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Showing posts from January, 2014

A New Kitchen After Hurricane Sandy

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  It’s been over a year since we’ve enjoyed these luxuries; See our new oven, microwave, cabinets, counter tops (almost done), and ceramic tile A foot of snow and bitter temperatures didn’t stop Samaritan’s Purse volunteers from coming to our house bright and early this week. They drove twelve hours from snowy Michigan just to help us. God knows what He’s doing and His timing is always perfect. When this group made plans to come, they didn’t know what awaited them in Long Beach, NY, but they came. God has a reason for every volunteer that comes here. Every day my heart overflows with gratitude, and I’m amazed at the love and Christ-like qualities these people exhibit—and the work they accomplish. Thanks to the volunteers and Samaritan’s Purse staff, we almost have a kitchen again! If you haven’t read about our trial, read my past blog, Five Kids and a Flood or my poem One Time for the quick summary of our crazy time. Now to Him who is able to do ...

Good Morning! It's a New Year!

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          A warm day in November 2013 It’s a new year, a time to reflect on the past and look forward to the future, to learn from experiences and seek God’s guidance for those to come. In January 2013, my family and I finally moved back downstairs after two months of the seven of us living in a ten-foot square space. When the Post-Sandy gutting and de-molding was finished, we didn’t care that we didn’t have a kitchen, a bathroom, doors, or finished floors—we had space to breathe again.   Sometimes, as weeks passed, I felt thankful, but my mood would often swing from frustrated to angry to guilty back to hopeful. The next day I might wake up depressed and anxious, wondering if life would ever feel normal again. I had wanted to start a blog for a long time, and thought, “Why not now since my life is a disorganized mess? A blog would be a great escape.” It was the right time, but I couldn’t decide on the right title. On my own, I wrote...