Well, we've been here for about three weeks now and the weather is NOT that bad. :)
We love the parsonage, ESPECIALLY the pool! The only problem is, I seem to be cursed with a rain cloud that only shows up when I decide to go swimming. For about a week, everytime I would go out to swim with Jason, it would start to thunder and mom would make us come inside. Brittany likes the pool too. At first, she wouldn't leave the first two steps, but after dad *cough* *cough* threw her in, she seemed to enjoy it a bit more!
Everyone here has been very very welcoming and kind. From the very first night, we were whisked off to dinner plans. We ate at Chuy's Tex-Mex the first night. They just put one in Tulsa and you should try it! It's delicious! But I have to admit, I am tired of Mexican food a little. That's something I never thought I'd say, but literally! It's like they eat nothing but Mexican food and Barbecue down here! I'm not really complaining, because it's all been delicious, but let's just say that I was very grateful to eat Italian food at home this week.
Our first Sunday went well, but was a bit stressful. My problem particularly was that, as I mentioned in the last post, I was on a lot of painkillers for my ankle the last time we came up, so I didn't remember hardly anyone I had met and felt bad to admit that I didn't remember some people even vaguely. I can't even imagine how many names my dad must be trying to remember. But everyone has been very forgiving towards our forgetfulness.
The youth group and the sponsors have been making everything a lot easier for Jason and I. Jason seems to have already made a good friend here who he has had two sleepovers with already. There are a lot of girls in the youth group that are my age and they are a lot of fun and very sweet! We seem to have found a common interest in the British boy band, One Direction, which always gives us something to talk about. :)
We don't know where we are going to school yet which is one of my biggest stresses right now. But we have an appointmnet to visit a nearby Christian high school on Monday. The other big stress for me, is that, unfortunately, I am still on crutches. I went to a new doctor this week and was put into a brace finally. We are very grateful to have found this doctor. He is already helping me to improve and I start physical therapy next week. Thank you for all your prayers and I ask that you keep praying. I'm hoping to be off the crutches by next week.
Despite the new friends we've been making and the fun we've had in the pool, I really really miss home. I haven't been able to stop calling it home yet. I miss my friends and I miss my house and I miss my school and church. But I am learning to trust God to help me know that it will be better soon. My dad is letting me come up for about a week later this month and I am very very excited to come back home for a while!! Thank you for the prayers you've sent our way. We can feel them. You are in our thoughts and prayers everyday.
With Love,
Hope
Saturday, July 14, 2012
Open Doors...?
Saying the trip down here to Houston was difficult is definitely an understatement.
On the Sunday, two days before we left, our air conditioning AND our garage door broke. Then, the day the movers came, our dog got sick and Jason had an allergic reaction to a shot and broke out into a rash. It was not exactly how we were hoping to start out a very stressful week.
We left home late Tuesday evening after what I consider to be the most stressful and sad day of my life. That night we drove to Mustang to say goodbye to my aunts and cousins. The next morning we woke up and began a very very VERY long journey to Houston. We must have been quite a sight driving down the road. Both cars were filled all the way to the top with everything the movers wouldn't take, our dog, Brittany sat in the back of my mom's car, and my dad was pulling his 1948 Chevy on the back of the suburban.
It all started out as a pleasant journey until my dad turned down the music we had been listening to and heard a strange noise. We pulled the car over and to our dismay the wheel bearings were about to bust. We limped the car off the highway and called a tow. As we got back into the car to go to the nearest auto shop, my mom's car would not start. I think at that moment we all began to wonder if we had misunderstood God's voice. If he wanted us to go to Houston, why was he making it so difficult? Where were all these open doors he had been showing us earlier?
We bought a battery for mom's car and the auto shop started to work on the suburban. We all came in, even Brittany, and soaked up their air conditioning and wifi for the FIVE hours we were there. We were all very frustrated, seeing as we hadn't even left Oklahoma yet. But looking back now, we were very blessed. We could have been stuck in the heat, we could have had to stay the night in that town in the middle of no where. But no, we were blessed. The people were kind and got it fixed as quickly as they could. In the five hours we were there, we had a lot of time to contemplate for the first time in a while. The more I thought about it, the more evident it was that the devil was trying with all his might to discourage us and keep us from graciously following God's will. If you're ever in one of those situations were everything that could go wrong, does go wrong, stop and think about it for a while. It's very easy to see the devil working hard to destroy your courage and will power. Maybe this is just me, but thinking about that encourages me to try harder to stay positive. Remaining encouraged in times like that is like beating the devil. And THAT feels great.
We finally got back on the road and didn't have any major catastophes until we were about two hours away from the parsonage. Jason called, half way laughing and half way gagging, saying that the dog was sick and had an accident in the car. Needless to say, we were very very ready to arrive in Houston. Especially the dog.
We finally arrived at one in the morning and were so suprised at how much we liked the parsonage. We had seen it once before, but I was on so many painkillers for my ankle, that I didn't remember it hardly at all and Jason had only looked at the pool. We excitedly looked at all the rooms and then quickly feel asleep on air mattresses.
The next morning, people were buzzing in and out to help us unload. Their willingness to help out was very kind and encouraging. Brittany started feeling better in a couple of days and now I think she really likes the pool. :) If we got anything from the trip here, it is tenacity to stay focused on the goal without getting distracted by the negative and to keep moving forward. We love and miss you all.
-Hope
On the Sunday, two days before we left, our air conditioning AND our garage door broke. Then, the day the movers came, our dog got sick and Jason had an allergic reaction to a shot and broke out into a rash. It was not exactly how we were hoping to start out a very stressful week.
We left home late Tuesday evening after what I consider to be the most stressful and sad day of my life. That night we drove to Mustang to say goodbye to my aunts and cousins. The next morning we woke up and began a very very VERY long journey to Houston. We must have been quite a sight driving down the road. Both cars were filled all the way to the top with everything the movers wouldn't take, our dog, Brittany sat in the back of my mom's car, and my dad was pulling his 1948 Chevy on the back of the suburban.
It all started out as a pleasant journey until my dad turned down the music we had been listening to and heard a strange noise. We pulled the car over and to our dismay the wheel bearings were about to bust. We limped the car off the highway and called a tow. As we got back into the car to go to the nearest auto shop, my mom's car would not start. I think at that moment we all began to wonder if we had misunderstood God's voice. If he wanted us to go to Houston, why was he making it so difficult? Where were all these open doors he had been showing us earlier?
We bought a battery for mom's car and the auto shop started to work on the suburban. We all came in, even Brittany, and soaked up their air conditioning and wifi for the FIVE hours we were there. We were all very frustrated, seeing as we hadn't even left Oklahoma yet. But looking back now, we were very blessed. We could have been stuck in the heat, we could have had to stay the night in that town in the middle of no where. But no, we were blessed. The people were kind and got it fixed as quickly as they could. In the five hours we were there, we had a lot of time to contemplate for the first time in a while. The more I thought about it, the more evident it was that the devil was trying with all his might to discourage us and keep us from graciously following God's will. If you're ever in one of those situations were everything that could go wrong, does go wrong, stop and think about it for a while. It's very easy to see the devil working hard to destroy your courage and will power. Maybe this is just me, but thinking about that encourages me to try harder to stay positive. Remaining encouraged in times like that is like beating the devil. And THAT feels great.
We finally got back on the road and didn't have any major catastophes until we were about two hours away from the parsonage. Jason called, half way laughing and half way gagging, saying that the dog was sick and had an accident in the car. Needless to say, we were very very ready to arrive in Houston. Especially the dog.
We finally arrived at one in the morning and were so suprised at how much we liked the parsonage. We had seen it once before, but I was on so many painkillers for my ankle, that I didn't remember it hardly at all and Jason had only looked at the pool. We excitedly looked at all the rooms and then quickly feel asleep on air mattresses.
The next morning, people were buzzing in and out to help us unload. Their willingness to help out was very kind and encouraging. Brittany started feeling better in a couple of days and now I think she really likes the pool. :) If we got anything from the trip here, it is tenacity to stay focused on the goal without getting distracted by the negative and to keep moving forward. We love and miss you all.
-Hope
Sunday, June 24, 2012
Saying Goodbye
I know I haven't updated in a while, but there wasn't much to say other than packing, packing, and packing. We took a much needed break in Colorado last week and it was very refreshing. But now we are back and it is crazier than ever. I went out one day and when I came back there was nothing left in my room but my comforter, some books, and a desk lamp. On a plus side, I'm finding things that I thought I had lost ages ago!
This week has been pretty hard, because it really is the final goodbye. Of course, not goodbye for forever. We'll be back to visit and I know we'll all be together in Heaven someday too. I can't wait for that day! But for now, it is goodbye. I think the phrase "goodbye" is perfect though, because even though saying bye is hard, we really are leaving knowing that everything has been settled with the people we love. There aren't any grudges on our hearts, nothing left unsaid. So because of that, we can leave knowing it really is a goodbye. We know that you love us, and we love you all very very very much. We'll always be a church family, no matter what.
My whole family is trying to cram in seeing as many people as possible for one last time before we go. Personally, I am going out with friends for breakfast, lunch, coffee, and frozen yogurt on Monday. There are just so many people to say goodbye to! My friends have been so kind by throwing parties for me and giving me care packages. I can't thank them enough for all the sweet things they do.
Another thing that is hard to say goodbye to is our home. I hope that doesn't sound like I'm attached too much to physical possessions, but it's hard to let go of a place with so many memories. Last night, I was laying on the couch (my bed is apparently M.I.A.) and thinking of how much I have grown up in this house. My friends affectionally call it "the dollhouse" because of its cute look. I remember all the chilly winter nights sitting by the fire watching "It's a Wonderful Life" while dad, who claims it is his favorite movie, fell asleep before he even jumps off the bridge, and Jason tells our dog to stop licking his hot cocoa. I remember the evenings gathered around the kitchen table. Dad used to make us tell a "red light" and a "green light" (a good part and a bad part) of our day every night at dinner. I remember all the times that mom came running when Jason bumped his head on the counter when he was a toddler.All I can think when I look at the kitchen sink and all I can think of is years of sneaking down the stairs every April 1st to tie a rubber band around the spray nozzle and to quietly await my first victim. And then there's my room, which has always been my place to grow spiritually and emotionally. Hundreds of tears and journal entries were written in that room, but also hundreds of secrets and stories were told in that room over ages of giggling sleepovers. I remember when I used to go sit in my closet to think when I was upset. That probably sounds funny, but it seemed like a good place to back away from the world and just listen and pray. I laugh when I see the wall that Jason colored a picture on one day when he was mad at me for not letting him play. I see our backyard and think of Jason's ducks that he had loved so much and had trained to follow him everywhere. I see a beautiful place where we learned so much about God, about each other, and about ourselves. I love this place.
And yet I know there is more for us to learn in Houston too. And more memories to make. I heard this quote that I really love, "Life is liking riding a bike. In order to keep your balance, you must keep going." Maybe I just love that quote because I just learned how to ride a bike and I'm crazy about it, but it could not be more true. Even though our memories will always been in our hearts, the only thing to do is to keep going. To not let ourselves get worn down with grief, but to keep moving forward. Thanks for all your love and support and we miss you all very much! Next time I update, we will be in Texas. Hopefully we can tell some fun stories of our new house and new friends. God bless!
With Love, Hope
This week has been pretty hard, because it really is the final goodbye. Of course, not goodbye for forever. We'll be back to visit and I know we'll all be together in Heaven someday too. I can't wait for that day! But for now, it is goodbye. I think the phrase "goodbye" is perfect though, because even though saying bye is hard, we really are leaving knowing that everything has been settled with the people we love. There aren't any grudges on our hearts, nothing left unsaid. So because of that, we can leave knowing it really is a goodbye. We know that you love us, and we love you all very very very much. We'll always be a church family, no matter what.
My whole family is trying to cram in seeing as many people as possible for one last time before we go. Personally, I am going out with friends for breakfast, lunch, coffee, and frozen yogurt on Monday. There are just so many people to say goodbye to! My friends have been so kind by throwing parties for me and giving me care packages. I can't thank them enough for all the sweet things they do.
Another thing that is hard to say goodbye to is our home. I hope that doesn't sound like I'm attached too much to physical possessions, but it's hard to let go of a place with so many memories. Last night, I was laying on the couch (my bed is apparently M.I.A.) and thinking of how much I have grown up in this house. My friends affectionally call it "the dollhouse" because of its cute look. I remember all the chilly winter nights sitting by the fire watching "It's a Wonderful Life" while dad, who claims it is his favorite movie, fell asleep before he even jumps off the bridge, and Jason tells our dog to stop licking his hot cocoa. I remember the evenings gathered around the kitchen table. Dad used to make us tell a "red light" and a "green light" (a good part and a bad part) of our day every night at dinner. I remember all the times that mom came running when Jason bumped his head on the counter when he was a toddler.All I can think when I look at the kitchen sink and all I can think of is years of sneaking down the stairs every April 1st to tie a rubber band around the spray nozzle and to quietly await my first victim. And then there's my room, which has always been my place to grow spiritually and emotionally. Hundreds of tears and journal entries were written in that room, but also hundreds of secrets and stories were told in that room over ages of giggling sleepovers. I remember when I used to go sit in my closet to think when I was upset. That probably sounds funny, but it seemed like a good place to back away from the world and just listen and pray. I laugh when I see the wall that Jason colored a picture on one day when he was mad at me for not letting him play. I see our backyard and think of Jason's ducks that he had loved so much and had trained to follow him everywhere. I see a beautiful place where we learned so much about God, about each other, and about ourselves. I love this place.
And yet I know there is more for us to learn in Houston too. And more memories to make. I heard this quote that I really love, "Life is liking riding a bike. In order to keep your balance, you must keep going." Maybe I just love that quote because I just learned how to ride a bike and I'm crazy about it, but it could not be more true. Even though our memories will always been in our hearts, the only thing to do is to keep going. To not let ourselves get worn down with grief, but to keep moving forward. Thanks for all your love and support and we miss you all very much! Next time I update, we will be in Texas. Hopefully we can tell some fun stories of our new house and new friends. God bless!
With Love, Hope
Thursday, May 31, 2012
The Purpose of This Blog
Hey there everybody!
As you know, this is Hope and I am so excited that you checked out the blog. I think this is a great way to keep you all updated on the exciting new events that will be and are happening in our lives as we go to Houston. We cannot begin to express how much you all mean to us and what an impact you have made on us these past ten years. We will miss you so so so so so so so much.
When I first found out about this huge change, I was beyond upset and maybe a tiny bit dramatic (doesn't sound like me at all, huh?). Now I am so sad to leave everything behind and start over, but I must admit, I'm a little bit excited for an adventure. We have no idea what is in store for us yet in Houston, but we know that God has control and whatever comes our way, we will be safe in God's hands.
I picked 1 Thessalonians 5:18 as a sort of theme verse for this page because it really speaks what our family needs to do in this time of major change and what we encourage you to do as well: in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. Though this time ahead will be rough, we can't be angry and blame God, and we can't sit and sulk about it. We need to PRAISE God for giving both my family and Broken Arrow Nazarene the opporitunity to be a part of his beautiful plan! I think it's a wonderful feeling to know you are following God's will. Of course, there will be tears and it will be so hard to say goodbye, but God never promised that following his will would be easy. But he did promise that he would be with us through all the hardships, and we know he is with us in this.
Sometimes this blog may be about silly things, like decorating our rooms or swimming in our new pool (okay, that is one thing I'm very excited about!), and other times it may be about some important lessons we are learning. Please feel free to comment and ask questions. One thing I ask is for prayer for this time in our lives. Please pray that God gives us peace and strength through whatever lies ahead. Know that we are praying for you all too. We are praying that God will bless all of your lives and guide you to the right person to lead the church. God bless each of you and please keep in touch.
-Hope
As you know, this is Hope and I am so excited that you checked out the blog. I think this is a great way to keep you all updated on the exciting new events that will be and are happening in our lives as we go to Houston. We cannot begin to express how much you all mean to us and what an impact you have made on us these past ten years. We will miss you so so so so so so so much.
When I first found out about this huge change, I was beyond upset and maybe a tiny bit dramatic (doesn't sound like me at all, huh?). Now I am so sad to leave everything behind and start over, but I must admit, I'm a little bit excited for an adventure. We have no idea what is in store for us yet in Houston, but we know that God has control and whatever comes our way, we will be safe in God's hands.
I picked 1 Thessalonians 5:18 as a sort of theme verse for this page because it really speaks what our family needs to do in this time of major change and what we encourage you to do as well: in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. Though this time ahead will be rough, we can't be angry and blame God, and we can't sit and sulk about it. We need to PRAISE God for giving both my family and Broken Arrow Nazarene the opporitunity to be a part of his beautiful plan! I think it's a wonderful feeling to know you are following God's will. Of course, there will be tears and it will be so hard to say goodbye, but God never promised that following his will would be easy. But he did promise that he would be with us through all the hardships, and we know he is with us in this.
Sometimes this blog may be about silly things, like decorating our rooms or swimming in our new pool (okay, that is one thing I'm very excited about!), and other times it may be about some important lessons we are learning. Please feel free to comment and ask questions. One thing I ask is for prayer for this time in our lives. Please pray that God gives us peace and strength through whatever lies ahead. Know that we are praying for you all too. We are praying that God will bless all of your lives and guide you to the right person to lead the church. God bless each of you and please keep in touch.
-Hope
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