YOU TELL ME

 Do you ever wonder if you made the right decision? You know have a true sign, like yes! Sometimes we step out in faith, looking for that peace we pray for or sometimes we just clearly see it's the right thing to do.

I'll explain.

In the cold vortex winter in February 2019 (I live in Chicago area) we got the call a offer was made on our house. We excepted the offer and began question will this really be the buyer? Where do we go? I had refused to look. We had looked for two years while our house would not sell. You begin to ask yourself, why put an offer on a house if you house is not selling? 

My son looks up houses in an area we didn't even consider in the two year process. We pray. Houses come up with criteria that we would like this time around. We drive by just a few, after all it's freezing out and did I mention I am in a medical boot for a torn tendon in my ankle? 

On that day we looked my husband decides instead of looking at the current listings why not go back a bit in the listings, and then one house popped up with our criteria. As we read through it, yes, it has this and that, check check check. Crazy! At the moment I was tired of even thinking about it and said to God really are you going to make this easy for us. This long journey...look at a couple of houses and buy. Not even knowing all of the neighborhoods. You know not doing alot of research or homework. Would that be dumb? Dumb as it was to the natural eyes of house buying people, we looked at the house and bought it!

I'm going to fast forward to now quarantine 2020, I'm outside and meet a neighbor, the conversation of where did we come from, what brings us here...blah, blah, blah. She talks about the things she does, like fundraising for the fine arts center down my block, which I already signed up for classes at. Can you believe I can ride my bike there? The most revealing part of our conversation was she mentions have you heard that around here we get quite of few sandhill cranes. I thought what? I love sandhill cranes! If you know in the past 3 years its my greatest adventure to go to Nebraska during March to see the mass migration of sandhill cranes. I'm like wow! 

I continue down the block on my walk and come to the intersection Crane Rd. and Crane St. Do you every pass by or see something daily and never really think about what you are seeing? WELL, that is what I did? For one year living in this neighborhood I never ever questioned why the main road I have to take to get to my street is called "CRANE RD."! Why? Because that area sees CRANES! Walking distance from my house is Primrose Farm and that land sights Sandhill cranes quite frequently!

This revelation was like duh, hit yourself on the forehead! What the...

So the other day driving I saw them! I posted pic below. This is crazy, I stopped and observed and videoed and screamed with delight! Is it safe to say this was the confirmation I needed that we are certainly in the right place. A for such a time is this moment. This is where God has placed us!

YOU TELL ME!

I always like the Ferris Bueller saying, "Life moves pretty fast, if you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it."

Is that a statement I could find in the bible? The bible has this verse, "What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul  Mark 8:36 NIV? This is my favorite question in the bible!

If we don't stop and look around at who God is and why that matters for now and eternity...we miss a great part of ourselves, which is our soul! Understanding and wisdom is lost. What's the purpose!

Do you have just pause to ask such an important question?

To emphasize the point I'm making is in life a sign could be right in front of our faces and we could miss it because we don't stop, pause and ask important questions! In my case, why is the street named Crane? It was a great question to ask because it points directly to my prayer in February of 2020, "Lord will you make moving this easy for me? Make it clear."

YOU TELL ME!

Let's pray:

God life does move pretty fast let me not miss the important that you are trying to point out to me. Amen.

Another similar statement in the bible that confirms with what I'm saying, "Yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring, What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. James 4:14 ESV"

OH GNATS!

 After four weeks of battling the gnats in my kitchen, I was angry, fed up and ready to leave my home.

Crazy out cry! Right?

This message developing right in my own kitchen coincides with my life and faith. 

Let me explain.

Here is what I was not doing about the multiplication of gnats whirling in my home.

I was not reading up on them and what the experts say about them.

I was sinking in hopelessness, just accepting what was happening.

Until...I realized it was affecting my focus...and then I was like, I'll pray about this.

I want to admit that praying for gnats seemed like a crazy thing...until I did and my attitude began to change. What happened is my thoughts started to be more productive...like...look up gnats and what to do about them.

After prayer, then research, I made up a concoction of trap filled with liquid to lure them in.

Next I sat and thought where are they nesting? All to say, finally, I remembered our recent breakdown of  our trash compactor. When we opened it we discover month old trash. It became a he said/she said they would empty it kind of deal! Friends!, after discovering millions of gnats in it...we got that compactor out of the house and now we are dealing with the remnant. I telling you, upon discovering this and taking action...there was new hope...relief that the end of the critters was in sight. Till I woke up the next day to that not being all gone. I went into despair again. Feelings of giving up!  All to realize that I disappointedly celebrated a bit to soon and put many of the traps away to soon. I got the energy to put the traps back and wait. I did notice they were getting easier to catch, they were slowing down. 

Isn't life just like this when a struggle comes, we cower and give in. The enemy just loves that. The bugs just love that. They are thriving!

Reading my bible, praying, being with other likeminded friends all help to combat the struggle, the bug, lol! Staying fit and alert, helps the battle!

Despair is not an option!

The moments when I did the research, moved into action and saw results were hopeful and joyous. I am not going to be defeated by some bugs/struggles! 

The set back of them not being 100% gone and the recurring feelings that accompanied that was eye opening for me. 

It's a journey of faith and I must remain in the faithful, hopeful camp!

When I step our of the practice, I am filled with thoughts of giving up. 

I know I am talking about stinking bugs, buts there is so many similarities I could see the correlation between me and trusting. Praying about everything! Realizing God wants to be in my life. He helped my thoughts along! He helped me find the remedy. I don't have to go on a rollercoaster with God. With God it is a much more steady ride. He gave us the Holy Spirit to coast! I can coast with God!

Please step out with me and validate me that God is in the small and in seeing that we realize that He can be in the big! 

I thought of this in the end as the bugs are getting slower...as satan knows...the bugs know their time is short!

Pray with me:

God thank you for growing, showing me that way to go. You are faithful to show me. Amen.

Path is in the bible 77 instances.

The verse, "Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive and your joy will be complete John 16:24 NIV."

Assurance of answered prayer! 

Beloved friends! God wants us to have our armor up and ready to use. Prayer being huge! In this day and time, talk to him about everything!

Amen!