All in, All done??…..SOLD!!

THAT is when the tears came. I was surprised by them, actually.

Until this point in our story, our lives, I was OK with the idea of selling our ample, beloved home and setting out across the nation to serve and encourage. I had surprisedly shed nary a tear, not even when the auction signs were pounded into the yard. But that phrase, that word, after a few short minutes of anxiously waiting and watching….auctioneer, bidder, auctioneer, bidder, auctioneer, another bidder, auctioneer….

Then, it was over. That quickly. No turning back now. Just one more milestone on our Heritage Homestead Journey. We would have thirty days to vacate, to prepare the home for its next family who would cherish the memories to be made. (And after having met them, we were confident they would do so.)

The auction didn’t go as **we** had planned, had hoped. In fact, if we’re being honest here, Mr. Patient and I had hoped for a bit of extra gravy (higher price) when the house sold. We had a price in mind that we **needed** in order to be able to afford our plans.

Did we come to terms with the selling price??

As with most of this journey thus far, we want to be open to the plans our Heavenly Father and His Spirit have for us, yielding our will to His. We don’t pretend that doing so will always be easy or comfortable or even fun.

Maybe **we** are the ones who are “SOLD!”. Well, we **should be** at least. Are we “all in, all done” for Christ? Hmmmm….that’s not an easy question to answer if we are being completely honest. I mean, for real, how many of us Believers honestly are “all in, all done” for Jesus?

I am still working on my response to that question.

Just something to think about…

Thanks for being here, ya’ll. We appreciate you.

❤️Mrs. Katie

 

 

 

 

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Walking in June and July 2018

Packing up and Heading Out

The summer of 2018 will be remembered as packing up and heading out, or at least preparing to head out.

So much preparation went into preparing the house for the auction that Mr. Patient and I  just plumb tuckered ourselves out. And the littles, too, worked diligently right alongside us completing every assigned task. There were many times when I noted that they would be ready for a well-deserved break just as us adults will be! I am not sure kids these days are expected to work as diligently as ours are, but they should be. We definitely do not buy into that kid-entitlement thing.

Our house received new paint, inside and out, new back deck, necessary repairs, cleaning up and out. We have packed, stored, trashed, shared, scrubbed, tossed, scraped, painted, removed, added and alllll the verbs that go along with preparing a home to sale. Our home wasn’t even in a terribly bad condition. I can’t imagine the added efforts and expense if it had been. Geez.

At one point in the painting process, it was clear that the littles and I could not co-exist with the ladders, drop cloths, and buckets of paint which where necessary for the men to complete the interior painting. We took that week to visit northeast Georgia and meet some Instagram friends. Our family loves Appalachia but we had never had the pleasure of traveling through that part of the region. An overnight stop at our son’s and daughter-in-law’s home was a sweet beginning to our trip. What joy for the opportunity to see how they are turning their walls into a beautiful first nest! Morgan manages the community garden, to boot. Way to go, son!

 

 

What fun times we had meeting new friends in Georgia who also blessed us with a Continue reading “Walking in June and July 2018” →

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Walking in April and May 2018

Reunions and Beginnings

Our family’s Spring of 2018 would most certainly be categorized in this way. The two months which consist of spring in our neck of the woods were filled with adventurous beginnings and precious reunions. The first week-end of April was Easter, the time when most of the world remembers with greater attention the crucifixion of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Easter is the epitome of beginnings, wouldn’t you agree? Although the littles, Mr. Patient and I took a quick trip to Mississippi to check-out the possibility of buying a used RV, we made sure we were back for Easter Sunday. What a precious gift that we were all offered, if we choose to accept! Forgiveness of sins. Although we as believers remember His death every week, isn’t it precious that we can do so with more concentration on what is believed to be the accurate time of His Sacrifice? It is kind of like celebrating that my children are alive every day but giving them extra-special attention on their birthdays.

Here are a few shots from that MS trip and Easter Sunday, as well as the videos regarding that week-end.

Traveling to MS and Update

Results of looking at RV in Mississippi (Update: After it was said and done, we probably wouldn’t recommend this place as they never Continue reading “Walking in April and May 2018” →

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To the Next Owners of Our House

July 27, 2018, the Night before our House Auction

 

Dear Next Owners of our House,

 

Twelve hours from now our lives will have taken a major turn. We will be preparing to move out of our home as you prepare to move in. This is what we wanted, what we want, but the knowing doesn’t make the transition terribly easy.

 

You see, we will have been married 29 years on July 29, the day after our house auction. For all of those years, we have lived in married housing, a small apartment, a starter home, my family’s homestead and now what is to be your new home. We moved to this house just over six years ago when my husband’s job brought us to this area. The Lord gave us the job and the house, which has been perfectly suited for our family and our needs.

 

Each house in which we have lived has been more than a house, but a home. There is a difference, you surely know. A house is Continue reading “To the Next Owners of Our House” →

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Liberty and Homegrown Tomatoes

Those of us in the United States of America are celebrating our country’s 242nd birthday today, July 4, 2018. Most are, at least.

This calendar year finds lots of Americans bothered to the point that celebrating the Independence of the colonies from England in 1776 a difficult thing to do. They are having a hard time finding the joy in our Independence when their personal worlds are in physical, emotional, spiritual, or personal bondage.

Indeed, one doesn’t have to look far to hear the true stories of folks who are marginalized, hurt, persecuted, abandoned, separated, and discouraged in this country. Many are fearing the freedoms they hold dear to be slipping away. This is true of folks on both sides of the political aisle, as well as those who are in the middle of the aisle or even riding fences. Loss of freedoms and marginalization are not simply issues reserved for one particular group of folks; this seems to be the general emotional consensus.

But, there is hope. I choose to believe people are good, generally speaking. I believe people want to be treated fairly and loved honestly. We have met a good many of them on our travels. We have hosted many, many folks in our homes through the years and heard lots of life-stories. When we boil down the busyness, pressures and aspects of humanity, it turns out we all just desire the freedom to live and love on this ball of earth the way we see fit, going about joyfully without trouble.

You want “change we can believe in” or are you interested in “making America great again”?? Okey doke, listen up, because it is simple. It costs you Continue reading “Liberty and Homegrown Tomatoes” →

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Serving Up Waffles and Hope

Have you ever left Waffle House with tears of happiness? Oh…you haven’t? So, it is just me? Hmmm…perhaps it is because the littles and I are on the tail-end of a weeklong trip without Dad to help out. We felt the need to leave home for a week as we just couldn’t co-exist with the the house painters who are readying our home for the July auction**. Surely I don’t have to tell you that my eyes are bloodshot, my body is tired and the kids are beyond ready to run and play in their own backyard. However, the trip has been a sweet time of fellowship with many dear folks.

Back to the happy tears upon leaving the Powder Springs, Georgia, Waffle House this morning. Perhaps my happiness and contentment comes from our experience at this restaurant today. I think so.

As we travel around the nation we realize this world may have its problems and brokenness but there are good people who care about others in this world. There is hope and there is strength in the goodness of Americans and humanity. When someone wakes up and goes to her job with a good attitude and works as if she is serving the Lord and not humans, then it is obvious to others and this makes the day brighter and the world more hopeful.

One of those folks who spreads that hope is Audi at Waffle House Unit #1496 in Powder Springs, GA, right outside of Hiram. Ya’ll, she cared for us as if she knew we were travel-weary. Maybe she could tell?

 

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Ms. Audi made sure the kiddos were content with coloring books and crayons while she kept my coffee hot and filled. She is a conversationalist but Continue reading “Serving Up Waffles and Hope” →

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