This week has been a bit of a challenge! Ever have one of those? Sometimes it seems like nothing goes right, or it’s just too hard? You want to walk in faith that God knows and is in control, and even your heart knows that’s right, but your FEELINGS get tied up in knots. It may look like a big mountain in front of us that is just too hard to get around. I have had to hang on to Jesus this week…real tight! Why you ask? Life.
If you have been following my blog, you may remember back a few months ago, that we purchased our little Traveling Cottage so we could enjoy camping, our membership to Thousand Trails and some future road trips. Oh my!! I was so excited! We did get a few trips out of it and what a joy it was! But things change, and sometimes very quickly! Terry, my sweetie, was hurt on the job and has been off of work for a few months. THAT changes a lot of things! We had to re-think how we are going to do life, and re-think how we can best be prepared through the next several months. His plan was to retire this summer, but it has become apparent that it will happen a lot sooner. So, we made hard decisions and one of them was to put our Traveling Cottage up for sale. AND…it sold. But there is an interesting element behind the sale of the trailer.
The first potential buyer that came to see it, was a couple. She had just recently found out that she had cancer; a very difficult and fast spreading type of cancer. In sharing the amenities of the trailer, we enjoyed conversation about her journey. She is one-third of the way through her treatments, with no guarantee. She will know more in March. But the one thing that struck me was her comment that, “You know, we can’t just wait around. We need to do the things we NEED to do, not put off things we WANT to do, and don’t wait to wear the special clothes or jewelry or whatever. If you have it, use it! You have no guarantee of tomorrow.” She was looking at the trailer because she wanted to play golf and travel with the trailer to golfing events. She isn’t going to put it off; she is grabbing life and living everyday to the fullest! I told her, “It’s too bad that we don’t ALL live that way, and that it often takes a crisis before we realize it. We could enjoy life so much more!” I admire her attitude and she is exactly right!
She didn’t buy the trailer that day. It was meant for another. But I won’t forget her words. I have always identified with that attitude toward life. It rekindled the flame in my spirit once again. I don’t save the good dishes, glasses or whatever. I use them. I enjoy them with my family. That is what they are there for. I think about where they came from every time I use them and it brings me great joy and heart-felt memories. I use my camera to share my life, that I might encourage someone to stop for a minute and breathe deep. I light a candle, enjoy the candle light, and watch its flame, I make time for quiet time, I look at life through a different lens anymore, and I find joy in doing so. It has changed my
life. So much so, that even though I am sad that the trailer sold, I can trust that for now, this is the best for me. I went out and sat in the trailer and prayed over it, that the next person to own it, would find great joy in the use of it. In selling it, I found out from the new owner that we are the answer to another person’s need. What a joy to know that this new person NEEDS our little cottage and by selling it, I am meeting that need. So…it’s all joy, even if, it carries with it a bit of sadness.
As for the woman warrior? Maybe, just maybe, she came to see the trailer just to deliver that message! Who knows? God’s like that.
Walking the journey with you…
journeysofmyheart.com 