I Finally Let It All Go

Our new renters move in in one week. We still had the kitchen table & Chairs, Desk & Hutch, and Wall System at the old house. I've been holding on to these things because I REALLY LOVE them and wanted so badly to make them work for our new apartment. But they won't. I knew that but I couldn't let them go. So finally on Friday when we were going to go over to the house to finish up some odds & ends, I decided to list them all on Craigslist. I thought well, if they sell, then I wasn't meant to keep them. Since I was on a roll, I also listed two Pottery Barn black bookcases, our bed and dresser and both girls bedroom sets. Immediately on Friday I got emails about one bedroom set, the desk set, wall system, and black bookcases. On Saturday half of them were gone. On Sunday the kitchen table & chairs as well as the black bookcases were gone. Now all that is left is K#2's bedroom set and our bedroom set. God is good when you are faithful. I need to rely on HIM and not my stuff....

Superstar listed 3 things on Craigslist for her first time tonight. She has multiple offers on ALL 3 items! God is good when you are faithful and let it all go .....

Shrewd as Snakes but as Innocent as Doves

So I'm reading my Beth Moore (A Woman's Heart - God's Dwelling Place) homework today. Not a good thing to do when you are tired but when there is A LOT of reading to do and I"m behind, I had to do it while I could steal the time. So here's what I'm reading about today:

Matt 10:16 "I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as dove." NICE!

"Maintaining purity in ministry is the result of nothing less than deliberate devotion. For those really fulfilling their calling of evangelism and ministry, purity is neither easy nor accidental. We must guard our minds and put on our armor. A war wages out there. And we are Satan's favorite prisoners."

Then she asks:

IN the world but not OF the world. As shrewd as snakes but as innocent as doves.

ARE YOU UP TO IT? I don't know if I am but I sure as heck am planning to give it all that I've got. With HIS help of course!

Coveting at IKEA

The Kelly girls were off of school today so we all took a field trip to IKEA. It's about 30 minutes from our house so we planned it to take up a good portion of the day.

This was our first trip to IKEA. It's been around here since last year but I really didn't need anything that I couldn't get from Bed, Bath, & Beyond or on-line for that matter. I really prefer to shop on-line whenever possible. Shipping charges are usually worth it to me. I not only save on gas but I save on taking the girls shopping. With or without a stroller, it's always a hassle. PLUS, I really didn't NEED anything anyways.

BUT with our pending move and being part of the Relocation Team, I thought I had an obligation to go check the place out for ideas : ) Boy was it ever FUN! Storage heaven. I sure do love me some new storage containers. An organized junkie's heaven for sure. We only stayed about 2.5 hours but we saw most of the showroom which was what we wanted to do. They showed how you could live in less than 550 square feet! After seeing that, I can do 700 EASY! I honestly want to simply and this is going to force me to. If it wasn't for homeschooling, I could probably even par down more. But I do like book and crafts .....

So my dilemma: do I sell just about everything we have and start from scratch or try to make what we already have just work? I think I know the right answer but shopping for all NEW stuff (even if only new off of craigslist) sure would be fun : )

I already know we are not taking any of the girls bedroom sets. We need to get them lofts so they can all fit and still have a few inside toys. We might not take ours either if our dresser doesn't fit into our bedroom. Then we will need to get a bed with drawers underneath it.

Here's the most pressing issue. We already have the Pottery Barn Madison Wall System (I did sell part of it), Bookcase, and Desk with Hutch (partially pictured here in white). But I could sell it and not have to worry about storing it in the meantime and then moving it OR I could keep it and make it work. IKEA host LOTS of other options that I'd just love to get. What do you think?

Proud Mamma

Well let me start by pointing out that just 4 months ago both DD#1 (pictured here) and I were TERRIBLY allergic to cats. Within one month of having Trinity, we were both immune.

Now on to my post. Normally DD#1 doesn't tell me much. She loves to talk when we are one on one. But if say she comes out of dance or gymnastics and I ask how was it, she responds with good. That's it. Nothing more. She has always done this, even while in pres-school.

Well now today she gets home and is having her bedtime snack. She asks "do we go to Troy Main campus?" I respond with Yes we do. She then says "Ms. Jen was asking me a lot of questions tonight." This is odd that she just starts to share anything about gymnastics, let alone talk about church! So I of course say "What was Ms. Jen asking you about." And she replies with "Lots of stuff about church and NYC. She goes to Troy Main Campus at Kensington too." I said, "Why did that come up?" Her response is "Because I had to give her your note today and you told her we were moving to NYC so she asked me why we were doing that and I said to start a church so then she started asking me questions about church and NYC." WOW! That is so unusual for her to share not only with me but with another adult too. She is very shy (Except when she is on stage) and was very open. I'm so PROUD of her!

The House

All in HIS timing, right?

The House IS rented! On Sunday we met with a wonderful couple that has 6 month old twin daughters to sign a 12 month lease on the house! We are still going to have to subsidize the lease by covering the taxes but the rental income will cover both mortgages on it. PRAISE the Lord! That was such a relief to me....

I showed the house to them on Friday prior. They currently live in CA and were in town only for the week-end to find a home because the husband's taking a job transfer effective the first week of April. This was the first and only time I showed the house. The dozen other times that it was shown, my Man handled it. The whole rental thing makes me REALLY anxious so he said he would handle it. I really liked the wife on the phone and was going to be in the area on Friday afternoon anyway so I agreed to meet them. I had a wonderful feeling about them right off the bat. I truly believe GOD brought them to us. They were the right couple for our home.

"29And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother^[f] or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life." (Matt 19:29)

Homeschooling

Somedays I wonder if my choice to homeschool the girls is really in their best interest. I pray that one day I will have peace with it. There was recently a ruling in CA that decided that homeschooling was NOT a constitutional right! I'm glad I don't live there! Check out this video and you'll see my point of view:

Animal School

GLORY TO GOD!

Just when I was crying out to HIM this morning in the shower, about to burst with frustrations, not sure I could take this anymore, WE HAVE RENTERS! Well, we have their application, that is good enough for me. I know the lease will follow. I had a REALLY good feeling about them yesterday. A few more things to get out of the old house but they don't want in for a few week so we have some time. I LOVE HIM!! I couldn't stop thanking HIM ALL DAY LONG! I just read this too:

"Many, O Lord my God, are Your wonderful works which You have done!" Ps. 40:5

"I am the Lord; that is My Name! I will not give My glory to another or My praise to idols...Let them give glory to the Lord and proclaim His praise...!" Is. 42:8,12

HE IS AWESOME! Everything seems so small now.

That was our GREAT news this week. On top of that, The Kallens are on fire! Both boys were accepted into their first choice schools, Keith starts a temp job on Monday and probably has a perm job lined up to follows that, AND they might have someone to buy their house.

As if that wasn't enough, T$ is on his way to NYC in a few weeks for TWO interviews, one of which is IN Gramercy Park! How cool is that? Their house keeps getting showings so I know it is just a matter of time before it sells.

GOOD IS GOOD! HE IS SO VERY, VERY GOOD!

Wordless Wednesday

Praise the Lord for the Kellys'!