As the saying goes, "You can't go home again." I guess that's quotation mark worthy. Not really sure who gets the credit, but I think they might be wrong.
You CAN go home again. I should know. My family and I have done it in the past and we are about to embark on the adventure of returning home once more.
Oregon has been amazing in so many ways. It's beauty is absolutely breath taking. The people have been so kind. We have learned and grown so much as a family. We have leaned on each other like never before. We have welcomed a new member of our family. It has been an unforgettable experience.
While it has been unforgettable and amazing, I would be lying if I didn't say that it has also been challenging. We have been stretched like never before, although I am well aware that even in our trying times we still have had it really good. Our family has so many things to be thankful for.
We have learned even more about ourselves and sometimes it's been ugly, but I suspect that most of the time growth is painful and not very pretty.
Erik and I have prayed for a long time for guidance and direction for our family. I truly feel that we were guided here for a season to learn and grow. Now we feel that we are being guided to Albertville, Alabama.
This was in no way a decision that was made without falling on our face before God and begging for His direction. Well, I'll be honest because I am honest to a fault (that's for sure). I've screamed and cried like a baby. Not because I don't want to return to Alabama, but because I don't want to go anywhere that God isn't leading, and I have found that KNOWING for sure where He is leading is not exactly crystal clear many times.
More times than not we just have to pray, see where the doors are opening and where they are closing, and step out on faith. I found this to be true two years ago when we embarked on this westward adventure and I still find it to be true today as we are about to embark on a trip southward.
Sometimes I picture that God might grow tired of my endless questions, which primarily have been consumed with need for direction lately. In my mind I picture Him thinking....seriously...here she is again! Screaming like a baby asking for direction. Could she just settle down a little?
I think of all of the mothers who have children dying of starvation, diseases, being murdered or sold into slavery, and here I am crying over what type of education I should give my children or what privileged area of the United States I am going to raise them in? Really? I just need to get over myself.
HOWEVER, our God loves us more than we can ever imagine (even though I question Him, ask Him to prove He is really there and really listening to my whinny self) Despite all of my short comings (and there are too many to count) He loves me. Why? I don't know. But I do know that His word tells us that He loves us and He wants to give us good things.
"If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!" Matthew 7:11 NIV
While we will greatly miss Oregon and the people here, we are looking forward to a new chapter. We hope that we are returning home with a new vision, a new direction in our lives, AND we can't wait to spend time with family and worship and grow once again with our friends at Lifepoint.
Oh.....and we hope to introduce Sand Mountain to a little thing called lacrosse :)
