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