Missing the Point

Yesterday's post was about some of the things that have gone wrong during our recent move.  It would be easy to focus on all those frustrations and disappointments, and to let them define this experience.  It would be easy to continue the tale and to add to the "what went wrong" list.  But that would miss the point.

You see, in spite of the numbers of things that are not exactly as we had intended them to be, this has been a wonderful experience.  Focusing on the negatives blurs that from view.  I said to Al, on the morning after the refrigerator fiasco, that I could just cry.  At first he thought it was because of my frustration about appliances, until I explained that, in spite of the frustrations, I am overwhelmed with joy.

I love our new home.  Even with the chaos and the boxes and everything out of its proper place, I love our home.

I love our new neighborhood.  We have not yet met all our neighbors, but the ones we have met are absolutely delightful.  An added bonus is that this is a quiet neighborhood, which is a good thing after our having spent the past nine years living in such a remote location.

I can see the morning sun peeking through the trees behind our house each morning.  There's a creek running along our back property line.  And there's even rooster somewhere not too far away.  I hear him crowing from time to time!

I love being closer to our church.  I love the convenience of restaurants and shopping.  I love that when we went to Columbia on Saturday to visit Al's parents, it was a much shorter trip than what we've dealt with for the last nine years. 

Perhaps the greatest of the blessings of this move is friendship.  Friends who opened their hearts and home while all those other details weren't going according to plan.  Friends who call and say put your eating clothes on....we'll pick you up in 30 minutes.
Friends who help put tile down on the floor.  Friends to go out to lunch with.  Friends who stop by with flowers.  Or for no reason at all.  Friends ready with an encouraging word.  Or a smile.  Or a hug.

To focus on all that has gone wrong with this move - and it's quite a long list - misses the point. 

When I think about all that has been right about this move, I am overwhelmed!

We truly are so blessed.  Far beyond what we deserve.

And I am so very grateful.

"Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless His holy name."                   (Psalm 103:1)