Company Move: Blog Entry 8

Company Move: Blog Entry 8
Writing on Walls, Marina Bromley

About 12 years ago we had an accident in our home, flooding most of the rooms. Our insurance company was great to get a restoration company out to help clean up the mess and dry the carpeting, but we didn't know that this new-to-us home had years of pets "doing their business" on the floors, and the carpeting and padding had to be torn out, the concrete cleaned (THAT wasn't fun!), and new flooring put in most of the house. Before we had the flooring installed, we wrote scriptures around the rooms on the cleaned concrete. It was memorable for us to do it, and I knew that if I ever built a house (or replaced the flooring again) I'd want to do it again. Well...here we are!

Back in the day I asked friends for their favorite scriptures, and I made sure to get them all in. Now that we are building a home, I knew there were favorites I wanted to write down, but also wanted verses that were relevant to certain rooms and places within the home. I was able to find a few websites that had done this before, combined with my own scripture references, and a few favorite quotes. I ended up with SIX PAGES of size 14 font scriptures! With the oppressive Kentucky heat, I knew that it was going to be a chore to get it written out, but I also know that nothing good comes easy...so with a new set of permanent markers, Mark and I started off in the cool of our Friday evening, writing out verses in our room, and over the entrance to the home.

Saturday morning I was able to meet a long-time friend there at the homesite, and she helped write out the rest of them. What a great memory it made and I regret not getting a photo of us writing them out! Oh well, we have the pictures of some of the words, and we enjoyed a time of prayer and spontaneous worship before we left. 

If anyone is interested in the print-out of the scriptures that we used, feel free to email me at marinajbromley(at)gmail(dot)com. I'm happy to email you the document, so you can use it as the foundation of your house-blessing as you build (or refloor) your home. 

Happy home-building!

#marinaskitchentable #theworkaholicswife #buildingahome #companymove #writetheword #houseblessing

Company Move: Blog Entry 7

Company Move: Blog Entry 7

Eight years ago we were preparing to leave Kentucky for Arkansas (Henderson to Fayetteville), and six years ago we were leaving Fayetteville to head back to Kentucky (back to Henderson!). I forgot how our company moves seemed to get lumped into two seasons (summer and late winter). Just like monsoon season in Arizona, or earthquake season in California, this is one of our moving seasons!

Mark started with Tyson Foods in March eleven and a half years ago, and we went from Cassville, MO to Henderson, KY (working in Robards, where he is again now), then to a position based at the corporate offices in Springdale, AR (he was on the road a lot and we lived in Fayetteville, AR), then back to Robards/Henderson, then we made a move ourselves although his job didn’t change (Henderson to Owensboro), and then from Owensboro to Harrison, AR (when he worked at Berryville, AR). Then we got to come to Alabama—first our company move to Guntersville, and then we chose to move to Cullman (to get out of that 2-story house with the great lake view!), and a job change shortly after we came to Cullman that didn’t mean a move (from a plant position to a complex position in the same area). And here we go again back to Kentucky!!

(Oh and if you’re counting, throw in little short term moves in between each job change move, as we always had a few months stay in an apartment (a rental house this time) as we waited for our escrow to close on buying our next home. And we were always under contract within 30 days of listing, even the time a realtor really messed up and we had to go back on the market and sell it again!)

Each move came with a range of emotions, challenges, and so much adventure—it often felt like we witnessed miracles unfolding. Sometimes my heart felt torn apart to leave neighbors, church friends, ministry partners, or kids and grandkids behind, and each time they covered us in prayer as God unfolded His plans for us in the next area we lived. Our self-moves were prayer driven and God-ordained in ways we could not have imagined—houses changed and sold, one with a buyer before even listing, one a house-flip move that was a huge blessing all around!

God’s always got a purpose way beyond the job change, and we always grow in faith in ways we could not have imagined. I expect the same thing this time too. There’s so many stories in each process, so many memories of seeing God at work behind the scenes in ways we couldn’t imagine. He is with us, before us, beside us, and comes behind us. He has protected us and provided for us. He finds ways to mix the bittersweet with the miraculous, and He always makes it worthwhile.

Moving is hard work—physically and emotionally, but like I said in the book, “It’s always best to choose the “hardest thing,” because we have to rely on God more…and our faith grows in ways we couldn’t imagine.” God is so dependable!

#marinaskitchentable #companymoves #COMPANYMOVE #theworkaholicswife

Company Move—Again

Company Move—Again

If you didn’t hear the news yet, we are moving! Today was a tiny step towards that, after purging and cleaning the current house yesterday.

See, God took my grieving heart and gave it wheels. I wasn’t motivated to clean up after the grandkids departure—until we had the email on Monday saying Mark was awarded the new job in Kentucky. Back where he has spent about a third of his career with this company, and where the sending church is for my missionary kids, and not far from my other daughter (and grandkids), and a chunk of time closer to the others in Missouri. Also, only a few hours from the base church where we are online members. Yep! That was a shot of adrenaline.

So after working our tails off yesterday, we looked forward today. Forward towards whatever may lie ahead. Looking at all the unknowns and holding out open hands and asking God to fill them…however He desires.

Today was a long day (yesterday was too!) and although we didn’t find a place to rent, someplace to store our household belongings, or find the buyer for our house, we had so many good doors open up to help sort out the madness. I’m ok with getting all the “no’s” of God, knowing He is refining me in the process of waiting for His “yes.”

I admit I was a little disappointed when the neighborhood I fell in love with online turned out to be a disappointment in real life.

But when we turned the corner into our old neighborhood, it wasn’t nostalgia that gripped me, but hope. I’ve done this enough to know that you “can’t go back” and honestly, I don’t know a person in that neighborhood anymore, but my heart smiled at the memories of riding my bicycle down to the end of the blacktop and capturing the sunrise as it rose up over the crops of wheat, corn, or tobacco. Or taking our bikes out to the trails that cut through the city, linking the parks. Or the fun times spent walking along the waterfront.

I’m looking forward to what’s next, and however God grows me through it. Even if it doesn’t play out as I expect it. Especially if it doesn’t. 

#marinaskitchentable 

#companymove #theworkaholicswife

Celebrating Freedom

The past few years I’ve seen our demonstrated love of country surpass our demonstrated love of God. Elections, International sports competitions, politics in general…all seem to bring out the “love of country” in us.

I’m the daughter of immigrants. Most of us are, if we go back far enough, and it’s only God’s grace that placed our parents here when we were born. We really are blessed.

But do we deserve to be blessed more than other nations? My heart breaks when I think of the borders within where the name “Jesus” is unknown. I want them to be blessed with knowledge of THE God who loves them so much that He gave His own Son for our sins. I want them to receive true freedom…yes maybe some political and personal freedom, but mostly eternal, spiritual freedom.

Can we learn from their needs? From their spiritual poverty? Absolutely.

When we put our hearts into selfish endeavors, we become enslaved to those things... not free to live as God desires us to. Whatever we put into our hands becomes our idol. I’ve seen some people spend more on their fireworks and 4th of July celebrations than what they would give to God annually. They are celebrating the wrong thing.

Let's celebrate our freedom in Christ, no matter where we are geographically, politically, or economically... Our hearts are not limited to these things if Jesus holds it! Celebrate Jesus!

And let’s pray for the other countries. Let’s remember the people living in harsher circumstances, surviving atrocities we can not imagine. These countries don’t have to all be like “the United States of America.” God dwells in these places as much as He dwells here. He loves their citizens as much as us…Jesus died for them too.

#marinaskitchentable #july4th #truefreedom #freedominchrist

Hey Email Friends...

Hey friends! Feedburner (my email subscriber) is going away soon, but I want to remind you that you can still view my posts (and even MORE posts!) by joining in and liking my page "Marina's Kitchen Table" on Facebook and Instagram. It won't arrive in your email any longer, but I post more often there anyways! I hope to see you there!

Blessings,
Marina

Flowers, Bees, Butterflies (OH MY!)

Things are blooming all over North Central Alabama! We had rain all week last week, and the temperatures turned HOT with the clouds leaving Sunday, and we were left with a sticky, sweltering hot, mess. It is amazingly lovely though, and sometimes the green hurts my eyes for all the bright and beautiful it brings to me. It's as if the earth is smiling.

Enjoy some photos from our backyard, and the Huntsville Botanical Gardens, where we went over the weekend. So much lovely in bloom, and the butterfly house is a flurry of activity!