New Season, Holiday Season

I’m sitting in an Airbnb in San Antonio this morning. We arrived last night and plan to stay two weeks so that we can spend some time with our youngest daughter and her husband who live here, as well as enjoy the sights and activities San Antonio offers. (Also, Michelle, Dale’s sister with whom we’ve been staying, needs a break. Ha ha!)

A New Home

It’s a cool sunny morning and we have a Fall-scented candle burning. November is one of our favorite months, but this year, it will be especially good. In addition to us both celebrating our birthdays in November, and our anniversary (30 years!), we should have a new home before month’s end! Though we have been “homeless” for 18 months, and accustomed to living out of plastic bins and duffle bags, we are more than ready to spread out a bit! (Plus, storage prices for our furniture is ridiculously high. Ha!)

We should close on our new home during the second half of the month. It’s a one-story, 1600 square-foot home in Georgetown’s Saddle Creek Neighborhood. We really love the home, and God has been so gracious to us, but more about that in another post.

I can’t go further without saying that in all of this goodness, my heart is burdened by the hatred being directed toward God’s chosen people, and the war that is destroying lives on both sides. The unrestrained evil that is manifest in the lives of people around the world is unbelievable and clearly demonic in origin.

Pray for peace in Jerusalem. May all who love this city prosper. O Jerusalem, may there be peace within your walls and prosperity in your palaces. For the sake of my family and friends, I will say, “May you have peace.” For the sake of the house of the Lord our God, I will seek what is best for you, O Jerusalem.
-Psalms 122

Despite all of this we know that God is in control and as long as the earth endures, “seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease.”

Thanksgiving

Dale and I will be enjoying Thanskgiving with our family here in Georgetown. The Matthews, our daughter-in-law’s parents, will be hosting. We’ve enjoyed holiday events at their home several times and always enjoy it.

The following week we will be in Arkansas. We planned this little trip before we found our new house, and though we could spend the time moving, we are going ahead with our plans, God willing. It’s a great way to spend our anniversary, hiking in the Ozarks. And, I get Dale to myself all week since he is taking vacation!

Christmas

The first part of December will be spent getting settled in our new home. Dale also has a team meeting in Raleigh where his company’s headquarters is located. I’m excited for him because he has never met his teammates in person.

The second half of December will be visiting our oldest daughter and her family in Argyle. It will be so enjoyable. We just spent a week with them. Their home is beautiful and comfortable and they are very gracious hosts.

The best part of Christmas is that all of our children and their spouses, as well as Dale’s parents and sister, will be joining us! We secured a nearby Airbnb to handle the overflow.

The Coming Year

Who knows what tomorrow brings? Only God. What is our responsibility? To love God and to love others. We continue to live our lives and face the future with hope and expectation. Sometimes I don’t see how the world can continue much longer, but I will not succumb to fear, rather I will strive for greater faith. Dale and I hope to continue to travel in 2024.