Coping with Curveballs and Less than One Week Left

We have less then a week left in Western NY!   Where has the time gone?!   The past couple weeks have been very busy.

God seems to be constantly saying, "Trust me!   I've got this."   I've frequently thought of Abraham after first leaving his home and arriving in the Land of Canaan in Genesis 12.   God tells him to leave his land and relatives and to travel with his wife to a land God will eventually show him.   The passage doesn't really give a lot of detail, but I can only imagine how Abraham's conversion unfolded with family and friends as he shared God's plan.   I can only imagine his times of doubt and worry in the middle of the night.   But he goes.   He arrives, builds an altar, and praises God, calling on the Lord by name.   Happy ending.   Oh wait.   No.   There is a curveball.   The very next line, beginning in verse 10, reads, "There was a famine in the land."   Come on, God!   That's not fair!   Couldn't they have a little milk and honey?  Didn't Abraham follow Your command?   Wasn't he obedient to Your calling?   You led and showed Abraham the land, and then there is a famine.  In fact it is a pretty bad one.   "So Abram went down to Egypt to sojourn there, since the famine in the land was severe."   And God is saying, "Trust me!  I've got this.  Maybe this wasn't part of plan that I shared with you, but it is still part of my plan.   I have led you this far.   I'm not going to let you fall.   I will not abandon you."   And God brings even more blessings into Abraham's life, blessings that he would never have received had there not been a famine and went to Egypt. 

I am willing to bet, that had God told Abraham more, Abraham may not have said yes.  "Go and lead your family to the land I will show you (etc.) and when you get there, there will be a famine, a really bad one.   You will not be able to settle down, in fact you will have to keep on moving and go to Egypt, and I will give you even more blessings."

And then Abraham said, "Ummm....  I'm not a big fan of that follow You to a Promise Land, only to have it full of famine, and having to leave.   I have an idea...  let's do it this way...  hows 'bout I stay here with my extended family, in my comfort zone, till the famine is over, and then I'll go down.  Oh God, yeah, that makes a lot more sense."

Hmmm.... I wonder why God didn't tell Abraham about that little curveball.

Needless to say, we have encountered a good number of curveballs in the past several months,   Family losses, illnesses, home buyers falling through, etc.   God is telling us, "Trust me.  I've got this.   I have always had this.   I didn't tell you earlier about it, because I didn't want you to say no.   I didn't want you to say no to Me and the blessings I have in store for you and others.   This is not a passive-aggressive approach that I am entitled to as deity, because the purpose is not a particular utilitarian end or a manipulated outcome, but a relationship with Me.   I desire to call you more deeply into My love, to know just how far you can trust in me.   I am your safety net, not your plans or your sense of control, not your intelligence, your jobs, your income.   Be still and know that I am God.   I am the one with you in the boat tossed by wind and waves.   I am the one kneeling by you in the agony of your gardens.   I am the one that gave you this morning's sun rise, that sent that phone call with encouragement, that put the smile on the face of your loved one that warms your heart."

Where are the curve balls in your life?   Where is God telling you, "Trust me.   I've got this"?   Please share with us, so we can pray for you!   Comment below or send us a message/ prayer request.   For the past several months we have been writing down people's prayer requests in a journal.   Everyday we pray for all the names and intentions listed in that book.

So here are some updates and our upcoming plans...

After our previous buyers fell through, we had an open house on August 7.   The following day, we had an offer.   The day after, an inspection.   Two days later, the bank did their inspection.   We have an estimated closing date of mid-September.   And the price...  exactly what we have been asking God for in prayer.

We finally got everything out of our house.   All of our belongings fit in the small Amish shed that sits on my parent's property minus a couple things that we are keeping in their house.   Everything else has either been sold or donated.

Thank you to everyone who came to the Praise and Worship Night on August 10!   It is always a blessing to praise our loving God with you.   We want to thank St. Gregory the Great for hosting the event and for Patrick in maintenance in helping with the set up.   Thank you Kevin, Jeff, Carrie, Dan and Tom for sharing your musical talents with us!   It is always a grace filled joy to work and pray with you!   Thank you spouses, families, and friends who brought snacks and refreshments!   Thank you Sarah for putting together the flyer and bookmarks with our information.

My parents have return from their 6 week / 500 mile trip hiking the Camino across northern Spain.   They come full of stories and encounters with Christ on the trail, at meals, going over mountain peaks and down into dark valleys.   Their hearts burned within them with each act of generosity, kindness, coincidence and blessing that seemed to be sent their way by a loving Father joyfully leaving gifts to be discovered by His precious children.

Days have been filled trying to get time in with family and friends.  It is impossible to place priorities of time spent with some over others.   We wish we had more time to spend with everyone.   It has been hard having to limit play dates, cups of coffee, and meals with so many dear friends.

We have been getting well-visits and check-ups in with doctors, dentists, optometrists, and mechanics.   Plans and preparations are underway for packing and traveling with enough clothes for a family of 7.

On Sunday, August 28, there will be a commissioning mass at 12:30 pm at St. Gregory the Great Parish in Williamsville, NY.   The family will receive a blessing from the parish and Aron (8 years old) will receive his First Communion.   We are so excited that Aron gets to receive this spiritual nourishment in Eucharist as we are sent forth.

Tuesday, August 30 we leave Western New York and will spend the rest of the week visiting Maria's family in southern Ohio.   Labor Day Weekend we will join more of Maria's family in Indianapolis as we celebrate the wedding of her cousin, John, and Sarah.

After the wedding, we will spend some family time traveling down to Louisiana and the headquarters of Family Missions Company.   Training (AKA Intake) begins Monday, September 12.   We plan on moving in and settling in a couple days prior.

We look forward to continuing to share our journey with you.   Our goal is continue to write blogs on roughly a weekly basis.