Jesus, will You open my mind and heart to new thoughts and ideas. I want to experience Your love today like the first day I met You. I set aside my worries and cares and rest in Your love. (Lectio 365)
As I was walking around my new neighborhood recently, I couldn’t help but reflect on how God always knows best.
Not My Plans
You see, It wasn’t in my plans to buy a townhouse. A single family home filled my thoughts. One with a backyard, not too big, not too small. Just right for gathering with friends and giving the dogs a space to explore.
But God knows best.
I had ideas of one level living with an office. No steps, thank you. We are in a season with aging dogs and parents and I wanted to make life easier for them.
But God knows best and here I am. And it’s good. Better than good. It’s perfect.
You know why? Because instead of holding tight to my own thoughts and ideas, I have allowed room to perceive fresh possibilities in ordinary things and asked the Lord to expand my imagination. And he has.
Yes, we have multiple sets of stairs.
Yes, the backyard is tiny.
Yes, it’s a townhome.
Yes, there are bathrooms that could use an upgrade.
If I wanted to be nit-picky, I could go on. I won't.
The Kitchen Sold Me
Instead let me tell you about my kitchen. It’s beautiful. I absolutely love it! It's beyond what I hoped we would find. The light, the cabinets, the everything! Seeing as it's a place I spend a lot time, I wanted the kitchen to make me feel happy, and it doesn't disapoint. It was the clincher that convinced me that this was the place for us.
I also got an upgrade with the master bedroom.
And the yard, well it is fenced and has more privacy than other townhomes we looked at. Plus, I think it’s cute. Once we add an outdoor couch and some lights, it will be downright cozy!
The community has a school, a park and a lake. Actually, It’s more of a glorified pond with a fountain, ducks and a walking path all around it, but who’s keeping track? It’s such a welcoming way to enter the neighborhood.
God's Perfect Plans
All these things are a gift beyond what I could have imagined. I’m so glad God knows best.
I couldn’t have planned this. I didn’t even know exactly where I wanted to live. I just knew I wanted to be closer to family. I continued to take the next step in front of me, asking for God to show us the way.
It was only after (temporarily) moving in with my parents that I knew I’d come home and I wasn’t interested in leaving again. A sense of belonging and purpose settled in and I didn’t want to let go of it.
Then he led us to a townhouse. He saw my longing for community and knew where I would find it. So instead of just giving me the “perfect” house, he refined my thoughts and ideas and opened my eyes to see what was around me: The “perfect” neighborhood FOR ME. Perfect meaning, perfect for all the good things he has planned.
Before knowing how it’s all going to play out. I have a renewed hope and excitement for the place he has planted us. It’s going take time for the story to unfold, for new relationships to develop, but God has given me fresh thoughts, ideas and a vision for what could be. In the meantime, I'm content to lay down my worries and cares and rest in his love for me.
Tell me about your house? What do you love about it, or maybe not love about it? Where might God be asking you to see it with fresh thoughts and ideas?
