Back Home

We've traveled all week. Last Sunday, right after church, we left for my parents' house and stayed there until Wednesday. We arrived back home just in time to attend prayer meeting and choir practice. But when I got home and collapsed on the couch, I checked email, and found a message from my sister-in-law: would we like to come visit them? We love to visit them. But we'd just gotten home!! However, they needed Adam to work on their business website. Plus they had lots of snow on the ground, all the kids were on vacation still, and there was sledding to be done.

So ... we hopped back in the van on Thursday morning and drove off to West Virginia. It really was a wonderful visit; I can't remember when I've seen all those cousins have so much fun together. They have a great hill near their farm, and the kids went there many times to fly down the hill of ice. We also played games, watched movies, stayed up until midnight to welcome the new year, and sang hymns around the piano. Anne cooked up a storm even more than her usual storm -- we had snacks and appetizers galore.

And we're all hoping that the work on the website was helpful!!

But it's so nice to be home. I'm sitting on my couch, looking at the twinkling Christmas tree lights (which I shall be putting away PRONTO, this week). Adam dashed to the grocery. I'm looking forward to church tomorrow, to the pleasant regularity of good friends and quiet worship.

This week has also been a time for Adam to spend much time in prayer and thought. He's been wrangling and struggling in himself concerning the church in South Dakota, or more properly, his call to South Dakota. He has tried hard to wrap his heart around it, to get excited about it, or more properly (again) to hear God's calling on him to that place. But the more he prayed about it, the more he could feel no peace in his heart about it. No peace.

I've prayed and prayed for God's guidance, for us to know what to do. I frankly am content to do whatever Adam decides is right. Going to a nice, steady church in South Dakota, with sweet people, and a manse, and regular work -- that would have been such a good, safe plan. But not only did Adam have no peace with that route, it also was not progressing the way that God usually progresses in our lives. Usually we wait, and wait, and wait, and then BOOM -- God works really fast at the last minute. I don't know if He will always operate that way. But He has so far.

So, we will not be going to South Dakota. And in many ways that's good. We won't move far away from my parents, or from Philip, or from friends here. Adam will be able to continue to preach and serve at Covenant for as long as he's allowed to stay, which is good. We won't have to leave our house (yet, anyway), which is a comfort. But still my heart is sad. I'm sad for the people in SD; they were hoping we would come. I'm sad that Adam won't have his own pastorate as soon as I'd hoped. I'm sad that that nice, secure place -- even in South Dakota -- isn't for us.

But I do trust God to lead my husband's heart, because I've asked Him to. Many, many people are praying. One big door just closed. We sit and wait until God opens something else.