I have had many unexpected rushes of emotions the past few months with the sale of our home of 17 years and a move to our temporary housing situation while we wait to build a home nearby. Still, I thought I had reached the end of these unexpected emotions. Then came Black Friday.
As I opened my Facebook page, there were many pictures of happy families decorating their trees and homes for Christmas. My eyes filled with tears; normally I would be posting similar pictures. But not this year. This year 99% of my Christmas decorations are in storage. My dear daughter, Kelli, comforted me this past summer as I wept while we boxed up the decorations. I kept one box back and opened it this morning.
As I looked through the few favorite ornaments and saw the 4 tumblers, anticipating a small Christmas dinner, I longed for the familiar, the predictable, my own home, an evening of Christmas music surrounded by family decorating our tree. My heart needed deliverance and rescue.
My thoughts took me to Mary 2,000 years ago. As she was riding the donkey to Bethlehem, I would imagine she was longing for similar things. I would imagine she longed for the familiar, the predictable, her own home, her own traditions. But here she was, trusting her husband in this crazy journey to Bethlehem. She was trusting the wildness of God for this miraculous, unimaginable new life about to burst forth from her womb. Something about a Savior. Something about a promise of deliverance and rescue.
So as I anticipate this Christmas, not knowing exactly where we will be, who we will be with, I am trusting the wildness of God for our future. Yes, I long for our new home, but more than that, I long for my heart to be at home with Trinity no matter where this crazy new journey They have set me upon leads to. Something about a Savior. Something about a promise of deliverance and rescue.
Come, thou long expected Jesus, born to set Thy people free…
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Kathy Ford now lives in, of all places, Comfort, Texas along with her husband and their dog. She wants to be known first of all as a follower of Jesus as she clings to Him as the anchor of her soul. Her desire is that her legacy will be that she never stopped hoping. Kathy enjoys traveling, sewing, biking, walking, but most of all, luscious, lingering conversations over delicious meals at a café with iced tea. Her greatest loves are her husband, son, daughter-in-law, grandson, daughter and her fiancé. You will often find her scheming and dreaming of her next adventure.
I am so familiar with the pain of being displaced coming into the holidays….wondering, the loss, the ache all running alongside gratitude for God’s faithfulness in the midst of it. My heart is with you friend.
I remember so well the year we had to move in with my parents -with three young children, and feeling so grateful for them yet longing at the same time for a home of our own. Praying for your heart !