What Exactly Are We Doing Here?

We left Texas on May 31st and drove north east.  On June 3rd, a little after 10 pm, we arrived at Aunt Kathy's new house in Virginia.  It's only a year old.

We are still settling in in the 150+ year old house. It was built before the Civil War.  Like many houses around here, the original house was built as four rooms.  There is an entry way with a curved staircase.  On the ground floor a room is on the left and another on the right, each with a fireplace.  The upstairs has the same.  The kitchen was it's own building out back, as was the six seat outhouse.

As this family grew, more rooms were added.  Thankfully, the kitchen is now indoors as well as two bathrooms.  Unfortunately (or fortunately?), they only have one seat in each.

There are waves of energy in setting things up - and then waves of overwhelming ... well, overwhelmness.  Mostly, though, it's been fun.  This is a natural part of getting settled anywhere.   Right now the bedroom and Dave's office is complete.  We are focusing on one room at a time to make livable.  I am anxious to get past this stage of cleaning/setting up so I can get to the decorating!

Not to brag, Texas friends, but it's 57 degrees here right now.

One of my soul friends from Bible college lives an hour away.  She's coming on Friday to help unpack.  Then, Friday night, a dear friend arrives for the weekend.  While I am anxious to see them and to have their helping hands, I am already praying that they will both be able to catch their breaths while here.

It's just that kind of place.

Already, we can feel our souls stretching.  We have been able to have some really great conversations and are so blessed to have this time to seek the Lord - both for what He is asking us to do today and in the future.

This year is a time to reflect, pray, and think about how we want to live our next forty years... to really ask, "What exactly are we doing here?".  We want to be on purpose.  We want our eating, our sleeping, our money, our time... everything to be for the Glory of God.

We are concentrating on setting up the house this week - but next week we begin spending the early mornings in study, prayer, reflection, and writing.  Then we'll work in the afternoons and early evenings.

David has a long task list of manual labor around the farm.  The land is rented out for hay, but there are many things that need repaired or demolished on his list.  I am going to be writing - and then helping out with little projects.

Even though we are 20 minutes from Orange, Virginia, our physical address is in Orange.  I gave the kids at church oranges and asked them to pray for us each time they ate one.  I ask that of you, too.  Pray that God will do something "immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine" in our lives.

Thank you.