Saddle Up Your Horses
We've got a trail to blaze
Oh oh oh
Through the wild blue yonder of God's Amazing grace
Let's follow our leader into the Glorious unknown
This is the life like no other whoa whoa
This is the great adventure
Truer words were never sung by one of my favorite Christian artists, Steven Curtis Chapman. It's definitely 90's music but I still love it! Because it's true!
Just when I thought my life was taking a turn for the normal then BAM! 2020. The teens were clicking along, blow-ups getting fewer and farther between. So much so that I took a part time job at Loft to fill my time. Even in lockdown, God provided meaningful time with family, including the teens! We established virtual school habits, worshipped online together, watched movies together, even painting the kitchen since what else was there to do? If there's time, I will fill it, not only for myself but for my charges. Mr. Jakstadt has his own list and it's usually bigger than mine so I learned long ago to not attempt to fill his time.
Then, the teaching job of what dreams are made of appeared before my eyes. I had a virtual interview of course, and next thing I knew I was on a speed train to teaching in 2020. Despite working way more than the "part-time" job I signed up for, I love everything about teaching second graders. I had forgotten how much I love being in the world of seven year olds with their eager young minds and open hearts. So I'm set, right? I have a challenging job that is a gift from God when He has another adventure that I'm pretty sure I'm not equipped for. Turns out, that's exactly what God is looking for.
Eric's dad is 92 and had been living alone since his wife died almost three years ago. One Saturday evening, we went to visit him and he unexpectedly told us that he was not making it alone anymore. It was apparent that he had had a bad day and he told us to put him in a nursing home. I had never seen him like this and I knew it must have been very hard for such an independent man to admit this to himself and to us. Eric told his dad after his mom died that he could come live with us but he had always refused. I honestly couldn't blame him not wanting to move in with the two of us and three teenagers! I had been tempted to move out myself! Eric told him again that he could come live with us and this time he said ok. Little did I know, he meant right then! He told us that he would not be staying with us long as he was on his way "home". One week later, he was moving into our two story, no master on main, house. Yikes!
I did not know what to expect or how our life would change as we would become Eric's dad's primary caretakers. I was definitely not prepared for the great adventure that God had in store for us. Having Eric's dad in our home has given us a front row seat to God's amazing love. This man who is now very dependent on others to care for him, nevertheless, exudes the joy of the Lord with every breath he takes. It is humbling beyond words to witness and a gift to our whole family. It reminded me of a quote from Corrie Ten Boom's book, "The Hiding Place", "And so I learned that love is larger than the walls which shut it in." We could have not have a more gracious guest in our home. Every time I see him, he greets me with a warm smile and thanks me for taking him in. He is somewhere between heaven and earth I think, sleeping a lot and dropping the cares of this world to spend more time with his Savior and Lord. It reminds me of when Moses came down from the mountain and the glory of the Lord shone on his face.
Eric is caring for his dad the way he cares for all of us with incredible patience and love. He is rock solid, doing what needs to be done in his methodical reasonable way. I have never loved my husband more than now, watching how lovingly he cares for his dad and how he is trusting God with all things.
It happens every time. God's ways are higher than our ways. I had no idea of the blessing He had in store for me. This is the great adventure!
