May Day wishes to you!
I posted this picture late last night and was way too tired to write anything before now. As I type it is Wednesday and I am wide awake.
This is a picture of answered prayer. There's a story behind this picture of this farm house.
Four years ago, at the end of April we signed a rental agreement on this old farmhouse. We lived here for two years before purchasing the old stone house we're living in now.
This country house was a dream come true. Praise the LORD, HE provided such a nice country house for us to live in for a time. For twenty years, I had dreamed of living in the country. Twenty years...in my books, that's a long time. I had never lived in the country before and had wanted to see if I'd like it. One set of Grandparents were country dwellers and as a child when we'd go to visit, I'd get a taste of the country air.
As children, Mom and Dad had both lived in the country and knew the hardships of being poor and struggling. After they married, they were pleased to live in a small town where there were some comforts that weren't in the country. They enjoyed small town living and raised their children in one. I have wonderful and fond memories of where I grew up. I was blessed to have had a CHILDHOOD that was an actual childhood where I wasn't forced to grow up too quickly. I give my Parents the credit for such a sweet childhood.
As I get older and wiser, I see through different eyes the blessings my Parents gave me. It wasn't all due to a small town, but their strong characters with integrity and a respect for a Holy God mixed with what they had gone through as children themselves. Their own good choices and godly decisions created the kind and honorable people they were and are.
When my husband and I decided to finally go looking for a place to live in the country, there had been five deaths of family and friends within a year. The next year a very dear College Instructor friend of ours suddenly died...I cried out, "Are we just going to talk about living in the country or actually go do it?"
We started looking and the LORD blessed us with this country rental. When we walked around the outside of the house before seeing the inside, I excitedly said, "Oh let's rent it!!!"
We were working on preparing to sell our mortgaged house so we could get into a larger house. We would have two shelter payments until our house sold. This was tough, but we did it.
We did it for close to 6 months. Do I know how to scrimp and make ends meet? I believe that we can learn during our challenges as we walk through them. I have a few tricks up my sleeve.
The Landlord had had the interior of the house completely repainted. The house was fresh and clean when we signed a rental agreement on The first of May! It's our 4th Anniversary of having found the beautiful rental. Now, she's a memory.
We were allowed to see what country living was like in a beautiful old farm house that I miss even today. At times I lament over her, but have to come back to reality that we are where we are now. We were allowed to experience a 'DREAM COME TRUE.'
Now another 'DREAM COME TRUE' is being lived out. Our old stone house is answered prayer as well. My husband had wanted to live in a rock house for over two decades. Here we are!
Have a very BLESSED May Day that's fast approaching. We aren't to live in the past, but bringing to remembrance sweet memories is a BLESSING to relive over and over.
Bringing to remembrance the PROMISES of GOD is something that's allowed and encouraged. There are times that we will need to speak out loud the promises and remember HIS benefits. This will encourage us. If you've lived long enough, you know that there are times that nobody else will encourage us when we need it and we can encourage ourselves in time of need.
Psalm 103: 1-5
1. BLESS the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.
2. Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:
3. Who forgiveth all thine iniquities;
who heals all thy diseases;
4. Who redeemeth thy life from description; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies;
5. Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's.
May we give God the glory when good things come our way and dreams are materialized.
May your MAY DAY be a BLESSED one that you can embrace and enjoy that contributes to you being a sweeter person in your Home Haven.
God richly Bless you,
Deanna
