we could begin ministry while we sought financing for purchase. We went through forty—yes, forty—banks and loan applications before one would finally give us the loan. It was definitely a faith-testing time, as this is. I’m thankful for God’s faithfulness in the past and the encouragement it gives as we look to Him for help now.

I’m thankful for you who have read my recent posts and are praying for us. You are a wonderful gift from God, and I thank you.