At the time of writing I have been displaced from my home for three or is it now four weeks. Those weeks honestly feel like months. There’s been so much goodness. But there’s been some really really hard days.
Anyone who does constructions DIY or professionally knows that once you get started there’s often more problems that have arisen. So it has been with my home. It started with #allwewantedwasanewdeck. We had plans for October, big plans. We were to host our first ever retreat at our home, host our neighbors over for helloween, and start tackling the 10 mile lists of people we wanted over for supper. Hospitality ya’ll is our love language.
We went from gathering once a week with close friends to being moved every 3 days to a week. I’ve started counted up the travel time in the last three weeks I’ve traveled at least 60+ hours—by car. Our pets remain at our home because theres literally no where for them to go. I hate being separated from them. I hated not having people over and it was hard at first to see all the hospitality and classes we were going to do not happen but others were. But every day I made a point to count my blessings.
Everyday I reminded myself where I saw God working His goodness. We’re (the six of us) moving to a hotel (potentially) in the next few weeks…maybe over the course of a couple of months with a few trips back home. Not sure, for everything is up in the air. I’ve learned it doesn’t hurt to prepare for the worst right now, but expect and hope for the best. On that note, you know there’s so much goodness! We’re together, we won’t be traveling as much, our pets will be with us, I’ll have an actual bed consistently (my airbed has been great, but I still prefer real ones), we will be in our hometown and we’ll have a roof over our heads.
Another blessing is that we have been trying to declutter. This definitely helps with the stuff. We’ve moved so much in the past few weeks that we’ve learned to live without. Of course…we do shuttle things back and forth in full discloser. When we do finally move back home I’d imagine that we’re really going to be able to let go of things. We’ve known for years what our priorities are. Maybe how we do them has changed, but what we believe has only been made stronger. Our family motto is :
God first
Family Second
Others third
Cheryl Damron
When we focus on Christ, we find blessings in our circumstances. •Side note- God has been blessing us all the way through. I’m certainly NOT advocating that if we behave a certain way that He will bless us. I’m saying when I have put my focus on Him I have found the gifts He’s already given, is giving, and expecting will be gifts. This is from personal relationship with Him. Naturally my behavior will have consequences both good or bad and fruit will be born from the action (or no action). •End side note. I’ve decided if we’re away from home for Christmas (I doubt it, but I wouldn’t be surprise)…I’m finding a 2 foot tree and sticking it on a table. Our stockings will be hung on a table. And we’re going to be together which is all that matters for Christmas anyways. We’ll sing Christmas Carols and play games. Have an adventure doing a Christmas meal (gluten-free) and be content along with Merry because we’re together.
Before this even started we had decided to make this an experience Christmas. We’re doing just that. In fact…we have our first thing we’ll be doing the week before Christmas. Now…before you get on to me about Thanksgiving I’ve not forgotten. But I’ve been counting my blessing everyday. It’s been an everyday thanksgiving. Since I dislike thanksgiving dinner (don’t go throwing them turkey legs at me okay?) and would rather do Chinese…I’m not at all mad about postponing it. But friends have graciously offered the use of their kitchen in town and their company. Mom loves to cook and they love her food. It’s a win win win. Won’t be on Thanksgiving I’d imagine, but will be soon. We’re visiting family later on and it will be a sweet time.
Giving thanks, being with friends and family, and having good food- well that’s a pretty big part of the special day isn’t.
Christina Damron 