….scrambled thoughts, I think.

Wow….there’s so much going on.  Life is a bit wacky…yet exciting… right now.

The biggest and most pressing news has to do with our search for a church building.

We may have finally found one.

I wrote about this particular property a few weeks ago in a post titled “Still looking”.  There is a picture of Isaac looking through the window of the building with the post.

Things went from 15 to 185 miles an hour after we peeked in the window of said property just over two weeks ago.  Floor plans were worked, reworked and reworked again.  Lots of phone calls.  Emails.  Meetings.  And above all…prayer, prayer and more prayer.

Each step of the way, doors have continued to open for us.  The owner of the property offered to cover the considerable cost of building out the sanctuary for us.  (Which, by the way is CRAZY.  The space currently amounts to little more than a huge metal cave…it’s not even air conditioned yet.  Floors need leveling…bathrooms need installing…OH. MY.) He also offered to cap our expense of retrofitting the former audio store that would be the childrens’ ministry/fellowship hall side of the property. 

We presented the property possibility to the church last Thursday night and yesterday.  The owner graciously opened the doors for us after our service yesterday morning….so that everyone who wanted to could come tour the property.

Everyone was excited and positive….we had lots of great feedback. 

So where are we now?  Well…we PRAYING….and waiting for the final doors to open.  We are proceeding with great “fear and trembling”…and great excitement and hope.  We know that God could slam the door shut at any time….and we welcome Him to do so if this is not the right choice for our church body.  That said….we are praying and hoping that the final doors will swing open and that we will have a place for ministry that is available to us 24/7…7 days a week.

Please pray for us.  I hope to be able to post an answer very soon….

Our little adventure for the day was a trip to Cypress Gardens. We have annual passes, thanks to my parents.

We watched the water ski show and rode some rides. (I closed my eyes and tried not to yak when we rode on the carousel. This from the chick who will ride ANY roller coaster, any day. I know…it’s weird. I just don’t do circles. 200 feet up in the air heading straight down (ie. ShieKra, Busch Gardens)? Awesome. Merry-go-round? Barf. But I digress….)

For us, no visit to Cypress Gardens would be complete without a trip to the model train display and gift shop. We hit that twice.

Here’s Noah playing “conductor” on the kiddie train….

It is BEAUTIFUL here in Central Florida today.  I cannot possibly stay indoors, so I’m going to take the boys out….I don’t even know where yet….but we’re outta here. 

Thankfully, I was able to do a lot of cleaning and organizing yesterday.  I even finished preparing for our tax appointment with our accountant.  Woo-hoo.

So…we’re off to enjoy the sunshine. 

I’ll try to post pictures of our adventure later….

Elisabeth Elliot is one of my favorite Christian authors/speakers.  She has a delightfully direct way about her…speaking the truth with no “ifs, ands or buts”. 

Here’s part of one of her devotionals that really spoke to me….

Title: Outlandish Teachings

Author: Elisabeth Elliot

“There is no end to the new methods offered for success, self-realization, fulfillment, understanding, and happiness. Seminars, conferences, and workshops abound. Go to so-and-so, get counseling, a new exercise program, a new diet, another degree, job, husband, house, color scheme. If it’s new, it’s good.”

“Jesus Christ is the same, yesterday, today, and forever. “Do not be swept off your course by all sorts of outlandish teachings; it is good that our souls should gain their strength from the grace of God” (Heb 13:8,9 NEB).

“Fixity of heart is a rare thing and probably always has been. It is easier to follow after the world in its futile pursuit of happiness, simply because we are like sheep and we go astray. To stay quietly by the Shepherd seems harder, but in the end we find there (and nowhere else) our soul’s real strength.”

……

….”fixity of heart”….I love that phrase.  I confess to having a hard time with that sometimes.  When circumstances swirl around me in ways that I didn’t anticipate….when Noah has an “off” day….when I keep praying and praying and praying for God to change a situation, seemingly to little avail….it’s just hard.  BUT….I am learning that there is profound truth in that last sentence….that “to stay quietly by the Shepherd” is where I find my “soul’s real (and I will add ONLY) strength.”

May you find “fixity of heart” today and truly know the comfort of staying “quietly by the Shepherd”.