Turning Pages: New Steps, New Growth, & New Memories

Tonight I am stopping to reflect and let my thoughts catch up to my life. Right now I am savoring this moment because I have been looking forward to this moment all week. I am sitting in my new favorite place, my corner. It's nothing more then the left side of our little couch next to the end table, but there's something about this spot that's mine. The minute I arranged it I knew: this would be a spot where many good conservations would be had over coffee, many good books would be read, this would be my spot for digging into God's word before anyone else is awake, and this would be my spot for bringing life to my thoughts. 

My corner feels perfect for reflection. It's been a big week for our family. Last weekend was "Move Weekend" for the Gaylors. For those of you who don't know, since we've started this new journey we've been in transition. Waiting for a house to sell or at least get a renter and for the last 7 months we've been living with Matt's parents. Our little house still hasn't sold and there's no renter yet, but we decided to take a step forward. We needed some movement in this season. So last weekend we finally moved. We packed up everything in our little 3 bedroom house, everything from Matt's parent's, and moved into a little one bedroom apartment. I can honestly say I've never been so excited to live in something so small, and have found that it's actually quite perfect for us. It was a crazy exhausting weekend, filled with late nights, early mornings, long drives, boxes, trash bags, and no naps. But it was a weekend full of new steps and new life. 

Matt and I have learned so much during this transition. We have learned what it means to fully and completely trust in God's plan for our lives, even when it looks different than what we thought it would and when we don't fully understand it. We have learned what it means to be content with where God has us and what He has given us. We have learned what it means to look for God's work in our lives during what feels like a dry desert season. We have learned a new kind of patience. We have learned so much about marriage and what it means to work through tough seasons together, to grow stronger together, to encourage each other, and how to keep "us" a safe harbor in a swirling storm.  We are better as a result of this season. Not simply because of this season, but because we chose to let God do His work in us, and chose to believe that God was still in control during this season. 

I had a a few moments to pause before we left our house up north. I was surprised to find myself at the brink of tears. Not because of what we were leaving, God totally has us exactly where our hearts will thrive and come alive, and I personally thank God everyday that we now live in what we call civilization.  The tears came because of the memories of what we had experienced together there in that little house, our first house. Many firsts were experienced in that house. I let the memories flood in and allowed myself to grieve for a moment, but as I walked out and locked the door those old memories were replaced by a flood of excitement about the new moments that we would be making. 

My corner feels perfect for anticipating what's to come. Move Weekend for us symbolized a turning of the page. We are still in the chapter of transition, but we're one page closer, one step closer to the end. I can't wait to see what the next pages have in store.