Missing in Action

 

     I apologize to any followers of my blog (and other social media) that I still might have. My waning  posts have weighed on my mind. Unfortunately, other matters have weighed heavier and they have received my attention, thus my blog has suffered.

Please be patient. Check back in the future. It will get better.

Like in most all situations, there lessons to be found among the rubble created by hard times. Patience and the ability to look for silver linings in massive gray clouds are two of the most common ones--two that I am learning at present.

Just a quick update on the massive undertaking that has basically put my life and writing career on hold for almost a year now.

Exactly a year ago, my husband and I decided to sell our large house and downsize so as to use the equity in our house to help us retire a few years early and go on a mission while we were still young enough to do some good. My husband gave me a budget for our new house. I immediately went to task looking for something that would fit in that budget.
Everything I found, that was still large enough to allow my children and their families to still come back for family gatherings was far away from where I cared to live out my life. I really wanted to remain in Kaysville. It's not only where I had raised my family and where I feel at home, but my mother-in-law still lives here and we need to be close to her as her healthy is going down hill and she will only need our assistance more in the days ahead.

I did find a bank owned property last October in Kaysville. It was located in a wonderful, quiet neighborhood with a stream in the back yard. It was "cheap" and I figured we could still pour 100K into the place and still be on budget.

We ended up paying more than the asking price because there was a lot of house flippers competing for the property. The end of November last year, we began the demolition. After the first day of help from friends and family, the remaining demolition basically fell into my hands. I felt like I was trying to move an ocean of water with a thimble. At least close; it was literally a ton of tile I pulled out of that house one bucketful at a time. A big orange crowbar became my best friend, I leaned to frame, run pex, and be innovative when tasks required the strength of a man. My husband and son in law did most of the plumbing, but I have done 90% of the rest of the house by myself. Needless to say, it has consumed my life for the past eleven months.

I've just had to keep reminding myself of our end goal. That and lots of prayer has kept me going. Everyday I would pray for help. The task was so overwhelming and I felt I was doing it essentially all alone. Occasionally, I would get help from someone other than my husband. At first I was frustrated with this, but I kept praying. Then it dawned on me. The Lord did send help. To me. He blessed me with strength and perseverance beyond my normal abilities. I KNOW He has helped me do things beyond whatever I imagined was possible by scrawny, old me.

So there it is: the reason I have not been posting on my blog. Please accept my apology and come back for a visit in 2015. I will be back.