Confessions of a Peace Lover...

The first-born has left the nest. I know that's the goal in having and raising kids, but it is still a very strange feeling for this mama. Stranger than the first day of kindergarten, stranger than the first solo drive after they get their license, even stranger than moving them to college. This makes it so official, our very first baby is growing up.

The day before the big move my blog about James 1:2-3 posted - the one about considering it a gift when you receive trials. Well, as you might well have guessed, God allowed a few trials in the moving day, perhaps to allow me to see if I've learned from His word?

Trial #1 - we had been told of a mattress store that was going out of business in the Columbus area and since a mattress and box spring were on the list of needed items we went a little out of our way to check things out. Guess what? They're closed each Wednesday. OK, that's alright. We'll find another mattress store somewhere. Columbus is a BIG city. And perhaps our little detour simply saved us from a scrape that could have happened elsewhere? (consider it a gift.consider it a gift..)

Trial #2 - upon arrival at the apartment complex we began to unload the car (which was SO full I held a packed laundry basket on my lap for the entire 2 hour trip =) and then, in order to put things away a little quicker, we decided I would give the closets and cupboards a quick wipe down.and immediately noticed there was no hot water to clean with. Obviously the gas hot water heater was not heating properly. No problem, Leah called the office and maintenance was there within 5 minutes. We all assumed the pilot light had gone out and needed to be re-lit. Which led us to...

Trial #3 - it wasn't a pilot light issue. The gas company had turned off the gas due to non-payment from the past tenant...oops...easily fixed.in the next 24 hours. Again, no problem, except it was a nice hot moving day, so a shower would be needed that evening. To her credit Leah handled it with grace.

Trial #4 - we loaded the dishwasher as we unpacked the kitchen items. Pretty standard stuff.unpack, put item in dishwasher, run dishwasher when full.except the dishwasher leaked...heavy sigh...Leah called the front office again, and, again, a maintenance man was at our door within 5 minutes.

Needless to say, we got to know the two maintenance men pretty well over the next few hours. And you know what - it WAS a gift! I was able to ask questions of them that I would have otherwise just wondered about. Questions about security, snow removal, some maintenance issues, AND we found out that the head maintenance man travels to our little neck of the woods several times a year with his wife - and loves to eat at the restaurant Leah use to work at. Small world isn't it!

I'd love to tell you that the trials ended at that point.but God wasn't finished giving us gifts just yet.

Trial #5 - Leah grabbed her keys and we left the apartment to go mattress shopping (again) and pick up those items that you need when starting up housekeeping. When we got back a few hours later, after 5PM I might add, she realized she'd grabbed the wrong key - and we were locked out. Leah looked at me and said "I'm going to cry", I said "you better call the front office first and see if anyone is still there"...and someone was! YEA!!! Leah finally got to meet the owner of the voice she'd been talking to all day. Yeah, we'll consider that a gift.

Trial #6 was happening at about the same time as #5. Hubby was headed down with the truck and the big items that needed unloaded - and got caught in rush hour traffic.

And trial #7 was unfolding.the "muscle-man" who was going to help unload the couch had a longer day of work than anticipated and wasn't going to be able to make it to help. Ok, so the three of us, Brian, Leah, and I, together can be the "muscle-team" right? Oh yeah. (Remember, due to physical therapy I HAVE been doing arm exercises! Yup, a [singular] five pound weight is a part of my daily exercise routine.=)

But God had it all worked out. At almost the same time that Brian was arriving, another car was pulling up to the apartment complex, a car with two young men (we found out later that one of them is Leah's next door neighbor), who were dressed alike (ok, that's a little, um, interesting.). One of the young men asked if we were moving the couch - and could he help?...HELLO...you WANT to help move this big couch up a flight of steps with a u-turn in it? YYYYYEEEESSSSSSS!!! He and Brian had it up the steps and into the apartment in no time. Maybe even faster than the three of us could have done it...ok, a lot faster than the 3 of us could have done it!

While we were saying our thank you's I happened to glance at what I'd figured out was their work uniforms...they said "Med-Flight"...Leah's next door neighbor is, in my book, a "Rescue Hero". That was a pretty cool gift!

So moving day came and went, the dust has settled, and Leah is ready to take on her new career as a high school business teacher.

But God wasn't finished with me yet. This past Sunday, the Circle of Friends worship team was invited to sing at a local church. Guess what scripture the Pastor used...yeah, James 1:2-4. I laughed - out loud - when he gave it, and when he explained that "our maturity is measured by our response to change" I smiled.

Yes, Leah is growing up.and so is her mama.

Until next time.
Beth