God is Testing My Faith and Patience

At least once in your life you've moved.

Either, across the city, state, country, or continent. I've moved many times in my life. My last move was to the current house my husband and I have lived in for eighteen years. A long time. I thought this was our forever home. We are located in a older neighborhood with mature vegetation, trees, and the best thing is, if you ended up on our road, either you belonged there, or were lost. We live off a dead end, off a dead end, off a dead end. You couldn't try to find us if your life depended on it. 

We love this neighborhood. There are nineteen houses on our road. We live near the dead end. I know everyone who lives in eachhouse. There is the older couple (in their 80's now) who were the first people to build on this road, and the man used to mow the grass on the dirt road. His daughter lives next door with her husband.Our neighbors are a collection of young and old. When we first moved in eighteen years ago, it was mostly families. But, just like our kids, the other kids grew up and moved away. Then we were a predominantly older generation of neighbors. Now, grandchildren are coming back, and as the oldest neighbors either pass on, or move to assisted living facilities, the houses are now being filled with young families again.

The Circle of Life.

As I said, I thought this was going to be our forever home, or if we ever did move, we'd move to something smaller and downsize. 

Well, that ain't gonna happen. 

Currently we are on 1/3 of an acre, with a single story three bedroom, two full bathrooms, great room, cedar throughout, including on the vaulted ceiling in the great room, and ceilings of the back patio and front patio. It's tiled throughout.The master bedroom closet is a woman's dream come true. I know, my husband designed it for me. We can't take it with us, as it was constructed to fit the dimensions of this closet. I'm really going to miss it.When we first moved in here, eighteen years ago, the kids were younger, so we made sure it had a pool. The kids are gone, I rarely get in, because it has to be over 80 degrees before I'll step foot in it. My husband used more, but, mostly we collect the leaves that drop and empty the skimmer. We did put a new sand filter on it.

So, it was my husband's idea to move. Last year, he got his pilot's license. Since then, he's been eager to buy a plane. However, after insurance, hanger fees, etc, the cost is outrageous. 

So, he found this community about 40 miles north of us, in an airport community, where the runway goes down the center of the community, two roads on each side, that are used as taxi ways, so the pilots can taxi down the road to their house and park their plane in their own hanger.

So, we are now getting one acre of land. A 2500 square foot hanger. A three car garage, and two story home with three bedrooms, three full bathrooms, an office, a formal dining room, a laundry room (thank you, God!), and a loft. I think the total square feet is somewhere between 7,000 and 8,000 square feet. Dear God, way more than I can handle, so am going to be looking or a housekeeper! We did go back and forth for quite a while, trying to decide if we (me) really wanted to move. I was overwhelmed a bit about how big it all was, including a two story house.

Here's a really good aerial view of the house while we flew over it.

This was my husband's dream ever since he was young. He has always wanted to fly his own airplane. As a kid and all through  adulthood, he's flown Remote Control Airplanes and Helicopters.It was just never the same. 

He alway thought he'd get a chance to go for his pilot license after he retired, but i felt that was too late. He needed to get his license and plane and enjoy it now, and not when we're all decrepit. Fifteen years ago, my wonderful hubby let me quit writing technical computer user manuals and turn to writing fiction full time. I have had twelve books published, I work as a writing coach, I give writing workshops and work as a freelance writer for other companies and websites.

  Didn't he deserve the best opportunity as well?

Of course he did! He's an awesome person, My husband had faith and trust in me to follow my dream of writing, so he deserved my support to follow him with his dream

Of course, it is a win situation for me as well. I get an awesome new office, with huge windows with great views where I can store all my writing, research, and other books, along with all my files and author information. Including all the writing workshops I give, the writing coach information I have and the freelance work i do. 

Best of all, I get to finish my Bipolar Memoir and I know it will be a great resource for those in need. 


And I have an entire acre of land to create the gardens of my dreams, with stepping stones throughout. We've already told the buyers of our current home that we're digging up one of our Plumeria trees and taking it with us. 

We started out with about a six to eight inch cutting from a friend's Plumeria in the Florida Keys and planted it about 12 or so years ago. Now, it's been cut and trimmed too many times to count. I've given pieces away to neighbors. And it's still now three separate trees and blooms the most gorgeous yellow flowers. If you don't know what a Plumeria is, it's the flower in Hawaii that they use to create the leis. It can only grow in tropic areas. I'm hoping 40 miles north of us, will still be hospitable for the trees. 

The house we bought was a foreclosure. The seller (Fannie Mae) had no vested interest in really helping us, or making the process easy for us. We used the VA loan I was eligible for, as I am a Veteran.

 Easy peasy, right?

Are you kidding!! We are actually closing tomorrow, (updated, we closed yesterday, beyond any belief or trust I had in doing so), after over three months of sheer chaos. Fannie Mae and the VA don't get along anyway, so that was strike one against us. We started out with a loan processor who (lucky us) had never processed a loan before, we were her first. Strike two.

Third strike, as the house was a foreclosure, and Fannie Mae wasn't about to do anything to fix it up, besides painting the inside walls and putting down new carpet, we are responsible for buying and installing all appliances, installing two new air conditioning units, fixing the garage doors so they'll open, buy a new hot water heater, and the list goes on and on. 

I so believe that God sent every obstacle our way as a test to see if this was truly the home of our dreams, the lifestyle we wanted, and were willing to do what we had to to make sure we got the home.If it weren't for God's strength and the many prayer chains I asked for through my church, I don't think I could have managed this chaotic experience. 

I did have one relapse, putting me in the psychiatric ward for a week, but the driving force was panic, anxiety and PTSD triggers, than the actual problems with the seller and our inept loan officer. It didn't help, though.



Which leads us to the airplane. Greg really has his heart set on a particular plane. That was the driving force behind making this major decision in our life. 

 So, here it is, in all it's glory. I've even flown it. 

One minor detail, I don't know how to land for real. 

I've seen it done a zillion times, and have done it with simulators, including with the Lear Jet simulator at the training center at Tucson International Airport. Now, that was some fun flight training. 

But, as I said, I was never officially taught how to land a single engine plane. So, hubby has decided that I am going to take some lessons from one of his favorite instructors that is the best at teaching take offs and landings. Hubby is completely behind my request and decision to learn to fly in more detail and especially learn how to land. I won't be able to get my pilot's license, because I won't pass the medical requirements, but at least I can be the best co-pilot I can for my hubby. 

Details, details. 

Right? 

But, we have conquered most of them. Especially, since, I've actually been writing this blog over the last few days. I started out before we closed and, guess what? 

WE CLOSED YESTERDAY!! 

Finally. Now, we have to move our entire household by Wednesday. Of course, my hubby has some insane logic that he can get all moved (including furniture) with our neighbor's panel truck and some help from friends. As a matter of fact, he took the first load up today. The plane goes in the hanger today 

YAY!! 

I truly am believing now that we are going to move and start a new chapter in our lives.

Of course, after going up to the house early to do a walk through, before going back to Tampa, to do the closing paperwork, I was a knot of anxiety and panic. Afterwards, the release of it all, caused another panic and anxiety attack. Then hubby wanted to go to Home Depot, Lowes, and Best Buy to look at appliances. By the last store, I was completely beyond any intelligent conversation, nor did I have any decision making abilities left. Wasted. Exhausted. Checked out. I have to say that my faith and patience were tested in great detail over the last few months. We vacillated from wanting to buy the house, to staying here and not selling, to not buying the house and buying a vacant lot and building our own house, to cancelling everyone's contracts, to wanting to buy the house again. 

Each time, I prayed and prayed for God to help guide us in the right direction and to show us the way. 

Prayer works. 

God never left us alone, and he never interfered without a darn good reason. Because we put this entire move into His hands, some obstacles were nearly insurmountable, but getting to the other side led to sweet rewards. 

Now, in the next few days, we must say good-bye to this house that has been our home for eighteen years. 

A great couple is buying it. He serves our country by working at MacDill Air Force Base. She is going to have their first child within days of us closing. 

To accommodate them, we've moved up the closing as early as we could and still get everything out of this house and have all things installed at the new house. I truly enjoy this couple and am so happy we chose their bid over the other three we received. 

 Did I tell you the miracle? 

We put our house on the market over Valentine's Day weekend. It was on the market for two days and we received four bids all over asking price. 

Doesn't God work in mysterious ways? 

I didn't want to go through weeks of showing the house. It would stress me and my dog. He had tot be boarded over that weekend we did show the house, as it would have been too much on him. It really hurt me, though, because one, we had strange people walking in and out of our house for those two days, and I couldn't have my dog, Jack around to help soothe me. If you've followed this blog, you know that Jack and I have a very deep connection. He's my therapy dog. I got him when he was ten weeks old and we bonded immediately. He is going to be thirteen this year.  

I know that we are going to have to say good-bye to him soon. Hubby, at first, said after Jack, we would never have another dog again. 

But, prior to closing, he told me that he realizes I need a companion dog for my therapy, and after we are settled in the new house, we are going to get another dog, young enough to learn from Jack everything required to be my companion. 

Don't I have just the sweetest hubby in the whole world? 

I know that God had our life mapped out before we were even born. 

Sometimes, I can be stubborn and try to make my own path, but it takes a whack on the head from God to make me realize that it's His way or NO WAY. 

So, ultimately, I end up following God's plan, regardless. Sometimes, it takes a little more time to get there, as I sometimes don't follow the exact trail, but it eventually leads me back to the right track. 

So, to sum up this blog post, it really does take a leap of faith to make things happen in your life. 

In our new home, I'm getting a gorgeous office filled with huge windows so I'll have plenty of light and awesome views. 

We are getting an amazing amount of land so I can have the gardens of my dreams.

And, most of all, I'll have my very happy hubby, his airplane, my dog, Jack, my parrot, Bailey and will have moved from one paradise to the other. 


 Thank you for following us on this journey, I appreciate you reading my post, and hearing the thunder outside reminds me I was supposed to pack up all my gardening tools and materials. 

Have a blessed day.
Vicki

49 Commands of Jesus Christ - Guest Post

49 commands of Jesus Christ (words to LIVE by!)

Jesus said, “If ye love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15). Keeping the commands of Jesus begins with recognizing what they are. Following is a collection of 49 of Jesus’ commands. As you read through them, ask God to help you observe these words, apply them, and faithfully follow them throughout your lifetime.

• Repent  “From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matthew 4:17).
• Follow Me  “And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men” (Matthew 4:19).
• Rejoice  “Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you” (Matthew 5:11–12).
• Let Your Light Shine  “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 5:16).
• Honor God’s Law  “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill” (Matthew 5:17).
• Be Reconciled “Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath aught against thee; leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift” (Matthew 5:23–25).
• Do Not Lust  “But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart. And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell” (Matthew 5:28–30).
• Keep Your Word  “Let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil” (Matthew 5:37).
• Go the Second Mile  “Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: but I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also. And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain. Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away” (Matthew 5:38–42).
• Love Your Enemies  “But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; that ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? Do not even the publicans the same?” (Matthew 5:44–46).
• Be Perfect  “If ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so? Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect” (Matthew 5:46–48).
• Practice Secret Disciplines  “. . . When thou doest thine alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth: that thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly. . . . When thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. . . . When thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face; that thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly” (Matthew 6:1–18).
• Lay Up Treasures   Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also” (Matthew 6:19–21).
• Seek God’s Kingdom  “Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you” (Matthew 6:33).
• Judge Not  “Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?” (Matthew 7:1–3).
• Do Not Cast Pearls  “Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you” (Matthew 7:6).
• Ask, Seek, Knock  “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: for every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened” (Matthew 7:7–8).
• Do Unto Others  “Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets” (Matthew 7:12).
• Choose the Narrow Way “Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it” (Matthew 7:13–14).
• Beware of False Prophets  “Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?” (Matthew 7:15–16).
• Pray for Laborers  “The harvest truly is plenteous, but the laborers are few; pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth laborers into his harvest” (Matthew 9:37–38).
• Be Wise as Serpents  “Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves” (Matthew 10:16).
• Fear Not  “Fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell” (Matthew 10:28).
• Hear God’s Voice  “He that hath ears to hear, let him hear” (Matthew 11:15).
• Take My Yoke  “Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:28–30).
• Honor Your Parents  “For God commanded, saying, Honor thy father and mother: and, he that curseth father or mother, let him die the death” (Matthew 15:4).
• Beware of Leaven  “Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees” (Matthew 16:6).
• Deny Yourself  “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it. For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away?” (Luke 9:23–25).
• Despise Not Little Ones  “Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 18:10).
• Go to Offenders  “Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. And if he neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as a heathen man and a publican” (Matthew 18:15–17).
• Beware of Covetousness  “And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth” (Luke 12:15).
• Forgive Offenders  “Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven” (Matthew 18:21–22).
• Honor Marriage  “And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female, and said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder” (Matthew 19:4–6).
• Be a Servant  “. . . Whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; and whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant: even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:26–28).
• Be a House of Prayer  “It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer . . . ” (Matt. 21:13).
• Ask in Faith  “Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea: it shall be done. And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive” (Matthew 21:21–22).
• Bring In the Poor  “Then said he also to him that bade him, When thou makest a dinner or a supper, call not thy friends, nor thy brethren, neither thy kinsmen, nor thy rich neighbors; lest they also bid thee again, and a recompense be made thee. But when thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind: and thou shalt be blessed; for they cannot recompense thee: for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just” (Luke 14:12–14).
• Render to Caesar  “Show me the tribute money. And they brought unto him a penny. And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription? They say unto him, Caesar’s. Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s; and unto God the things that are God’s” (Matthew 22:19–21).
• Love the Lord  “Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment” (Matthew 22:37–38).
• Love Your Neighbor  “And the second [commandment] is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets” (Matthew 22:39–40).
• Await My Return  “Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh” (Matthew 24:42–44).
• Take, Eat, and Drink  “As they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and broke it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body. And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; for this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins” (Matthew 26:26–28).
• Be Born Again  “Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again” (Jn 3:5–7).
• Keep My Commandments  “If ye love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15).
• Watch and Pray “Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak” (Matthew 26:41).
• Feed My Sheep  “So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jona, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs. He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jona, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep” (Jn 21:15–16).
• Baptize My Disciples  “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost” (Matthew 28:19).
• Receive God’s Power  “And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high” (Luke 24:49).
• Make Disciples  “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations . . . teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen” (Matthew 28:19–20).                                     

 (adapted from the Commands of Christ Pocket Guide)

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes..."   

Romans 1:16

It is not how much of the Bible we have read, or how much we have studied…or how much we have memorized….but how obedient we are to what we have become aware of!  A hallmark of living for Jesus is good works…with NO strings attached.

A wonderful new addition from our friend ST Mann. Thank you so much for your loving words.

s.t.mann is a 50s vintage sojourner for Jesus, and has written dozens of inspirational short stories based on his own true adventures, as well as other works. He lives on a farm in the Canadian Rockies working on numerous projects including two anthologies; he compiles a monthly devotional read on six continents, and is author of the book ‘My Dance With Diane’. He is an ordained minister, founder  and operator of a prison ministry, a retired coach and one time university professor, with a BS from Duke, MS from George Washington, and has completed a variety of seminary level courses.                                                                                                        © 2014 - S.T.Mann,  This story is offered

under Creative Commons license; it is

permissible to use the story as long

as an attribution bio is included.

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