What's Your Present Circumstance?

I was answering a question in my Bible Study yesterday.  It asked this:
"How would you describe your present circumstances (in the margin)?"

If you read my previous post, you know I was hesitant to write about how our transitional living situation, while good and a blessing, is still hard!  So, this was the first thing that came to my mind.  The next thought that I had as I was assessing my present circumstance was that I'm living AND  working in basements.  Temptation quickly came for me to become negative about this "present circumstance".   As I penned (in the margin and grateful that I had so much space to vent such frustrations that can come with living life in dungeons below the earth!) thoughts about living AND working in basements...........BAM........... and I mean, BAM!!!!!  Thunder outside began!  In that moment, the Holy Spirit put the most beautiful revelation in my mind!!!  Being a girl from Oklahoma, I know that safety is found under ground during storms.

Are you crying yet?  I am.

The safest place during thunderstorms is below ground.  (aka: basements...ya know, where I live AND work!!!)

I realized as the thunder continued and the rains came down that God in HIS sovereignty timed the Boom of the thunder to sound exactly when the temptation to view my "present circumstances" in a negative light. 

Psalm 27:5English Standard Version (ESV)

⁵ For he will hide me in his shelter
    in the day of trouble;
he will conceal me under the cover of his tent;
    he will lift me high upon a rock.

Now, I am thankful to be in HIS shelter (these basements, His provision for me) during this present circumstance of transitional living and as a new working mom.  I am grateful that He is with me in these blessed dwellings!  

Wow, our God is good and (as the next sentence in my bible study said....) "Your circumstances are not coincidental in your journey.  God's timing is impeccable."

Transition

I'm so very grateful that my sister and her family have allowed us to live in their home until our house in Oklahoma sells.  So grateful.  Seriously.  Like, once we got all settled, I was shocked at how nice these accommodations actually are! We have TAKEN OVER their basement and made their lives pretty hectic, as can be imagined with 11 people (4 adults and 7 children) under one roof. 

I've been so hesitant to post anything about this transition due to the fact that I only want gratefulness to be heard from my heart.  Truth is.... it's really hard.  But it's hard in unexpected ways.  Paying the electric bill for a house in Oklahoma where it's really hot and we pay for our air conditioner to run and keep an empty house cool.  We are keeping it cool for showings.  Ah, here's where it really starts to get hard.....showings that are only happening like once in ten days.  I know.  I know....it only takes ONE!  Then, we find out the air conditioning was broken.  Another check to mail for an unoccupied home.  All the while, we are navigating this transitional living.  Without an offer, we just don't see our end to this particular transition. 

Next....  Ashlyn started a new school last week.  There is a LOT of homework and it's just plain difficult watching her struggle with little personal space to work and feel frustrations and sadness without her close friends to journey with her. 

Next.... the small school that Megan and Kenna will be attending had to post-pone their start date by a week.  (which means my work start date as well, since I'll be at the "front desk" M-W.)  That all starts tomorrow.  We've just been feeling the increasing stress of not having all the kiddos into a routine of school, but having some in that routine proved difficult. 

The thing of it is..... Our God is flooring me with His Presence, His faithfulness and His kindness.  How kind of Him to faithfully show up each morning and meet me with EXACTLY what I need to face the next day in such a transition.  He is good!  No matter what our circumstance is.... I am so glad to know and experience the GOODNESS of God!

My heart is grateful for a place like my sister's basement to live while living in such a transition.  HE sees me down in the basement.  He hears me always.  I trust HIM and HIS timing.

One last funny thing about all living together.... I think there have been at least two times that I recall feeling like that house in HOME ALONE the morning they are all getting ready for their flight.  That's truly how it feels sometimes.  Which does mean that we are truly doing life together in ways that other people crave.  You see, it forces us to talk and tell stories and laugh AND to make allowances for each others faults because we love each other! 

Learning Gratefulness in EVERYTHING!!!  R <><