Moving Day

Today we move into our 'new' house. New to us of course. We are excited to have a place to call 'home' and a place to put all our stuff.

I've discovered though that it wasn't so hard living out of a couple of suitcases (literally) for a month. We have all the necessities and just recycle clothes over and over again. Really, we don't need much. It seems to me that this Gensheer clan values space much more than stuff. What we value shone through though our house search. We wanted the kids to have space to be on their own if they wanted to. A big dining room table so we could eat with people. An extra room so we could have people sleep over. A easily accessible bathroom so our guests can use it. Outdoor space so we can grill out and feed people when they come over. "We don't have enough seating!" cried Chris. "Where are people going to sit?" We still don't have an answer to that question - Chris is particularly been coveting some leather chairs from Pottery Barn and I told him he might have to wait a WHILE for those.

What is encouraging when we step back and look at this process is that we are really doing what God has called us to do. It's not just a personality outgoing thing or a duty thing, it's a delight thing to be able to give of ourselves to eternal souls. Chris has LOVED every minute of his job and is so full of energy when he gets to pastor people. All those student loans were not in vain after all!

Yesterday I found out I won't be able to use the garage as a playroom because of mice - very bummed. But the Lord knew that, right? Which means, he'll provide space elsewhere (fingers crossed). I think having a couple of interior decorators stop by today will be a huge help in helping us place stuff. I think I'm having a love/hate relationship with perspective - it keeps me sane on one hand but poses such a threat to deadening my heart on the other. I'm really dissappointed about the garage and that's ok. I just don't want to stay there forever. I heard a friend once say, "You can let birds fly over your head, just don't let them make a nest in your hair."

People here have been sooooo generous and kind - someone gave us $500 because they thought 'we might need it'! YES WE DO! We're spending it today to pay for a used washer/dryer. Praise the Lord I won't have to go to the laundromat with 3 kids - I just had visions of Alex 'helping' Jack into the dryer! Someone gave us Perler Beads that have provided hours of entertainment for Maya. Someone is giving us some outdoor toys for Jack. Another person is giving us a kids table and a BUNCH of Legos for Alex. Someone sold me some Playmobils for the kids at a ridicoulous price. Someone has taken us out to lunch, someone has invited us over for dinner, someone has given us free ice-cream coupons, someone has let us stay in their house for almost a month and eat their food, someone is giving us a fireplace screen....we are SO thankful that the Lord has brought the 'someones' into our lives. May we be a blessing to others as we have been blessed by them.