The House is Quiet

It's been busy at the Hauck House. Fun. First Carrie, then Cassie and Sarah, dessert with friends two nights running, good news, sad news, life.

Pause. Before you read farther. I'm in a contemplative mood.

But I won't write what I feel because feelings are not truth. Not always. Having an intuitive nature, I've had to learn to tell the difference between what the Spirit is telling me and what my soul is sensing.

Yeah, the Spirit always wins. Better to listen to Him than me.

I'm pretty okay, more than okay about not having had children. Peace and grace abound. But as I checked family Facebook pages and saw the kid pictures and back to school shout outs, I "felt" it a little bit.

No children. A very permanent state. Nothing to change it.

So, I went to my comfort. He said, "But you can hang out with Me all day. And write."

I wish my human heart could grasp the reality of the living Lord inviting me to hang out with Him all day. To be a place where He can rest. Share His heart as He chooses.

But it's not about busyness, is it? Children or not, we are to be His resting place. Jesus didn't scold Martha for being busy, for not sitting at His feet, He scolded her for being worried, fretting, accusing her sister. Complaining.

It's not externals He's after. It's the internal. The place of belief and rest. Faith.

It has to be enough to sit on the back row with Him and watch the world, resting, being, not letting my heart growing weary or hard.

I love this: Acts 13:52 "... and the disciples were continually filled with joy and the Holy Spirit."

Am I? Are you? JOY! It's the word of the year. The decade. The Lord's joy is my strength.

What's next? I don't know? I have no expectations except He is good. He is faithful.

Hey, what's the line between living a life of a bond-servant, seeking the Lord for direction yet moving forward, doing what we think is right? Taking a leap of faith? Some are praying, waiting and never moving. They feel let down.

Others move forward and succeed.

What's the balance? How do gifting and calling weigh in?

Don't want to waste time, gifting or calling. Don't want to sit idly. Don't want to work in my own strength.

Faith.

"Here I am, Lord."

The House is Quiet.

Extravagance!

Three weeks ago, good friends of ours announced they were moving back to California. The husband was returning to his old job at Pixar.

I've always loved their house, especially the super-duper office and living space they'd added. I call it the turret tower. I'll post pictures later.

Yet we love our house and frankly we couldn't afford their house. Our friends had other options and plans anyway, but it didn't stop me from joking about buying to for a ridiculous sum of money.

Two weeks ago, I prayed, "Lord, if there's anyway we could get their house, I'd love to, but we are very happy here."

Four days later our friends called. "We think you all should have the house. Let's get together and talk."

Hubby and I were blown away by their offer and plan. It was extravagant. As a result, the Lord answered another prayer I'd been praying to pay off a small debt we had plus to forgive a debt owed to us.

I never imaged the Lord answering my prayer to get out of debt, to forgive a debt in such an amazing way.

Extravagance led to extravagance.

As a society, we live so close to the wire, pay check to pay check there's no room to be extravagant. We're concerned about our 401ks or amassing saving that we can only "tip" others.

Our friends lived debt free. They were blessed to buy their house with cash. And at the peek of the market!

But instead of wanting all their money back or even most of it, they decided to be givers, they decided to yield to God's tug on their heart.

Listen, the office alone is worth their selling price to us. And it's not befitting of my lowly author status. Hubby said, "Well, now you have room to grow!"

We sold our house in six days. We have to go through the final motions and I guess we can't completely exhale until the closing, but when we see God moving in the midst of something, there's just no room for doubt.

I'm convicted more than ever to choose a lifestyle that allows me to be extravagant! Because our God is extravagant and there's no way we can out give Him.

How about you? Are you willing to trust your finances, your career, your future to an Almighty who cares for you? Extravagance!