I'm Sure There Is A Lesson Here - 9 Month Marker

I saw this picture (thank you Tab) on FB on 9 months to the day of me and the kids driving out that driveway.  Charlie left 4 1/2 months later,  once the deal was completely finished. I was surprised at the emotion that this picture triggered in me.  The picture of this driveway took me down memory lane, which I don't do very often.  It made me thankful.  Thankful for the years we had in building that driveway into a freeway of sorts.  I wish we had a clicker to show how many times that driveway was driven, walked, ran and rode on. 

I thought 9 months was an appropriate time to see that picture.  In 9 months time, God can grow a baby in a womb, so I figure God has done something amazing in these 9 months, and maybe it's time to really see it and enjoy it. 

I also was asking the Lord, "I'm sure there is a big lesson or 500 in all this."  The things we have learned (that really matter) are all heart lessons.  The important lessons we have learned have very little to do with money. 

*It was in our most desperate times that we sensed and experienced God's presence and work in our lives the most.*

*Everything God is doing in our lives takes longer than we expect.*

*God's not asking us to be smarter, more frugal, and more responsible.  He is teaching us to be totally surrendered to Him, to ask Him continually what to do, where to go, how to move forward.  God is a good Father, that teaches us continually, and He isn't teaching us so we may pass a test and move on without Him.  He is teaching us so we learn more about Him and His ways, and His love for us.* 

We prayed and planned for over 8 years for this house drama scenario in our lives to play out very differently than it did.  Every time we saw a solution we went for it full force.  It never panned out the way we envisioned it.  It did pan out for our good though.

The lessons we have learned were lessons that drove us deeper in love, dependence, patience, perseverance, and submission to our Lord and Savior.

 We were so busy trying to save and secure our little 40 acre square on this planet that if it had gone the way we planned, we would have missed some major territory that God was ultimately growing in us.

 Something I've learned about myself: the more I have, the harder it is to give freely.  When I don't think I have much to lose, it's easy to give it all.  Maybe this is partly what Jesus meant when He talked about losing our lives for His sake.  I pray I always live to give freely, no matter what the bank balance says.

Matthew 16:25 New Living Translation (NLT)

25 If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it.

 I do hope and pray we own another chunk of land on this planet someday.  I pray we build a driveway in the middle of fresh dirt and turn it into a free-way where people feel free to come and go. 

For now, I'm thankful for where we are, even though it's very strange to us in many ways.

 Each baby I've carried for 9 months brought a fresh and amazing wave of love and a brand new set of blessings and challenges.  I pray this 9-month marker brings forth a fresh wave of love and brand new set of blessings and challenges.