Today Shawn and I picked out a house we liked in the Westfield neighborhood. It was ideal for our family, even to one of the kid's bedrooms having a very large closet for my little girls who share a room. We looked at several homes, but this was really the only one close to our price range that had the space we need to host journey groups and generally use our home for ministry. We submitted an offer today and are waiting to hear back from the seller. Our financing has been approved and so now we simply wait.
I cannot begin to say how excited I am about being close to work. I can't even fathom going home between work and James's football games. Feeding my kids supper in our own kitchen instead of sandwiches in my classroom on game night will be great! Having the opportunity to host a journey group in our home makes me giddy excited. Shawn and I are already discussing doing an intensive care marriage group in the fall. We are trying to decide whether to call it Firey Friday Nights or Smokin hot Saturdays. I love the idea of being able to finally have friends over for dinner, and being able to open my home up to my kids' friends! I am also anxious to be able to invite the other area ministers and wives into my home for coffee and prayer for our city.
But whether this all goes through this time or not, I have been greatly blessed in the last 24 hours just by the response from our people. Typically in a church, the honeymoon period lasts 18 months -2 years. After that, the congregation may still love you, but the excitement has dimmed. Instead, our people are more excited now than they were three years ago. Their overwhelming desire to have us in their neighborhoods has touched my heart. I am blessed that God placed us into a situation where we are greatly loved. While I am nervous and apprehensive about the sale of our home, and buying another, I am grateful today that we are blessed to serve in an awesome community with amazing people!
