The First Day

I was NOT emotional this morning of the first day of school until I heard “Oceans” by Hillsong. And emotional may be a little extreme. I wasn’t sobbing or even crying but I was overcome with tremendous gratitude. I was overcome with God’s absolute goodness.

I already knew my IG post would read: Hearing the excitement in my little man’s voice when he realized I would pick him up from school and we would get to come HOME made the leap of faith worth it.

I couldn’t understand this summer when my car literally fell apart and then Russ’ car fell apart and then we knew we had that big payment for my 20 week ultrasound.

I couldn’t wrap my mind around how God had called me to this and then all of these things would happen to cause us to hurt so desperately financially when we were about to go to ONE teacher salary.

And then in Sunday school, we talked about it. And it hit me. (Actually another guy brought it up and it was like…wow. So right on.) We need a plan but when we start making plans with OUR money then God shows us how easily He can take it away.

You see, I had a plan.

A distinct plan for paying off the rest of our debt to make staying home a little easier, a little more comfortable. For who? For me. For us. So I could justify.

But just like Kuy’s little devotion said this morning, if things are too easy we think we don’t need Him anymore. And y’all I need Him everyday.

So when I heard “Oceans” this morning. It wasn’t a coincidence. It was my prayer all.year.long.

Through basketball season, through this decision to stay home, through financial struggles, through grasping this new normal.

It’s funny how you remember things. It occurred to me that I’ve had a love for old houses for much longer than I remember (stay with me).

Of course, like most of my life, I had no idea this is where God would lead me because of this love and how he would weave these threads together.

I remember when I was nine or ten my aunt and uncle bought an old farmhouse and how fascinated I was. And how my mom and I would drive by and peek in the windows of another old house that stayed on the market forever.

But we never moved.

We stayed in one house for my entire life. And my parents are still there.

Doing what? Making it their own. My dad (you already know how talented he is) doing most of the work himself.

This is no coincidence. And God knew all along.

Man, if we only just let Him work.

My love for old houses ran into a love of repurposing turning into a love for writing and a love of photography…a love for ART that I did not even know I had buried…

Today, teachers went back to school and I had no regrets. Not one single regret (except I really miss my friends!).

Now, if you’re a former student please know how much I love you. And if you’re a parent of a child I taught, I am immensely grateful you shared your child with me. And if you’re my colleague, thank you. Thank you for shaping me into the wife, friend and mother that I am.

God’s masterpiece is yet to be complete, friends. He is constantly at work. More so than we can comprehend.

Because as desperately as I wanted to be home with my boys and how desperately I did not want to give up MY job and the love I had for my job, I had no idea God could combine that love for children and old homes into a career where I got to do both. Take pictures of children, write about our old house, and be home with my boys.

And now with a third on the way, wow.

His work astounds me.

It absolutely blows my mind.