Travelling

We have officially retired and have hit the road. After leaving my sweet dog in loving hands, we have now landed in Florida.  I kept thinking in Ohio that I would feel better in Florida.  I guess I was just really hoping that were true.  I can report I am able to be more active and get outside everyday!  What a huge blessing!

We have been staying for a week near Dad Snyder.  It has been so nice spending some time with them everyday. Mostly we eat!  And then get dessert at Goodsons’s which is fresh picked, still warm from the sun strawberries over ice cream.  Today we are having lunch in their dining hall then playing dominos.  There will be much laughter from 4 adults.

Tomorrow we head to Orlando to our timeshare for a few weeks.  I can’t wait.  We brought our bikes to ride, lots of places to walk, and adventures to enjoy.

February will begin the move to VA.  After much delay, we will be leaving Copley and finally live by family.  I have so many plans.  Like stealing one of the kids one afternoon a week. Bake cookies, go on an adventure, sew, who knows what else.  What a blessing for me.

Yesterday I read Psalm 16:11

 “You will make known to me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy.”

I have waited so long to live near family.  God knew when and where would be best.  I tried to be patient, but definitely faltered.  The discouragement is but a blink in my past.  What seemed like something that would never happen, is here and way better and more exciting than I could have ever imagined.

The health issues are still there, finances will be snug, lots of work to move etc.  But now that I am on the path He has for me, I am at peace and look with great anticipation to 2019.

I want to add, that we are to never give up on our hopes and dreams.  I still read my Bible and trusted that God was preparing me for the changes coming.  And as always change is difficult, but I want to remember the way He blessed me during my discouragement.  Visitors came, a Bible verse stood out to me, lunch with my fav friend, etc all were unexpected joy that encouraged me to have hope in the Lord and His timing.

So back to Psalm 16:11

Here God is asking us to trust Him with our future.  Trust His love.  Trust His wisdom.
This also means we must choose to reign in our hearts to be patient, continue to trust Him, and not try to make things happen before His timing.  This is not easy.  And certainly not my personality. But as I look back over the last few years, I realize that I do believe and trust in His timing.  I was blessed with the desire to knit for charity and to make my kid quilts for Children’s Hospital.  Keeping busy was what allowed me to be joyful.  My heart was sad, but my joy was in the knowledge that God would work out everything in His time.  So this verse is His promise to make known our path and to fill our hearts with joy because of spending time in His presence.  Reading this verse, made all the past few years “come into focus” that God was truly leading me.  What a loving God to care that much.

This pic makes me laugh. We are heading out in our van from Copley with half the load for Florida and half the load for our rental in VA.  We look like homeless travellers.