This is one of the pictures that sweet Kari Ray took of our flat last December. Little did I know at the time what a God send Kari would be. Jennifer Borger's first response when she heard that we were moving to London was, "Oh, you've got to meet the Rays...they are moving from Hawaii to London this spring!"
Kari was a dear from the first, patiently answering my questions thoroughly, letting us learn from all of their research, and just being warm and inviting.
So when we needed someone to go and see the two prospective flats that we needed to choose from, I hesitantly asked Jennifer if she thought Kari would mind. "I'm aware I don't know her, do you think she would do such a huge favor for me?" I questioned.
Kari not only went with bells on, but she did a phenomenal job. If I ever tell you, "Oh I have a friend named Kari who would be glad to help!" Just know God has intervened and you are set up well.
Kari sent us pictures and also did an amazing job of being very observant and thoughtful. She considered it all and laid out the pro's and con's very carefully as if it were their family.
There was only one problem...she recommended his flat rather than hers.
The one I wanted was so beautiful, regent, and old. The kind of old I've always dreamed of living in; cherry wood floors, crown molding, and nooks and crannies at every corner. The kind of home a princess should live in while living in London.
Ed's location was a little better on the map, although I looked it up two days ago, and the location we ended up with is just out and out phenomenal.
His was new, modern, and roomier. His location, well I just fessed up to that one in the paragraph above.
She claimed his didn't have the "feel". He claimed his had better closets. Little did we know his also had a half bath that would graciously be our storage closet.
Now please understand this all unfolded at the Hickam Library as we were literally hours away from getting on the plane to Texas.
Once it was all hashed out, pro's and con's, my sweet man said, "You decide, I'll be happy in either and you are the one who is there 24/7." Yes, I did love him even more at that moment and quickly chided in that God was just going to have to show us. So, I started praying, "Lord, make it clear, oh and quickly Lord, as Ed really wants to move forward with this tomorrow."
The next day as I was anguishing it came to a complete halt when the realtor told me that his had a dryer and hers did not. That was about as clear as a glassy lake during the wee hours of a Texas summer morning. The decision was made.
When we first came in the flat the children were thrilled. They love to run around room to room discovering what the pictures didn't say, taking it all in. It's one of the highlights of moving for them. It's not always for me.
In Alabama they saw space, potential, and new adventures. I saw ugly linoleum, vomit stains on the carpet, and smelled a dog. Now I will tell you my sweet man cleaned carpet stains for hours that night as the truck was coming the next morning at 8:00. I sorted out belongings and prayed for my bad attitude while he got every major stain, including orange Kool Aid, out of that nasty carpet. The dog smell never fully left on hot humid days, but it taught me to be grateful for what God has provided and that's lasting in my heart for a lifetime. I hate to admit that Ed found me kissing our brand new cheap base carpet in Montana. That cheap brown carpet looked like cherry wood floors.
So there I stood in the window view that I had thought was so ugly, praying again. I love a beautiful view...it's one of my favorite things. Please remember my context as views like this were just normal in Hawaii:
"Okay Lord, this is your best for me, help me to embrace it," I silently whispered.
What I saw was ugly modern buildings.
Can I tell you I've never enjoyed living room windows in quite the same way as we have enjoyed these. If you get up at 4:00 am you don't have wait a full minute to see someone.
We love the suitcase game, I made it up myself. During the day it's hard to find a single moment that you don't see someone pulling a suitcase. I've never had so much hustle and bustle outside my window. It has provided hours of delight and entertainment.
In the evening we get our very own "Office" program as the mirror windows become translucent and we see everything that is happening inside. Who needs television?
I now don't see the ugly buildings, but I see the reflection of our building. I get a beautiful picture of our darling quaint building at any given moment I look out. I love to find our window. Jefferson loves to jump up and down like a monkey so he can see himself across the way.
Same scene, different angle, and much closer up; are you getting the picture?
Can you find me? The bottom two windows are ours. The window directly above us is Mr. and Mrs. Coleman's. How would we have ever navigated London and all that we have experienced without the love and support of Rick and Maggie Coleman? Wasn't God good to put us in just the right place.
He always knows better, He sees the bigger picture, He also sees the close ups. God knows where we need to be, who we need to live by, and how He's going to stretch us. That nasty dog carpet made me so much more grateful for the little things. I can now be grateful for that nasty dog carpet at a whole new level.
It makes me grateful...what all would we have missed out on if we'd not lived right here at Chantrey House? A tremendous amount of God's blessings. Would He have blessed in other ways, certainly He would have. BUT, I'm grateful for these blessings, that I have come to love. I am also very grateful that at this very moment I don't have wet clothes strung all over my lovely, regent, and old flat.
So how does this change me? Well, I'm certainly working on the fact that our children are going to live in 11x10's in Alaska. A girls room and a boys room, which is how we've done it their whole lives. Not always on such a small scale though. Is it our sacrifice in order to serve our country, or is it God's best?
It's God's best I say, and I can hardly wait to see how He's going to use it!
Love in Christ,
Dinah for The Troops
Did you know my littlest man loves to photograph me? I could do a whole portrait gallery of Dinah at her worst. He rarely catches me when I'm ready and heading to The London Tower or the day that I'm going to see the Queen. No he catches me in the kitchen at the end of the day, working at the computer when I'm tired, or heading out to run. He loves these pictures and boldly claims my beauty no matter. I thought you might enjoy one, I'm even smiling here. Often I'm completely caught off guard. He'll be so tickled I posted one of his great works.
