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