Little Stone Building

In my last post, I shared with you my thoughts and emotions at leaving the job I had held for nearly three decades. Let me go back and begin to explain how we got to this place.

I loved my job and the people I worked with, but for years had felt a tugging on my heart to do something else. I thought it might be massage therapy, so I went to school and was graduated with a certificate to become a massage therapist. I struggled for a couple of years, trying to build a clientele, but to no avail. Working full time and trying to build on a part time basis was not cutting it for me, so I shelved that love and kept on working.

That was until I got a phone call from a friend of mine that was opening her own salon, and asked if I would like to be their massage therapist. Are you kidding me? This seemed like the perfect opportunity to leave my current job and move into a totally new career doing something else that I loved, massage.  I was so excited, and planned, dreamed and began to think about how great it was going to be. But, in the deepest part of my heart, something did not feel right. Not that making this change was wrong or bad, but just that still small voice telling me, "no, not yet". I didn't know if it was not THIS or just WAIT.  I left for a ten day mission trip and prayed about it the entire time. When I got home, I was more sure than ever that it was a no for me at this time, so I called my friend and let her know. That was July 25, 2016.

August 9, 2016, two weeks and one day later, I opened an email that I get every morning. It listed all the new properties for sale that day. I was always curious, so I took a few minutes each day to look. As I scrolled through the listings, a piece of commercial property was before my eyes, and I loved it. I turned my computer monitor toward Randy and said, "here it is, our new restaurant". Randy and I had always joked about opening a sub shop, one of his passions. If we combined the subs and massage, we could call it Subs and Rubs. I was really kind of joking when I showed him, and much to my surprise the words "lets go look at it" shot from his mouth (I think before he had time to think about them).

I called and made an appointment to meet the relator that evening after work. This little building in Marietta, SC,  is a 30-45 drive from where we were living and working in Greenville. On the way there, we drove through a terrible storm, one of the worst I can ever recall, the kind where your windshield wipers are beating fast and hard against the windshield, and you can't blink as you try so hard to see two feet in front of you. Randy said "lets call and reschedule" but we were over half way there, and I knew she had to be on the way as well. So we kept on driving.

As we approached Marietta, the rain let up and by the time we parked the car, the sun was out, and this beautiful rainbow appeared in the sky just above the building next to the one we were looking at. I told Randy, "there's our sign!", I even took a photo of it.

God continued, “This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and everything living around you and everyone living after you. I’m putting my rainbow in the clouds, a sign of the covenant between me and the Earth. From now on, when I form a cloud over the Earth and the rainbow appears in the cloud, I’ll remember my covenant between me and you and everything living, that never again will floodwaters destroy all life. When the rainbow appears in the cloud, I’ll see it and remember the eternal covenant between God and everything living, every last living creature on Earth.” Genesis 9:13-16 MSG

 I really think it was at that moment that we knew, this little building would be ours, even if we didn't know for sure what we would do with it.

So, here it is, our "Little Stone Building". We are believing that God led us here, and has a great plan for this amazing little building, and our ordinary lives. I believe that the flood waters that have washed over our lives in the past are over, and that regardless of what comes our way, God is with us and leading us. 

This is just the beginning of a crazy, great ride. Follow along as I share the ways in which God has and is blessing us as He leads us on this journey.

Front door of Little Stone Building

Back of building

You asked for it, you got it

Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Isaiah 55:2a

A funny thing happened while on a mission trip a couple of years ago. The wheels were set into motion for the change of my life.

I was on a trip with my church at Epic Missions in Indian River, Florida. I was working in the kitchen with Jackie Munsey, one of the founders of Epic Missions, discussing a dream of mine to also do something similar to what she was doing. I felt unfulfilled in the job I had and wanted to make a difference in the world. I love to cook,  for one or large crowds, it doesn't matter to me. I enjoy feeding people,  love to see them enjoy a meal, and be satisfied. After I had shared this with Jackie, she told me not to give up on that dream, that God had placed it there in my heart for a reason.

Fast forward one month from that conversation. I was approached by a talented hair dresser that I know, to work in her salon as a massage therapist. I have been a licensed massage therapist for nearly ten years, but have not been practicing for nearly a year. I was so excited at the possibility and wanted so desperately to make it work. I planned, thought, and tried my best to make it a reality, but there was a nudging in my heart that this was not the right thing (or at least the right time) for this endeavor.  I told her I wanted to think about and pray during my upcoming mission trip to Nicaragua, just the following week.

As I was away from all the hustle and bustle at home, and was truly seeking God’s plan in this situation, I knew that it was not what God wanted for me and when I got home, I called to let my friend know what I had decided. I got up, went back to my regular job (that I had been at for nearly 27 years) the next morning, and back to life as usual.

About two weeks later, I was looking at a real estate website, and decided to glance at commercial real estate. There is was, the least expensive listing, in a very small town about 20 miles from our house, and it was calling my name. I had been in this town many times during a previously difficult time in my life and had not been back in nearly 20 years. But I was drawn by this cute little building, with so much character, I just had to see it.  I said to my husband “Randy, I just found our little take out restaurant building”. He turned around with that same smile he always gives me, and said, “lets see”. I showed him the photos and the listing and told him the price. “Let’s go look at it” so I called the realtor and made an appointment for later that evening after work.

It was POURING rain when we left work, the hardest I believe I have ever driven through. Randy wanted to postpone, but she would have already been on her way too, so we kept driving. The rain quit just as we approached the stone building that looked even smaller in real life.  When we got out of the car to walk to the front door, there was a gorgeous rainbow just to our left. “There it is, our sign!”

Actual photo taken when we went to look at the building the first time. 

Long story short, (and I do mean long story) we purchased the building and are working on converting it to a take out only BBQ restaurant, called Stone House BBQ.

I will take the next few posts to fill you in on the other challenges we have faced, the doors that God has miraculously opened and the vision we have for our little business.

Thank you for following our adventure and when we finally open, we look forward to meeting you in person!

DIRTY DISHES AND FORGIVENESS

 

Saul turned and left Samuel. At that very moment God transformed him—made him a new person! And all the confirming signs took place the same day.                   1 Samuel 10:9 MSG

I HATE doing dishes. I am not really sure why it is my least favorite household chore, okay maybe cleaning toilets is higher on the list, but not by much. Hold that thought - 

If you have been reading my blog, you noticed that it has been a few weeks since I last posted anything. There have been many different matters that have overtaken my heart, thoughts and ability to write until now.  If you don't know me personally, you don't know much about my past and some of the things I have been through. Suffice it to say, like so many people,  I didn't have a Leave It to Beaver childhood.

 

When I was growing up, there was a period of time that I was sexually abused.  I don't imagine anyone that has been through such things, handles the aftermath the same way as another person. With the help of a great therapist, loving family members, and God, I was able to move past the hurt, disappointment, grief and shame. 

 

Forgiveness was a much harder obstacle to tackle.

Even though my father was not my abuser, I found it most difficult to forgive him. All little girls want daddy to be their knight in shining armor, and he should be. After I was a married adult, and the abuse had long stopped, I decided to talk with my father about the abuse. What I expected him to say to me was that he loved me, he was sorry, and that he would have stopped it had he known.

Instead, in my brokenness, my words were met with refusal to accept them as truth and the reply "you must not have remembered things correctly".
 

After several years of estrangement, I was able to forgive him.  Forgiveness came at an altar at the Church of God I was attending at the time. I had worked through all the other issues; forgiving the abusers, working on loving myself and setting healthy boundaries, but I was miserable because I held on to all this anger towards my father for not believing me. I knelt and prayed as hard, if not harder than I ever had. I begged God to help me forgive my dad. When I stood up, the 1,000-pound weight that had been on my heart and shoulders was gone, "POOF"!  Just like Saul, in an instant God changed my heart and made me a new person. I never felt bitterness, anger or hurt towards my dad again. Eventually we reconciled, thankfully before his passing from this world 15 years ago.

I was recently told by someone I love dearly, that they too had been abused by one of the same people, and that they believe my father knew about it. Suddenly, I was very angry with my father all over again. For a few days I stewed with emotion, feeling the bitterness creep back into my heart at the disappointment in him as a protector.

So, what does this have to do with washing dishes you ask?  I was loading the dishwasher a few days later, talking with Jesus about my feelings. In a nearly audible voice, my heart heard "When you forgave your father years ago, did you truly forgive him?". What? Of course I did, but this is different.  “Forgive” means to wipe the slate clean, to pardon, to cancel a debt. You cannot cancel a debt and then when it suits you, apply it to that person's account again. When you wipe a slate clean, there is no trace of what was there before. If I had truly forgiven my father for the past, then he was still forgiven now.

I feel so much empathy for the person who now has to walk the same road to healing that I did. It is not an easy road, and there are no shortcuts. Looking back at my life, I know that when I truly forgave EVERYONE involved in hurting me, that was when my healing took place.

IS THAT REALLY GOD'S STILL, SMALL VOICE

 

Then he was told, “Go, stand on the mountain at attention before God. God will pass by.”

A hurricane wind ripped through the mountains and shattered the rocks before God, but God wasn’t to be found in the wind; after the wind an earthquake, but God wasn’t in the earthquake; and after the earthquake fire, but God wasn’t in the fire; and after the fire a gentle and quiet whisper.    1 Kings 19:11-12 MSG

I have been praying for an answer. Why did I think God would unfurl a banner from heaven with the words "Do This" or "Don't Do That"? Maybe He would speak to me through a song on the radio, or a word from my pastor. I waited for one of these senerios to play out, but nothing, only quiet and stillness.

I am sure part of the problem is my own busyness. Honestly, I haven't taken time to listen to my husband, let alone the still small voice of God. I know I am not alone, most of us fill our lives with different things that command all of our conscience time. As soon as the alarm goes off in the morning, my mind is racing as I head to the bathroom to take my shower. "What day is this? Monday? Ok,"  I have my mammogram appointment at 8:00, then work till 4:30, go home feed the dogs, head out to finish painting the other house, grab something to eat, then before you know it, I am on my way home, and it is 10:30. Set the alarm, crash, repeat.

I remember last summer, I was presented with an "offer I couldn't refuse". I thought it was the answer to all my unhappiness with my job, uncertainty about the future and chance for change - all the things I had been praying about for years.  I wanted to take advantage of the opportunity, it was exactly what I wanted to do, perfect. Except, there was a nagging in my heart that seemed to to say no, this is not for you. I tried every which way to make it work out. I had discussions with myself trying to drown out the words in my head that seemed to say "not yet, not this".

So, before I left on our mission trip to Nicaragua, I made one of the hardest calls I had to make, declining the offer. Surprisingly, when I hung up, there was peace, not regret. Little did I know, that just three weeks later, God would open the door to the most amazing, life changing, venture. If I had not listened to His prompting to say no, I would have missed out on something much better.

Then, on Friday, while I was once again praying, it hit me. I am in the same position now. I have a tremendous opportunity to do something I love, to serve on a mission trip to Nicaragua. To teach a cake decorating class to the women at House of Hope, and love on the children at One By One. Who could deny the value of a trip like this, or all the good it affords. Yet, I have a nagging, heaviness in my heart that it just isn't the right time for me. It doesn't make sense to me. It does not have to make sense to me though, does it? I just need to listen to the still, small voice in my heart that says "Not this time.". 

I know that God has a reason for everything, even though in my finite mind I cannot figure it out. I have to trust that where He leads, He provides, and He sustains.

I have to trust that where He leads, He provides, and He sustains.
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So, I make the phone call I have been dreading, and just like last time - peace. I don't know what it is that God has in store for me, or what His plans are, but I am excited to find out!


When have you said no to what seemed like it should be yes?

My Pillar of Cloud

"By day the Lord went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night."   Exodus 13:21 NIV

Courtesy of Pixabay.com

I have always found low lying clouds to be mysterious and beautiful. They appear to move and breathe if you are still and watch long enough. Have you ever been close enough to one of these patches of fog, appearing so close you could almost touch it? I have a time or two in a field on the side of the highway. Each time I wanted to pull over and "walk through the clouds". I promise myself, the next time that opportunity arises, I WILL do it.

A few weeks ago, I had the priviledge of attending the Asheville Christian Writers Conference at The Cove - The Billy Graham Training Center. What an amazingly peaceful and tranquil bit of heaven on earth. I honestly had tears in my eyes as I pulled away from the guard gate. As luck would have it, I forgot to pack my phone charger, a small blessing in disguise. Without the distractions of social media, phone calls, texts and emails, I was able to focus all my attention on the true purpose for being there.  The only regret, with a dead phone battery, I was unable to take all of the photos I wanted.  I only captured one picture of the mountain view, and it was breathtaking.

The Cove

Sunday morning, the clouds hung low in the valley. I was comforted by the beauty of this white, fluffy blanket that seemed to cover us. Immediately I was reminded of the scripture I had recently read about the children of  Israel, being lead in the wilderness by a 'pillar of cloud'. So easily, I imagined what it must have been like in that desert, all those centuries ago with Moses, to see a cloud and know that it was God.  Peace flooded my heart at the vision of this mass that hovered above, seemingly at arms reach.

As you may have read in an earlier post, we have been dealing with the clean up from a storm in early March. A tree fell on the roof of a house we own. Add to that - working on another piece of property to get it ready for habitation, cleaning up our own house and the tree that fell there, finding out we are losing not one but two different tenants, bills piling up, and the already tiny money pile shrinking. I had to take a few days off work from my full time job to get some things finished up. I had been praying for God to lead us, and provide for us, and was beginning (okay continuing) to stress about our entire situation.  As I was driving past Paris Mountain, close to my home, I was again reminded of God's presence as a pillar of cloud.

Paris Mountain

I stopped my car on the side of the road to take a photo.  There it was, to me, a symbol of God's presence. It seemed to whisper to my heart, "Peace! Be Still!". In that very moment, God was there with me, going on before me, and covering me with His peace. What an amazing gift.

To some, clouds or fog are only a nuisance. To me, they will forever be a sign of my Father's guidance, presence and peace.

Take time to notice the little things, God may be seeking your attention
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What are symbols of God's presence in your life?

Wordless Sighs, Aching Groans

Funny thing about wind, the only evidence of its presence is the effect it has as it passes by. Fluttering leaves on motionless trees, hair whipping in all directions in and out of your eyes, or the musical tinkling of wind chimes filling the air, yet wind itself has no form that can be seen.

Just a few days ago we experienced the strength and force of this unseen entity. There were no tornadoes reported, just straight line wind gusts that brought destruction to trees, power lines, the houses they fell on, cable and phone services. We have had a busy, no exhausting, few days trying to navigate the insurance system and repair processes for a house we own that had a tree fall on the roof.

We and everyone that we know were blessed that the damage sustained was limited to possessions and there was no physical injury.  I give God all praise for his protection, provision, and favor. I have also had to just be still, with no words to say. There have even been a few times when all I have been able to do was bow my head and pray, "Ugh Lord, please help me".

In spite of the flurry of activity to get things repaired, we have been surrounded by a peace that has settled over us like a down comforter on a cold night. We have faith in the fact that God has all of this in his control. He will not leave us in this mess, but is with us and will carry us through.

I literally groaned when we woke up this morning to news about additional repairs the property may need.  Just a few, short hours later, I received this text from a good friend of ours.

Romans 8:26-28 MSG

What a blessing! When we don't know what or how to pray, it doesn't matter, the Holy Spirit keeps us before our Father (I imagine a child saying 'look Daddy, look!'). He makes a prayer of our sighs and groans. And even this will be worked out for our good.


Thank you Father for loving me, providing for me, protecting me, and understanding when I have no words, only empty sighs or anguished groans.

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What uncertainty are you facing in life? There may be days ahead where you have no idea what to do, no strength to do it, and no words to express what you need or how you feel. God knows, his spirit is with us and intercedes for us.

Let the wind blow and trust HIM.