Father’s Day, soon after our move
Well, we moved. Again. And not by choice. But here we are now in our suburban neighborhood rental home and I still feel a bit discombobulated and unsure of what I’m supposed to be doing now in this season. A decade of pursuing a real homestead…to a couple of years in a challenging little cabin…to living in a home where the city picks up yard waste. No more composting or tossing scraps to chickens!
Some things have remained the same. I’m still homeschooling. I’m still meeting with friends for book club. Tom and I still have date nights. But as I am rereading my old blog posts (from my original blog, not this one), I often wonder, “Who was that woman?” It seems like a far away, long ago dream.
It’s harder for me to keep blogging right now. After I wrote Present I felt like I had nothing more to say. I didn’t want to take the time to add one more recipe to the internet or to openly share to a mostly unknown world of readers. I still struggle with wanting to be real, in person, with real people…and of course you can’t really do that via a blog. Or, at least, I can’t. My world has shrunk and it has gotten richer.
I do feel like this home we are in is for a season of rest. We are nearing the end of paying off every debt, and then we shall see what the Lord has in store for us. Will we buy property and mini-farm again? Will we build another house? I don’t rightly know; all I know is that God literally plucked us from one house to another and then He did it again! So, as a friend once said to us, it isn’t our problem–it’s God’s. I am simply having regular days just like all of you: reading aloud, stirring oatmeal, wiping noses and bums, and keeping the laundry turning over. In between, I see God’s faithfulness to provide in every way, and challenging me to keep trusting Him. I don’t deserve the grace He’s shown and is showing me, but I am humbled and grateful.
Well, that was a long preamble to our latest podcast. We already have another podcast ready to record (yay!), but felt like we just wanted to chat with you all and let you know what’s happened and where we are now. Thank you for your sweet notes, emails, and reviews; we feel the love 🙂
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
P.S. If you’ve missed the Downsizing/Upsizing series, you can start with part one HERE.
P.P.S. I haven’t disappeared from the internet. You can find snapshots of our days and little mini-mini-blog posts on my Instagram feed. It’s the one place I feel like I can *meet* you. If you don’t want to be a stranger, you can join me there 🙂
Blessings,
Hey;, lady. It’s good to “hear” from you. I was praying for your family just the other day, as I do periodically for all the families I have on my fridge via Christmas cards. Of course, I think you were two lighter back then!! Anyway, Instagram is the ONE social media outlet I do not have after refusing to continue to add more time being plugged in. So, I might use my daughter’s or husband’s account to keep up (assuming I can do it that way). Miss you, but glad you are well!
Miss you, too!! SO wish we could go share some time in person together.
Hi there! I was so excited to see a blog post. Thanks for checking in. I discovered your blog years ago when you recorded your podcasts on discouragement and they were especially meaningful to me during a time of depression. I am not a big blog reader (especially since I read your book, Present) but I do check in on you now and again….and I have missed you. Love the picture of the family.
Thank you, Melanie 🙂
Thank you for sharing your story with us. Your journey has been very encouraging to me. Our family moved in recent years from a large house in the suburbs to a homestead in the mountains with goats, chickens, ducks, orchard and gardens. It has been great and we have learned so much as a family. But, we have been thinking about simplifying even more and moving to a smallish house on smaller acreage without all the animals. We are leaning more and more toward a minimalist lifestyl and letting go of anything that doesn’t support the vision we have for our family.
I look forward to hearing more podcasts from you. Blessings.
I recently came across your podcast and blog. We have such a similar story and your blog posts/podcasts have been a blessing to me. We too built a large house (3000 sq ft), with my husband doing much of the work, and had to sell it in 2010. We’ve rented 4 houses since (moving each time due to landlords selling or moving back in, etc) and are once again packing and needing to move by June. I just want to let you know how encouraging it is to read/listen to a family who has been through a similar situation and is trusting the Lord through it. Thank you so much!