This is going to be an extremely long blog, but one I feel I CAN’T escape writing. So go get a cup of tea or coffee, and settle in…

I am in no way shape or form perfect, but God does not call us to be perfect, just willing. David is the first example that comes to mind. You will find me repeating this statement from time to time.  Romans 3:23 states, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,”, but it is by God’s grace that we can overcome our “humanness” as stated in Romans 3:24 and part of 25, “being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus;25 whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith….”. Okay, so with that being said, let me tell you what has and IS happening to me:

January of this year, I posted on my blog site that I was tired of sitting on the sidelines(you can read the post here). About a month later, I get a letter from my employer stating that if enough people didn’t take a pre-defined severance package, they would start laying people off(again, the full post can be read here). Here is where the “fun” begins.

I remember watching the movie “Cheaper by the Dozen” and seeing the opening scene where there is nothing but chaos in the kitchen and I think, “wow, that’s what my life feels like.” I was finishing out my last days at work, Robin was working on average of 65 to 70 hours a week, our son was attending summer camp at the YMCA, and our youngest daughter was getting ready to graduate from middle school, and our oldest was applying and getting ready for college. We had felt led to move to Colorado Springs, CO, so we were looking for a house and packing. It all seemed very busy, but it was clicking, we had a good system in place as I worked nights and Robin worked days. I felt good about getting off nights and was looking forward to getting back into family life; Then the chaos hits. My oldest daughter got a letter from college letting her know there was no room for her in the dorms and she would have to stay in temporary housing. As if going off to college is not scary enough, now she doesn’t know where she is going to live. about a week later, Robin finds out her dad is in the hospital and the doctors are telling her she needs to come see him right away. This news comes right when she is getting ready for an audit, which is a major ordeal for a bank. She drives to Florida with Caleb to see her dad. I stay in North Carolina with Andie, Shelby, and work. A week after Robin gets to Florida, she calls me to come down, they’re not expecting her father to make it through the week. I got there Tuesday afternoon and was able to speak to him about Jesus. He said he knew the Lord and we prayed together. Her dad passed away that next day. We went to his apartment to settle his affairs and found a wonderful surprise. On his desk, next to his computer, we found a Bible and some books about God and His calling, further confirmation that her dad was with the Lord. I have to leave after helping Robin and her brother get things squared away, and my car gets crunched on the way home to North Carolina. The week after we all get home to North Carolina, we find out that the Waldo Canyon fire in Colorado is forcing a lot of the families to find housing. Every house we find gets snatched up by locals. I’m not pulling my hair out yet, but getting close. not 2 weeks later, Robin, Caleb, and I are coming back from visiting family in Blowing Rock, NC and a guy makes a sudden left hand turn, right into the side of my Jeep and rolls the Jeep (with me, Robin, and Caleb in it). Let me summarize everything up to this point:

1. Make a decision to follow God’s Will.
2. Lose job.
3. Find out Andie has no housing for college.
4. Robin’s dad passes away.
5. My Miata gets wrecked (not drivable).
6. Housing options dry up due to fire.
7. Jeep gets wrecked (total loss).

Sound good so far? My best friend comes up to visit from Atlanta and asked me, “Do you think all this is the Lord telling you NOT to go?” I immediately thought of my mom and something she always said, “God is not the author of confusion, and this stuff is all confusion. I Corinthians 14:33 states, “for God is not a God of confusion but of peace…”.

STAND FIRM!

We decide to take a week off from packing the house and go to Florida to say goodbye to family on the east coast and take some time as a family since this will be our last summer before college, move, school, etc. Andie gets a letter from the college saying they have her a room and her roommate is a sophomore. We later find out she loves the Lord and is involved in campus ministry. On the way down to Florida, we get a call about a house. The paperwork is exchanged and the price was great! While in Florida, we get to go to Busch Gardens, Orlando, etc. Just enjoying each other and seeing family. While in Orlando, I get a call back on a position I applied for in Colorado Springs. My Miata is supposed to be fixed when I return, so I go to pick it up and get the opportunity to build a website for the repair center, which cuts my repair bill in half. So now I will summarize everything and God’s response up to this point:

1. Make a decision to follow God’s Will.
– God provides a vision
2. Lose job.
– God provides financially
3. Find out Andie has no housing for college.
– God provides a Godly roommate for Andie
4. Robin’s dad passes away.
– God provides peace to Robin that her father is in heaven
5. My Miata gets wrecked (not drivable).
– God provides a way to pay for the repairs
6. Housing options dry up due to fire.
-God provides a home that is close to school for Caleb and close to church
7. Jeep gets wrecked (total loss).
-No one is seriously hurt, Caleb didn’t get a scratch

We get to Colorado and find a WONDERFUL church, www.mountainsprings.org. The message from the pastor is (coincidentally) on what church really is. Church is NOT a building, but the people who gather there to worship the Lord. It isn’t traditions, it isn’t attending a service on a weekly basis just to go out and live otherwise during the week. Robin and I decide we need to hear more. The next few weeks, the messages are based on “Remodeling your home”. (you can stream the messages from the site). The messages outlined EXACTLY what Robin and I were doing, remodeling our home, letting God be the architect. One of the main points was that what God builds, He protects. (taken from Psalm 127).

Let me re-state that I am not perfect, just willing. Paul is another person that was surely not perfect, but he was willing to do God’s will. The Lord has surely blessed me and my family through this adventure. He confirmed it with His word, through the pastors of Mountain Springs church. He confirmed it with His hand as he answered prayers to our situations. I have a peace and a joy that could only come from the Lord and I am excited to see what’s next.

I’ve said all that to say this: If you make a decision to follow God, prepare for the worst, and then wait on the BEST! God will NOT forsake you! Be encouraged and comforted that you are in the hands of a God that LOVES you, CARES for you, and KEEPS you. When He gives you a vision, He will equip you and keep you to make it accomplish that vision.

[singlepic id=182 w=320 h=240 float=right]We had a busy week, but we were able to get out and do a little hiking, a little driving, and a little sight seeing. We were able to get out to the Garden of the Gods, which is a national landmark here in Colorado Springs. We saw mule deer, rabbit, horses, and humans. [singlepic id=189 w=320 h=240 float=left]We were there for only 2 hours and could go back about 100 times and not see everything. We did catch this beautiful sunset before we headed back to our vehicle. [singlepic id=183 w=320 h=240 float=none]

We also drove out through Woodland Park (hwy 24) to Deckers, then hit hwy 67 to hike and play in the South Platte river. [singlepic id=190 w=320 h=240 float=center] [singlepic id=191 w=320 h=240 float=right] [singlepic id=192 w=320 h=240 float=left]

The weather is cooling off quick here in Colorado, mid 70’s to mid 80’s during the day, and low to mid 40’s at night. The leaves are changing quick out here, they should peak in the next week or two. I can’t wait to get some pictures of the fall leaves next weekend in Rocky Mountain National Park, near Estes Park, CO. AND, as usual, there are more pictures on the PHOTOS page, so check ’em out. If you see any that you might want to use as a background, or if you just want a fabulous picture of me on your computer, let me know which one you like and I can get you a larger size.