Open House

Yesterday some people from the church wanted to give us a open house. Dozens of people came to share in the joy of God's blessing for our family. Our friends and flock gathered all over the house to laugh, visit, and get a tour of the house from Brenda. She was a great hostess. I watched her with admiration as she took person after person on a tour. She is blessed to live in this house and I can tell she has finally built her nest and feels settled.

The only room I showed off was my office. I proudly brought people back here and told them this one room was the selling point for me. This room is an answer to two decades of prayer. One lady commented how she felt God's peace in this room.

It was a little uncomfortable. So many people inspecting the house and us having to be the center of attention is not comfortable for Brenda and I. We are not pretentious people. While we rejoice in all that God has given us we never want others to think we are rich or materialistic. Most of what we have we have because we prayed and God blessed. We want God to get all the glory for our home and furnishings.

We were blown away when we saw a new patio table with six chairs on our back porch. These were a gift from the people who love us. One man even came over and put it all together for us. We are humbled by God's faithfulness and the love of friends and our flock. The day before Brenda commented to me that she looks forward to us sitting on the back porch when the weather cools a little. Now our whole family will be able to dine out there. We will also use that space to entertain. We are so blessed by God and people who love us.

Every time someone said, "You did good in getting this house," or "We are so proud and happy for your family," I deflected the glory back to God. I replied, "God did good and we are blessed." We love this home.

Though I love our home I am reminded that "this world is not my home I am just a passing through my treasures are laid up somewhere beyond the blue." As they were traveling on the road someone said to Him, "I will follow You wherever You go!" Jesus told him, "Foxes have dens, and birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay His head." [Luke 9:57-58]

As much as we honor God and celebrate His gift of this wonderful home we hold onto to it loosely. We know God could call us to give it up. We want to enjoy it every moment He allows us to live here whether that be for decades or a few short years. On this planet we have come to learn we have no permanent dwelling place. I could die and Brenda sell this home like the previous owner did. One day God could uproot us to a new ministry in a new town or state. He could call us to downsize one day. We could enjoy this home into our Senior Adult years. All of that is laid at His feet.

We are grateful for God's blessing and provision that made this home possible. We are grateful for the love, prayers, and blessings of God's people. Our heart is to use this home as a place of ministry. It is a tool for that purpose. We had close to three dozen people in this house yesterday but it did not ever feel crowded. We look forward to opening our home for prayer meetings, fellowships, and entertaining people to get to know them better.

All the while, we know we must remain open and available for God's purposes. For the second time in a week I heard another person say, "Do not take things for granted." She was referring to her sick husband. So we seek to enjoy this house and use it to bless others. We do not take the gift of God to get to live here for granted. The house is a blessing and the time I share with my family here is a blessing. Memories have already been made. Bike rides with the boys. Driving around in our golf cart (the house came with a golf cart - go figure). Family movie nights. Family prayer meetings. Meals cooked and enjoyed with one another.

Lord willing soon we will decorate for and celebrate Thanksgiving and Christmas. In all seasons we want our house to be open for ministry. We want our house to remain open to enjoy family and friends. We welcome the boys to have their friends over. We love it when they spend the night. We want to share meals with those we love in this beautiful home.

Through it all, in the back of my mind, I know how quickly God could require us to give this up. God opened this house for us. We pray diligently He will pay down the debt. God willed us to live here. I am convinced of that. As long as He allows us the blessing of living here our house is open.

When we bought our first house in east TX at 4128 Evans Gann Rd I thought we would live there forever. To this day I always drive by that house when I am in the area. God called us to give up that house and to move. When we bought our house on NW Ave B in Seminole I thought we would live there to our old age. When God called us to give up that house it hurt. After moving back to Paradise and before we sold that house I sat in the garage weeping one day on a trip back there. I did not understand why God required us to give up a place we loved so much to live in that rent house. I know all too well how quickly God require that all this be laid down and forsaken as we follow Him.

One thing is for sure. We waited on God a long time for this house. We will not take it for granted and we will count ourselves blessed every day we get to live here. We hold onto this home loosely. We are still available to God. As long as God allows us to live here our house will always be open. As long as He gives us breath we will also always be open to following God whatever that may mean and wherever that might take us. For now, I thank God for this home. I thank God for the family I get to enjoy in this home. I thank God for a flock who prayed with us and now celebrate God's provision with us in this open house.