The Wait is over

Well, after 6 months, 23 states (so far I think) and lots of great memories we have a job and Robert starts in 2 weeks working for Dr Pepper in Irving TX (yes in the middle of the metroplex) for the next 18-36 months. We are so excited to be done job hunting and very excited to get back to normal life (as if that exists!).

So tomorrow we will start to look for a house to rent. Then we head to OK to see my mom and my brother. We will spend the week in Oklahoma City and we are very excited!

God has really watched over us these last six months has blessed us more times than we can count. We had a great time waiting on him and watching him work, but we are excited to be ending this journey as well!

So thank you for your prayers we have felt them through everything. And stay tuned for more details as we gear up for another phase of our lives!!

God Moves

Still no word on our future.. but trust me when I say that when God moves HE MOVES!!

God has been moving in our lives for ages, but these past six months he is moving even more, but not like these last 2 weeks. I will share details soon. I promise, but just trust me - he is moving!

If you are not sure if he still moves in your life, you are not looking hard enough!! I can see him all around me, and as I look around right now and see him moving and seem amazed - I am reminded that he is always moving, I am just not usually paying attention!!

So pay attention - he is BIG and he moves.

I am excited!!!

Meanwhile, we are getting back on the road in 2 days to head to Oklahoma to see my mom and Louie to attend my brother's parole hearing. Very exciting too! He is being paroled this week and I will get to see him after almost 18 years or so of not seeing each other! Again, God is so Good all the time!!

My Review of : Green by Ted Dekker

Green

by Ted Dekker

At Last . . . The Circle Reborn
The story of how Thomas Hunter first entered the Black Forest and forever changed our history began at a time when armies were gathered for a final battle in the valley of Migdon. Green is a story of love, betrayal, and sweeping reversals set within the apocalypse. It is the beginning: the truth behind a saga that has captured the imagination of more than a million readers with the Books of History Chronicles.
But even more, Green brings full meaning to the Circle Series as a whole, reading as both prequel to Black and sequel to White, completing a full circle. This is Book Zero, the Circle Reborn, both the beginning and the end. The preferred starting point for new readers . . . and the perfect climax for the countless fans who’ve experienced Black, Red, and White.

MY Review:

Green. What a great story! I love anything that Ted Dekker writes, but to read Green and see how so many other novels fit together to form this story was just wonderful!
As always Ted Dekker has amazing characters that you come to love, you fear for them, and you weep with them. Thomas Hunter once again takes center stage in Green, but unlike the other books in this varied series, nearly every character is addressed in this final, and yet first, novel. I so enjoyed watching how Dekker wove this story together in a way that it could be the first story you pick up in this series, or the final.
Thomas Hunter must go between the two realities, that really only exist to him, while many other characters in the book try to understand it all through his explanations. One world is current day our world, and the other is 200 years in the future in a “different” world where spiritual issues take a more physical form. This time, Thomas is forced to move between the two realities despite his obvious choice for the world of Elyon. We see Thomas struggle with watching his son turn against everything he has learned to believe, and yet Thomas must let him go. His son Samuel makes choices of his own free will, and resulting in much more dire situation than he could ever imagine. Standing by are many characters we have grown to love, or hate, through Black, Red and White. The evil priests, the worms, the Shitaiki bats all play the role of evil as they battle against the Roush, representing the good. To see things come full circle in this final book was so enjoyable. And yet, when I finished the last chapter my first impulse was to run out to find Black to continue the Circle further!!
There are so many issues that Dekker deals with while telling a wonderful story of passion, love and loss. He deals head on with faith in God, beliefs about evil and many other topics we deal with today. He addresses the struggle our society is facing with understanding truth and where God is in regards to truth. I love how he delves into thoughts we all have, doubts we have even as a strong believers in God, and encourages us to search for the true answer. We see how the characters struggle with trusting in Elyon (God) even though they have not seen him manifest his miracles in what seems like ages. And yet, many stand firm in their beliefs, while many others choose another path to follow. To see the love Chelise feels for her family even though they have yet to believe like she does in Elyon reminds us to love those in our lives without hesitation as they too struggle with our beliefs.
I personally cannot get enough of Ted Dekker of his delightful characters, and I do plan to start the journey again…reading Black, Red and White with a new perspective!

While we are waiting

we are enjoying our time in the country! We are trying to get on the 4-wheelers when we can! We are collecting as many frogs as we can find and enjoy playing with them until we have to "let them go". We are enjoying watching the cows and I love to see how they have such a relaxed view of life. It calms me when they are near the house grazing and just wandering around.

we are visiting our friends. We are enjoying the weekend in Arlington with friends. Trying to get some errands run and lots of playtime for the kids. We are excited to go to church tomorrow with some friends too!

we are praising our God. We really are - just about every day we look at one another (Robert and I) and we just talk about how blessed we are. We are so thankful for so many great family members offering to open their homes to our rambunctious brood, and really would Love to have us. We are so blessed to have friends open their homes ( and cabins) to us as well.

we are feeling peaceful despite the tough times. We really are. We feel like this has all had a purpose beyond what we can see. We have felt God's hand upon us throughout this journey, and lately I have seen his fingerprints all around us. It is such a blessing to serve a loving, gracious God. He is amazing.

So, while we seem to think we are nearing the end of this journey, we continue to wait. And if God tells us no to some opportunities before us, we will continue to wait and praise him and count our blessings. It has been such a special time this last 6 months when we really have rested in the comfort only God can offer while we let him lead us down a new path for our family!

Please continue to pray that God will use our experience to encourage others. Please pray for wisdom for our family as we will need to make some decisions in the weeks to come. And please continue to pray for the health of our children and for peace for their parents!! May God bless you as well!!