A return

God has brought us back to flipping furniture.

I posted about it on our blog: https://hopestreasurechest.wordpress.com/2022/08/05/welcome-back/

God has continued to surprise me.

Isaiah 55:8 KJV — For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.

The longer I live the more I see how true those words are.

As a very young couple with an infant, I couldn’t understand what God was doing when my husband got layed-off.

Yet, it was through the struggles and disappointments of that season which solidified my husband’s career in the wood products industry.

When we had been excited and expecting to get pregnant with another baby to give our daughter a sibling and it wasn’t happening, I had to give up my desire for a large family.

Then, God blessed us with not only another baby but two more after her.

I had to let go of everything I had cling to for “security” when the Lord called us to leave our families and home.

Yet, the fruit of that surrender is still alive and growing through beautiful relationships we would never have made otherwise.

After two separate seasons of my health collapsing, I had to release my dreams of “the future”.

Through these, God has taught me to enjoy the moment, and to find pleasure in the process, rather than always looking forward to a different time or better, easier path.

And He has been restoring my health, slowly, and I’m enjoying the ability to do things I never thought I’d be able to do again.

So, when God reopened the door for us to restore or remake furniture, I was surprised, but pleased.

These past weeks of working with our son on different pieces has been a pleasure.

We look at pictures of others’ projects and discuss the possibilities of the items God has given us.

He’s learning how to look a piece over and see if it’s worth the time and effort.

He has experienced the frustration of having to sand the same piece down more than once because something went wrong with the finish.

We also have sat together looking over the expenses, figuring the price we need to sell a piece for to cover our costs and make a little money.

He has been learning the boundaries of money management, as we can only spend what we have set aside.

I hadn’t thought of these things, but I love how God is using our son’s desire to teach us both and to remind me that I can always trust in the Sovereignty of God.

And the Lord passed before him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and the children’s children to the third and the fourth generation.”
Exodus 34:6‭-‬7 NKJV

Dear Lord Jesus,

Thank You for Your Word. Thank You for being so high above us. Thank You for being holy and loving. Lord, it’s wonderful that we can find all that is worthwhile in You. From You alone we find peace, joy, love, patience, kindness, gentleness, faithfulness, compassion, truth, wisdom, and salvation. Lord, our perspective is flawed, because we see through our fallen state, sin taints us and our understanding is darkened by it. Yet, You shine through that to bring us grace and mercy. You love us so much You died for us! Lord Jesus, You alone understand how all things are working towards good for those called according to Your purposes. You have created all, it’s only natural we should look to You for direction and instruction. Lord, please continue to teach me how to rest in Your will, to be quick to listen, diligent in obedience, and patient in the execution. For You know I am unable to do these things without You. My own strength fails, but in You I am able to walk through any circumstance. Thank You! How I love You, Jesus. Amen.

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