Our journey

I feel like I'm on the edge of a new way of life. Not sure what's ahead. Not sure I like what I see in my limited field of vision. Life had been comfortable before Randy lost his job. Homeschooling was great. The kids were doing well. I liked our schedule. We had many options for days off and field trips. But now things are completely up in the air.

"You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed."

For awhile now, we have known that there was a very real possibility that the kids would have to be put in public school this Fall. The younger two would be in East Brainerd Elementary. Sydney was zoned for Ooltewah Middle. In my mind, I had come to grips with Bailey and Chase at EBE, but I just could not imagine sending Sydney all the way out to OMS. And why in the world were we not zoned for the new school - East Hamilton Middle??? The map just didn't make sense to me. EHM is closer than the other school. In fact, we would have to pass it on the way. So I requested a transfer for Sydney, having full knowledge that everyone had told me that there was very little chance they would approve it.

Yesterday we decided to take a trip to the Ooltewah Library. After we left we drove by Ooltewah Middle to show Sydney where her new school would be. I tried to be upbeat about it. She seemed ok.

On the way home I felt very close to tears. I expressed my frustrations to Randy. He made the point that we just really need to make it a matter of prayer. He reminded me that God has already gone before us and He knows exactly what we need. He's right, of course. But putting my faith into action was hard at that moment. I wanted to rail against God for even allowing Randy to lose his job. Why did that even have to happen??

We got home and unloaded library books and the few groceries we had picked up. I walked over to see our neighbor, Martha, who was getting her mail. Afterwards I walked over to get our mail and GUESS WHAT WAS IN THE MAIL? We received a letter from the Hamilton County Department of Education saying that our transfer request was approved!!!!

"You go before me and follow me. You place your hand of blessing on my head. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too great for me to understand!"

I was in such shock that I couldn't even speak. I took the letter inside and just handed it to Randy. (I think I scared him to death! He thought someone had died or something.)

Today at the pool, I ran into a lady I had met earlier this summer. She is a teacher at the new EHMS. I told her we were approved to go to the new school and she couldn't believe it. She said that she had heard the school was full (as in "packed") and that it was very unusual to have been approved. Well, MY GOD IS A BIG GOD! I am just so thankful for this blessing.

I still am feeling anxious about the kids going to school. What will it be like for them to be gone all day? Will their teachers take good care of them? Will they feel protected and secure? What will I do if they don't do well?

"Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life."

If you think about it, please pray for us. This is a big journey we are about to undertake.

[Portions of scripture were taken from Psalm 139. New Living Translation]