Tag: Thoughts (Page 12 of 16)

December, January, February, March Attire

March 2, 2010 / Jennifer Coleman / 1 Comment

It’s taken me a while to adjust to the weather here.

After five years in SA and four and a half in FL, my blood is pretty well thinned out.

I actually enjoy 90 plus degree weather especially when it’s humid.

I won’t complain about the snow. I love sitting next to the fire.

When we told the kids on Saturday that they were predicting

more snow this week they replied, “Again?!?”

I think we are getting all the snow this winter

that we’ve missed over the last nine years.

We’ve lost count.

The ice and I had a run in our first day in the new house..

I came away with a scraped knee,

and quickly learned to avoid the sidewalks.

I’d just hide inside all day, but we have a dog.

This is the first house that we’ve had no fence at all

and I’ve had to take take a “walking Sally” shift.

Part of the reason I agreed to adopt a dog was to force myself to take daily walks.

Now, nine years latter, I am finally having to do more than open the back door.

I am being super nice, too, by taking the 7AM shift so the kiddies can sleep in a little.

Meaning that I usually get the coldest shift, too.

It’s taken me a while to discover what I need to keep warm on my shift.

Until a week ago, when I finally started wearing two pairs of gloves,

my hands were still freezing.

I started out wearing a coat and gloves over my regular clothes.

Some days I wasn’t sure I’d make it all the way around the block.

It was so cold!

Then I started wearing a hoodie, and Wendy’s leather coat.

That was better, but the wind was whistling through my pants and around my ears.

I decided to buy some of those valour pants.

Once I doubled those up and knitted myself a scarf

to wear with my hat over my hoodie I was finally on my way to being warm.

The weather warmed up from 14 degrees to 24 and I saw for the first

time a neighbor while out on my walk.

You’ll never guess what THEY were wearing:

workout pants and t-shirt.

I tried to console myself a couple weeks later when

I saw a pair ladies out walking dressed more like me.

They are probably not much more than 20 years older than me.

I not sure how much further they walk than I do.

I plan to start walking 45 minutes a day instead of 25 –

once the weather warms up a bit.

On days like today, when it’s 36 and snowing,

it doesn’t seem like I am as over dressed as it does

when it’s 24 and sunny. How is that?

Here is the kicker – to make sure I keep up my walking routine through

the snow, rain and sleet – we are adopting a puppy this summer.

I have a friend that’s offered to give me one of her mini beagle puppies.

I had to make a deal with Mike to get him to agree.

He gets a kitten.

So much more fun than a treadmill.

My New Kinnor

January 24, 2010 / Jennifer Coleman / 2 Comments

I am the proud new owner of a 12 string kinnor.

A harp maker in Austral made it for me.

I picked it out especially because a little over a year ago I had a dream where

an older, mentor type lady brought one to me. I had no idea what kind of

instrument it was at the time so I drew a picture of it.

A year later I found this one on line. None else makes one quite like it.

http://www.harpsales.com

It’s my birthday, Christmas and everything else present all wrapped into one.

I am very excited. I am hoping that like in the dream

this will be the one instrument that I can learn to play.

It’s very hard to be musically challenged in a family of musicians.

I love to worship. I love to sing loud.. even when I am out of tune.

A loud church sound system is a must.

I can jump but not dance. Sometimes, clapping on beat is a challenge.

I’ve never had anyone tell me that I am bad at waving flags,

so I wave them as often as possible.

I am very excited to have a room in our new house that’s big enough

to worship with flags. In the past, I’d take them outside occasionally.

When the kids were younger, I spent every evening practicing the guitar

while they were getting ready for bed. I learned how to play 10 or so cords

just to discover that I am not coordinated enough

to strum and play the cords at the same time.

If I practice a hymn for several days on the piano, I can play it so-so,

but that can be loud and annoying for everyone to hear the same song day after day.

I know how it feels to be on the other side of things and think, “anyone can do ___ if

they just try or give it some time.” Hope springs eternal.

I learned that harps are “diatonic” like the Do, Ra, Me scale,

so no matter what note you play it harmonizes.

I got a chromatic tuner too, so I can tune it.

Here is Mike teaching me how to tune it.

I’ll have to tune it everyday for a while.. new strings and all.

Pray for me not to give up.

Maybe one day I’ll take it to hospitals

and play and pray for the sick and see them recover.

Love,

The Parable of the Sower

January 19, 2010 / Jennifer Coleman / 0 Comments

I am working on my newest art project. I heard Joseph Prince teach on the Parable of the Sower a few weeks ago. It was very good as all his teachings are. He pulled out truths from all three of the gospel accounts. I want to illustrate the truths with photos on the kid’s bathroom wall. The things that stood out to me were:

1) This parable is the key to all the other parables. (Mark 4:13)

2) If you don’t understand the Word, hold on to it, listen again. The Devil is anxiously waiting to pounce and steal it from you because he knows what kind of fruit it can produce.

3) Trouble and persecution come BECAUSE of the Word. When they come, hold on to it tight.. it will develop good character in you. Don’t be deceived into thinking that it’s not worth it or that God’s word isn’t true. Even when it doesn’t look like it, it is. “Did God say?” is the Devil’s line. Our line is “God’s word says,..”

4) The fruit comes through perseverance. (Luke 8:15) And sometimes gradually; first 30 then eventually 100 fold.

Here are the words I am using for art.

As a farmer was sowing his seed, some fell on a footpath

and were trampled on and the birds come and ate them up.

When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes immediately and snatches away what was sown in his heart,

so that he may not believe and be saved. Luke 8:12

Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where there wasn’t much soil; they sprang up quickly, but when the sun came up the plants were scorched, and withered away because they didn’t have deep roots.

Those who hear the message and immediately receive it with joy,

yet have no depth of character (firm root) in themselves,

last only a short time.

When trouble or persecution comes because of the word,

they quickly fall away. Mark 4:13

Other seeds fell among thorns that

grew up and choked out the tender plants.

Those who hear the kingdom news but are overwhelmed by worries

about all the things they have to do and all the things they want to get.

The stress strangles what they heard, and nothing comes of it. Mark 8:19

Still other seeds fell on fertile soil, and they produced

a crop that was thirty, sixty,

and even a hundred times as much as was planted.

The seed that fell on good soil represents those who truly hear, understand,

and embrace God’s word and through perseverance produce a harvest of thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as was planted! Matthew 13:23

Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand.

What’s in Your Bible?

January 9, 2010 / Jennifer Coleman / 1 Comment

I spent the week unpacking books.

It was difficult because I haven’t settled where they are all going to go yet. I am short one nice big closet for keeping scrapbooks and the books I am saving for grandchildren.

I noticed Thursday that I’ve collected quite a few Bibles.

Two were given to me last year on my birthday.

I grew up reading and loving the King James Bible my parents gave me.

Then when I started reading passages to the kids,

I felt like I needed a dictionary to explain almost every other word.

I wanted God easily accessible for them with out Mr. Webster or me in between.

So I bought my first non-King James Bible.

Now I love the easier to read versions and I am unfortunately

developing a growing resentment towards people who talk in “thee’s and thou’s.”

Jesus didn’t speak in a antiquitified language.

The Bible was written in the most modern, accessible language of its day.

We recently went to see the Blood and Ink exhibit.

It’s amazing to learn about the sacrifices made

for the Bible to be translated and distributed in everyday language.

The stories of the thousands of people killed in the name of the church

for possessing and reading the Bible are horrific.

In houses past I’d strategically put a Bible in each room.

This time I am toying with the idea of putting most of them in one spot

so I can just go to that spot and pick witch one I want.

I called to ask my Mom what she thought about the idea.

She wasn’t home.. so in a moment of weakness I asked my dad.

Ergo the explanation of the King James version above.

My dad would be happy to know that our church here reads

the New King James version of the Bible.

This is where I put them for now. My favorite version (The Message) is on top.

The King James my parents gave me is on bottom.

Oh, boy! Maybe I should get a shelf.

I have two New King James versions.

And another King James that belonged to my Mamalene.

Missing from the stack is a parallel Bible that I will probably keep in my room.

And the NIRV that I keep with our school books to read with the kids during school.

Honestly, most of the non-King James versions were gifts.

Don’t Bibles make good gifts?

I have the confess that The Message was a gift to myself.

I found it at the Unclaimed Baggage store.

The Bible I read most is on http://www.biblegateway.com/.

I love it because I can read my favorite versions side by side.

I love to find a verse or a chapter and chew on it from different points of view.

I’ve been known to use the different versions

to write my own version and call it “Jenny’s version.”

Sacrilege. Right?

Not only that but I’ll use my version for art work or the kids memory work.

I am probably scaring them for life.. don’t tell my dad.

It’s just that one version will express one part so well then

I don’t want them to miss the meaning of the other part in the other version.

I rarely read more than a chapter at a time.

I don’t think reading a Bible should be a race, but a time to pray and meditate.

The Holy Spirit loves to show me new things in His Word.

My favorite version on Bible Gateway is the New Living Translation.

Maybe I’ll find a hard copy at a garage sale sometime.

The thing only thing I don’t like about the online version

is that you can’t write notes in the margin.

I should look into finding one of those ministries that collect

old Bibles to give to people who don’t have one.

I could probably part with a few.

But to get to my title,

I could never part with the ones with notes in the margins.

I love to go back and read the King James version

that my parents gave me for that very reason.

My favorite, favorite Bible is a small new testament that I carried with me

through High School and the beginning of my married life.

There is so much good stuff in there.. so much revelation written in the margins.

I’d kinda stopped writing in the margins ..

since I started reading the one online and write my own versions.

I have a collection notebooks of notes and prayers that I started years ago.

None of which I’d want my kids to read now, but one day.

My Mamalene’s King James Bible has notes and red check marks and underlines by her favorite passages. It’s a treasure.

I feel a connection with her when I read it and

SOOO blessed to have a heritage of faith.

When I read her notes I remember how she loved God

and strove to become like Him.

My favorite memory of her and Granddad was that

every night before bed they would read a chapter of the Bible.

No discussion. Just a short prayer and time to go to bed.

I always wanted to carry on that tradition with my kids.

It didn’t translate quite that way but I hope the kids will fondly remember

“Jenny’s version” of the verses we memorized and our morning prayers

and the Bible studies and discussions we did through the years.

Here’s one of my favorite passages from my Mamalene’s Bible.

In the front cover of her Bible she has a newspaper clipping that quotes WM. A. Ward, “Difficulties are never designed to discourage, dominate or destroy us, but to deepen us.”

A few more notes from Mamalene’s Bible

To be used of God

1) Much time in secret prayer

2) Complete disregard of self

3) Life filled with doing good things

We must come to the place where we can live the sacrificial life

then we can go out and witness.

The only thing that will solve problems of individual, country

or the world is for man to have a right relationship with God!

Thou will keep him in perfect peace who trusteh in Him

because his mind is stayed on Me.

How to Study the Bible

1) Is there a lesson to learn?

2) Is there a blessing to enjoy?

3) Is there a command to obey?

4) Is there a sin to avoid?

5) Is there a new truth to carry with me?

Love,

Beautiful Poem/Hymn

December 11, 2009 / Jennifer Coleman / 2 Comments

I finally got some real unpacking done yesterday. I was motivated by the fact that Mike has off today and I knew he’d be bugging me to find his surround sound speakers. We’d found the subwoofer and two of them but couldn’t find the other two.

I needed a clue, so I asked him when the last time he saw them was. His answer: “The kitchen table in Montgomery.” So James and I unpacked two more large “dish packs.” They weren’t there. I unpacked all the bathroom boxes looking for shower curtain rings. I know I have at least 5 sets. I have to buy new sets every move because I can never find them. No speakers; no curtain rings. I unpacked all the flower/nicknack boxes thinking maybe the speakers were put in with the living room flowers. Then Joel and I unpacked all the picture boxes. Judi finished unpacking the game room. Still no speakers.

Next, I decided to unpack the drums. “Maybe,” I thought, “they were wrapped in some padding in a drum.” Judi and I unpacked all the linens. After 7 hours of unpacking, in the last box marked, “Master bedroom items” Judi found a little box with the speakers in side. I was so glad she found them that I gave her a big kiss. I would have never opened the random little box inside the big box.

Basically the only boxes that haven’t been emptied out are the garage boxes, school/book boxes and fabric boxes. I have lots of random stuff sitting around that are not put away and kitchen and bathroom cabinets and closets that need to be organized and curtains to make and hang…

Today’s plan is to take it easy and go to Birmingham to pick up our cuddler recliner.

Here are two gems from my e-mail devotions:

Prayer for December 11

Rest

Father, I come to you in the name of Jesus, and find rest for my weary soul. Thank you for easing, relieving and refreshing me. Your yoke is wholesome—not harsh, hard, sharp or pressing, but comfortable, gracious and pleasant; your burden is light and easy to be borne. I cast my burden on you [releasing the weight of it] and you sustain me. You will never allow me to be moved—made to slip or fail, in the name of Jesus. Amen. (Strength to Overcome Cares and Burdens, Daily Prayers That Avail Much Commemorative Edition)

Matthew 11:28-30; Psalm 55:22; I Peter 5:9

My Goal Is God Himself

Frederick Brook

My goal is God Himself; not joy, nor peace,
Nor even blessing, but Himself, my God;
’Tis His to lead me there, not mine, but His—
“At any cost, dear Lord, by any road!”

So faith bounds forward to its goal in God,
And love can trust her Lord to lead her there;
Upheld by Him, my soul is following hard,
Till God hath full fulfilled my deepest prayer.

No matter if the way be sometimes dark,
No matter though the cost be oft times great,
He knoweth how I best shall reach the mark;
The way that leads to Him must needs be strait.

One thing I know—I cannot say Him nay;
On thing I do—I press toward my Lord,
My God, my glory here from day to day,
And in the glory there my Great Reward.

Here’s a link to a nice MP3 of the hymn.

Hymn: My goal is God Himself

Love,
Jenny

Personality Quiz

November 20, 2009 / Jennifer Coleman / 2 Comments

Thanks for taking a guess on my Christmas cards.. Mike didn’t pick Bob the Builder though. I thought he fit right in with our family.

Mike does like to be funny.. but I think he’s a little shy.. too… especially in large groups.

Our church was talking a few weeks back about Gary Smalley’s personality traits.

Mike’s a beaver. The kids were easy to pick out.. Josh a lion.. James a golden retriever.. Joel a beaver.. Judi an otter..

I asked Mike who he thought I was… He said I was a lion.

Can you believe that? I was up set at first.. because I thought I was a golden retriever.. then decided that it was OK to be a lion.

I definitely think I am a combination of lion/golden retriever though..

I wanted to think that I was only a lion when I had to be.. I think that is true when I don’t know people.. but with my family I am pretty sure that I am a lion when I am not getting my own way. Ooops.

What do you think? about me? Yourself?

Gary Smalley’s site has a link to a free personality test.. I haven’t tried it yet.

http://www.garysmalley.com/help-your-marriage/marriage-assessments/free-personality-test

Shelter, Food, Church.. Why go to church?

October 18, 2009 / Jennifer Coleman / 2 Comments

A Bible Study

Whenever we move, there are three things on our immediate agenda. Find a house. Find a grocery store. Find a church.

As the kids have gotten older finding a church has been more difficult. Most churches have something for the kids.. but a good youth group is hard to find.. a good college group even harder.

I’ve been getting complaints from certain young people that I am too intense about church and have been asked, “Why go to church anyway?” My usual answer is that we need to encourage others and be encouraged.

They know the answer.. but they keep asking. Why do kids do that??

I decided that I would do some research and write a Bible study on it. (Should have made them do that.)

One of the most relevant answers I found was this comparison: Why go to church when you can worship God and read your Bible at home? Why go to a concert, when you can buy the CD’s or download the music on itunes? There is a BIG difference!

Some biblical reasons??

We are to learn of Jesus. Matthew 11:29

He told His parents that it was His duty to be in His Father’s house. Luke 2:49

He taught there regularly. Luke 21:37-38

It was his custom to go. Luke 4:14-16

My original answer: We Need Each Other

Hebrews 10:24-25 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

To be a part of what Jesus is building. Matthew 16:15-19

Jesus’ prayer is that we would be one. John 17: 20-23

It’s not good for us to be alone. Genesis 2:18

God puts the lonely in families. Psalm 68:6

Psalm 133:1 How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity!

Jesus loves the church as a bride and gave Himself for her. Ephesians 5:25-33

We are part of the body of Christ. Each part needs the other parts. I Corinthians 12:12-27

If someone refuses to listen to the church, we are to treat them as a pagan.

If two agree, we will receive what we ask for.

If two or three come together in His name, He is there with us. Matthew 18:17-20

To be strengthened in faith and numbers. Acts 16:5

1 John 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.

John 13:34-35 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

To admonish one another in all wisdom. Colossians 3:16

Can we have fellowship with each other, obey our leaders, love one another, and all the other one another commands if we aren’t actively involved in a local body? Hebrews 13:17

Food

To receive spiritual food. John 21:15-17

To hear the word of God to grow in faith.

Romans 10:17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.

Matthew 4: Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'”

Beware of LIONS and WOLVES! Oh, My!

We need overseers, shepherds, to serve as humble examples for us. The devil prowls like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Which sheep do the lions eat? The weak ones who are off by themselves. 1 Peter 5:1-11

Wolves will not spare us. We need protection from the distortion of the truth. Acts 20:28-30

Jesus rejoices when he comes home with a lost sheep. Luke 15:4-7

1 Peter 2:25 For you were going astray like sheep but now you have turned back to the shepherd and guardian of your souls.

There will be terrible times in the last days.. have nothing to do with the people who love pleasure more than God.. all Scripture is God-breathed and useful … trained and equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy 3:1-17

Many will turn away from the faith and betray and hate each other… Matthew 24:4-14

Church finding/attending tips:

Remember there are no perfect people, therefore there can not be any perfect churches.

Pray and ask God to show you what church to go to.

Look for a church that teaches from the Bible.

Look for a church that sees God as loving .. not as revengeful. Romans 8:1-4

Look for a church that teaches that faith in Jesus.. not works.. is the only way to heaven. Ephesians 2:1-10

Stick with that church until God tells you to go somewhere else.

If someone there hurts your feelings, pray for them and forgive them.

If you don’t like the music or something else about the church, pray for your fellow believers and listen to the music you like at home.

Remember church is a growing experience.

If God gives you an idea to improve the church, ask God how you can put it into action, then ask your pastor if you can try it out.

Don’t wait for other people to take the first step. Be friendly.

Get involved. Don’t be a bench warmer.

Loved by Jesus.. imperfections and all,

Jenny

Supper Club Follow Up

October 12, 2009 / Jennifer Coleman / 1 Comment

Judi and I had a great time in the kitchen. She was a wonderful help. She’s a way better cook than I.

The kids were VERY jealous that I was cooking for my small group and not for them. They’ve been asking me repeatedly if I am cooking Thanksgiving Dinner for them this year. Thanksgiving is their favorite holiday.

Food = Love

I don’t know what’s up with Thanksgiving this year. Hopefully we’ll be moving into our new house. I’ve thought about buying a brisket this year… maybe I could cook it in the crock pot? I don’t know if I could cook everything I normally cook in our little apartment kitchen without all my pans.. etc.

I thought about cooking a couple of things from our Thanksgiving menu each week from now ’till Thanksgiving… but I have a feeling that they’ll miss that stuffed feeling. Time for a family meeting.

Oh, back on subject… everything pretty much went wrong with my Supper Club food.

Cooking is still NOT my thing.

Good thing I planned on an extra batch of cookie bars for the kids… because I forgot the baking powder in the first batch.. The kids thought the oatmeal with all the other stuff in the cookies was too much texture. I agreed. I lost my focus on the last batch and forgot to push the quirky oven timer start button and by the time I noticed wasn’t sure how hot my oven was or how much longer the bars needed. They came out done on the outside but not on the inside.

I started the apple stuff around 7AM so that I could hang out with Mike mid-day. I miss the knives Mike got me for our anniversary. It took me forever (over 2 hrs.) to cut up all the apples and pears with the cheepy apartment knives.

I cooked the apple stuff on low (instead of on high) from 9:30 ’till around 2. It was looking pretty good at that point but we weren’t leaving for small group until 5:30 so I turned the pot to warm. By the time we ate it, it was more like bread pudding than apple crisp. It tasted good, but I wasn’t sure what to call it. Would have been better with walnuts.

The salad came out beautiful. It was pouring down rain, tornado sirens were going off and a there was a thunderstorm/flash flood warning when we left. The kids were great and helped carry the iced tea and everything to the car. I had a list; ice, napkins, salt, salad dressing, tea, water, cookies, crock pot.

We drove 20 minutes through the storm to the small group to set up and started unpacking everything. I got to the salad dressing and realized that we forgot the salad. I was MAD at this point. It was too far to drive back so Mike took me back out in the rain to the nearest grocery store and we bought a bowl plus $30 dollars worth of pre-washed/cut salad kits and threw together another salad.

I was thankful, mad, frustrated and had to work really hard to get over myself and enjoy the group. Mike was very sweet and supportive.

I have enough salad in the fridge for 30 people. Should make it easy for me to eat healthy this week. Glad I wasn’t in charge of the chicken alfrado (which turned out wonderful).. wouldn’t have been able to run to the store for that.

Still practicing.. nowhere near perfect,

Jenny

Packers, Movers, and Birthday Celebrations

October 2, 2009 / Jennifer Coleman / 3 Comments

Steps to getting ready for the movers

Pray.
Schedule packers and truck pick up.
Pray.
Schedule house inspection.
Pray some more.
Have packers over to count how many boxes they need. Try to remember everything that you put in storage so they can plan on that too. Call to tell them the things you forgot.

Pray.
Find something to do with your dog and kids in the middle of the summer heat while inspectors are inspecting.
Pray harder.
Try not to hyperventilate over the results.
Pray.
Check out the water meter to see if what they said is true.
Pray that there is not a plumbing leak in the foundation of your house.
Schedule repairs.
Pray things will go OK.

Call realtor when her plumbers don’t show up.
Pray for patience because she is at the beach.
Ask realtor repeatedly when she is going schedule the appraiser so you can get your stuff out of storage.
Pray again.

Ask all your friends and relatives what colors you should choose for your new house.
Pray.
Try not to be frustrated with your limited number of choices.
Pray for wisdom and peace.
Then pick what your husband wanted to begin with and ignore all your friends and family.
Breathe.

Judi’s friend, Sarah, went with us to Huntsville to pick out colors and take Josh to orientation.

We went to see “Aliens in the Attic” This photo was taken at Rosie’s Cantina.

Call the storage facility and find out that you’re a couple of days too late to tell them you’ll be out before the end of the month and that you’ll still have to pay for it even though you’ll be out.
Pray for grace.
Drive your oldest to Huntsville for college orientation. Pick your colors while you’re there.
Pray you’ll be content with the choices you made.
Decide what is the absolutely last day that you can wait for the appraisal before you have to start taking apart your house.
Pray that God will give you wisdom about what to do while you’re waiting for the appraiser.
Find out that your four kids are going to be sharing two queen sized beds in the apartment.
Pray for favor.
Ask temporary housing for twin beds for the kids.
Praise God for answered prayers.

Take apart your closet. Decide what you will need for the rest of Summer, Fall and the beginning of Winter.. just incase it takes that long to build your house.
Thank God that the appraiser is finally coming tomorrow.
Cram everything that you decided you didn’t need into the coat closet.
Pray for grace to make the house sparkle for the appraiser.
Let appraiser in. Try not to say too much so that God gets the glory.
Try to believe God that your house will appraise high enough.

Borrow a friend’s truck to unpack the storage facility that same day.
Pray that your kids will survive the move.
Tell your kids they have to pack only the essentials.
Pray.
Explain what the word essentials means.
Pray that they will eventually realize that we really are moving and that they have to start packing.

Take the kids to a church outing that they are dying to go to.
Trust God that everything will be ready for the packers when they get there.
Let your husband drag on an inter-tube at 45 mph.
Pray that you’ll eventually be able to sit again.
Try not to laugh when he falls off the jet ski.
Pray that you aren’t forgetting to pack something important.
Go through boxes from storage and find school books.
Pray that you won’t be sore from all the lifting forever.

Packing day finally came. It normally only takes our packers one day to pack then one day to load the truck. Our packers were on Montgomery time though and took three whole days. On the 3rd day I realized that the shipping bolts for the washing machine were missing. I had left them on top of the washing machine so they wouldn’t get lost (at the time it sounded like a good idea). Two different people had worked on packing the laundry room which was located right off the kitchen. The bolts could have been packed in any of the kitchen boxes.

The head packer told me that one time she was on a job where the packing bolts were packed somewhere in the garage and that they spent a whole day unpacking the garage and still didn’t find them.

We called to see if the person installing the bolts had any extra. He said It would take 3 weeks to get in a new set of bolts. I had less than one day.

Early that morning before the packers arrived, James realized that he had forgotten to save out his check book. The two of us prayed and he found it in the first box he opened.

About the time I was ready to start looking, Mike came home for lunch. I explained to him in front of the head packer what was up and asked him to pray with me for God to show us which box it was in so we could find it easily the way James had found his check book. We prayed. Mike walked around looking at boxes. He found a box in the music room marked “wash room”. He thought wash room meant bathroom. I remembered that the day before that our main packer was calling our laundry room the “wash room” and said, “That’s the box!” We opened it and found the bolts.

Our head packer was so impressed that we found them in the first box that she told all her helpers the story. Glory!

Truck loading day went pretty well. There was a little confusion at the beginning of the day but we were able to get it worked out and the crew chief told me not to worry that all he does everyday is pray and move. He watched part of a Joseph Prince message with us on his break and was a joy to be around. We were super blessed to have Christians helping us get everything moved out of the house into a government warehouse.

The next day we picked up the U-hall trailer and were able to fit everything in and get it safely to Huntsville in time to eat good Mexican food for James’ Birthday dinner at Rosie’s Cantina.

Happy 19th!

God’s Favor

September 18, 2009 / Jennifer Coleman / 0 Comments

A few more details before the house hunting story…

Before telling Josh that we were moving, I knew I needed to arm myself with information on the colleges there. I jumped on the computer and looked up Huntsville colleges. I found one (UAH) that offers a graduate program in Josh’s favorite field of study: Bio-genetics. It looks like a very good program. Also just recently a large Biotechnology Institute called Hudson Alpha moved to Huntsville (a possible place of future employment). They are currently working on a swine flu vaccine among other things.

Josh responded to the news with just one sentence “When are ya’ll leaving?” First I swelled with pride at my Texan offspring using the word “ya’ll” so aptly. Then I was quickly over taken with fear that Josh wouldn’t make this one last (I hope) move with us. I asked him to at least prayerfully think about moving with us and to look over the information I found.

I forgot to mention in my first moving post that a few days after Mike was offered the job in Huntsville everything fell apart at his job in Montgomery. Some higher ups decided that his office was redundant and to cut all the leadership positions (including Mike’s and his two bosses). Only a few people there were going to actually be able to relocate to another office in Montgomery.. everyone else was going to have to find a new job, house, life… We were so relieved to have the Huntsville offer and praying all the more that the job would workout.

The move began feeling more like God was yanking us out of the pit.. and thrusting us into “Rocket City” than normal gentle leading. The office in Huntsville was anxious to have Mike start and got the initial paper work done at lightening speed. We had three buyers in just one week. Josh was granted favor and was able to transfer to UAH even though he was one credit short. Mike just happened to have scheduled months before a 2 week class in Huntsville. He was able to get some preliminary house hunting done in the evenings after class and keep me up dated via the internet on our choices.

It takes a while to get acclimated to a new city and find out where what is, how long it takes to get from here to there, and where a good area to live is. Mike worked really hard to study the situation and to try to decide what was most important to us in finding a house. Location is always key. This time we needed to not only to be a reasonable commute from work but also from Josh’s college. Together we cut his list down from 60 to 10 houses for me to chose from.

I drove up for the weekend in between week one and two of his class. We went to see Mike’s top 10 or so houses and in the end didn’t have peace about any of the houses. They were either too run down, not in a good location or too expensive. We were very discouraged and very apprehensive about making a bid on a house that would eat up most of Mike’s new raise.

Sunday was our last chance.. Mike had to start back to class on Monday and I needed to get home and get ready for the movers. We decided to check into building as a last resort. We had seen a new home on the opposite side of town from where we wanted to live that we liked and decided to try searching on line for other neighborhoods by that builder. We found a neighborhood that was about a mile West of where Mike had decided was as far as he wanted to commute. We drove to the model home after lunch, but they weren’t scheduled to open for another hour. So we drove by our top three houses one last time; one that was too expensive, one in a bad location and one that was a steal but that would need more repairs and upgrades than we could afford (the master bedroom had a mauve bath tub, tile, countertops etc… and the kid’s bathroom hunter green).

We’ve never built before and it was a scary thought. We knew nothing about building a house. We were afraid that the price would start out looking good but then rise over our heads in hidden cost. We sat down in a model home with the builder’s representative and asked all kinds of questions. Cheryl was very kind, patient, and helpful with all our questions. She had been working with the builder for many years and had a house in the neighborhood herself. So much info to cover in so little time. We left with our heads swimming to go look at the lot we thought we might like by the “lake”.

Mike at peace on our land.

As we stood on the lot I felt peace and joy over take me. All of Mike’s concerns about the commute, money, temporary housing and storage disappeared. He was like a whole new person. I wasn’t sure what to think about the sudden change .. but we had finally found the peace we were looking for. We fell in love with a piece of land. We called Cheryl and asked her to hold the lot for us and made an appointment for the next day for me to work out the details.

That afternoon Mike and I took the mini sketch of the house and all our notes back to the hotel and studied all our options and prices and made an incredible number of decisions from where and how big we wanted the master shower to be located to how to work out parking for a family of six.

Mike had to go to class the next day and I had to go with our realtor, my notes and our price limit in mind to communicate and get in writing everything we wanted in the house and to iron out all the details. I was so nervous. I prayed for God’s favor and a confirmation. First thing out of Cheryl’s mouth was that she had talked to the builder and that they were going to wave the $6000 lake lot premium because it was too small for the promised side entry garage and they would need to put in a front entry garage instead. God is so good!

We went one thousand dollars over our budget and it won’t be ready until Thanksgiving, but it won’t need a bunch of repairs and will be 30 or so thousand cheeper than everything else we were looking at and it will be on the piece of land where we found peace. Mike said that God has so orchestrated this move that He even picked out the exact piece of land He wants us on. 😀

Neighborhood Gazebo.. one lot over from ours.