February 22, 2007
Freeing Mr. Visionary
Posted in Loving My Husband
Where I come from, "It's snowing down South", is the common phrase to communicate to a woman that her slip is showing below the hem of her dress. As grateful as one certainly is after receiving such information, it is still rather disconcerting to realize that the thing has crept down on you without your knowledge. Life is like that sometimes, though. Just like that undergarment that quietly slides when our attention is elsewhere, we slip into patterns of living that honestly, are just boring and without life. Survival mode on auto pilot becomes the norm as we lead lives of quiet desperation, not knowing what it is that is missing.
After becoming convinced that the Lord wanted to do a work in us regarding the mortgage, I didn't wait until a great "talking moment" to cautiously mention it to Mr. Visionary. I did not bait him with a, "By the way, I have something big I want to talk over with you" set up. But one day, when I was kissing him goodbye, I whispered that I'd be perfectly happy if he wanted to sell this house and move to Nowheresville and live debt-free. If this was the Lord's will, I believed He would speak to Mr. Visionary and confirm what I had heard. The Lord I know, although He uses means, and often does speak through people, did not need my help. Anyway, this was not about getting he and I on the same page. It is about each of us being on God's page.
It was the spark he needed for the Lord to kindle his smoldering embers into a burning desire again. Mr. Visionary was no happier than I was about the way life was going. He, too felt that there was something more that the Lord had for us than just existing, but he was trying to do what he thought the family needed. I knew that a Visionary any man (or woman for that matter) who is not actively pursuing the dreams and calling the Lord has given him is dying. I had forgotten...but the Lord had not.
That one statement, or rather, the Lord's confirmation of it, freed my Mr. Visionary. Newly reminded that I was on his side, that I had his back, and was prepared to follow him wherever the Lord leads, Mr. Visionary began to hear, and the dreams began to flow. He has been working on plans for a new house that will be off-grid, with himself working at home, because he truly believes it is God's will. The moving and being debt-free are all means to the end of having Dad back home where he belongs ~ where God originally put him.
All I want is to follow the Lord with my husband and children. I believe He has a work prepared for our family to do as a unit. Culture Smulture. The Lord never intended for Daddies to be away from their families all day (or night for that matter). He never meant for Mammas to raise the children alone all day, either. Not a homeschool-friendly statement, I know ~ but it is true. I have had folks argue this point with me from a cultural perspective or a 'practical' one, but a truly biblical case cannot be made to refute this. I know this because I have read about the Garden ~ Adam and Eve were together by design.
Father brought this woman and this man together because He wanted us to BE together. Father put these children into this family because He wanted them to be raised by the two of us together. We only have one opportunity to raise the sheyna kepelahs (pretty heads) the Lord has given us. That is freedom, not pressure. Focusing on how we want ourselves and our children to have a rich relationship with Him ~ to KNOW Him, makes it easier to slough off all the extraneous baggage of life and get back to basics. Knowing that He leads us to want to do His will and then to do it, means that we don't have to worry about how it will happen.
We can trust that if He leads us to something, He will lead us through it as well.
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Comments
February 23, 2007 - Untitled Comment
 Posted by MorningLight
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Oh, I'm excited for you! Have you read the book "Escape to God" by Jim Hohnberger, yet? It is fantastic and tells the story of a family with a huge house, all the cars, debt, etc, who sold out, quit work, and moved to the middle of now where to get close to God. I have met this couple personally now, and know for certain that they did find God and it was worth all the hard ship and difficulties along the way. I think with all you are thinking about that this book would be food for your soul, and give you some guidance too.
You can find the book at Amazon.com and other places online.
Elizabeth Joy
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February 24, 2007 - Untitled Comment
 Posted by sunydazy
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This is very exciting! My Visionary/ The Builder Man is leading us to sell and move this year...we will be making a scouting trip in the near future. Isn't it fun to see where God takes all these different families? ...and how He leads each of us on similar paths?
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February 25, 2007 - Untitled Comment
 Posted by evenavapor
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Bravo!! I so love this post and so totally agree!!
It has been a little over a year since we bought our house (no mortgage) and my sweet husband (also a Mr. Visionary) started working from home. We have been so blessed by his continual presence in our home....you will not regret taking this path!! Life is such a JOY with my sweet husband home 8-D
From the beginning it has always been my husband's desire to be at home with his family. After getting married, he worked his butts off for 3 1/2 long years...working a day job and in his free time trying to figure out how to work from home. I also worked hard...scrimping and saving and pinching and ringing dry every single penny. It was hard work but God sustained us and blessed our dream and now it's almost a complete reality....as soon as we buy more land...like you all, we want to have land enough to give to our children when they are grown.
Fight hard, pray hard, stay steadfast in your faith, do not give up....it will happen for your family to! :-)
-Stephanie
http://musings-of-a-mountain-mama.blogspot.com/
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February 27, 2007 - Untitled Comment
Posted by Anonymous |
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Be-U-Ti-Ful, Julie, Dear. :)
And I will pray to this end for you -
Holly
seekingfaithfulness
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February 28, 2007 - Untitled Comment
 Posted by TwmCrm2001
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I like your different approach on things, but wasn't it *because* of what happened in the Garden of Eden that man has to work all day? That's part of the curse. Man has to toil with his hands- and by the sweat of his brow. So it was commanded after Adam and Eve were thrown out of the Garden. Back then, it was good ol fashioned, hard, back-breaking work in the fields. While, I believe, the wife, (Eve) tended the children. I don't think Adam worked from home back then. I don't think God intended it that way from the start, but man messed things up when we sinned. Thus, altering God's perfect plan. I am glad for you and your family- we are also striving to become debt free, (only one credit card and a van loan left!) but most men don't have the option to work from home. My husband is in the ministry- he is an assistant pastor, and he can't really work from home doing that! We are blessed, though- we are together alot more then most families, because we get to go along with him in most of his ministries.....shrugging shoulders.... I just think that men having to work all day long is part of the curse. Just a thought.
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March 2, 2007 - Untitled Comment
 Posted by ApplesofGold
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That all sounds so exciting for your family! Looking forward to seeing how it all unfolds! Holly
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March 6, 2007 - Untitled Comment
 Posted by westward
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Aaahh,
I just love your writing style and what you have to say! I will be visiting your way often.
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March 7, 2007 - Untitled Comment
 Posted by FollowingTheAncientPaths
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Oh my goodness! Your comment to me yesterday left my speechless! Thank you! I read it to DH and he thought it was quite nice as well. Thank you! You made my day, my week, and probably my month if not the entire year!!! :)
And with the foster kids having such troubles in the past few weeks I've been so discouraged in so many areas... Your words are such an amazing blessing to me. Thank you. I needed that!!!
Blessings to you and your house
Lisa
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March 15, 2007 - Perspective
 Posted by castlekids
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I enjoyed reading your post. It really puts things in perspective. We too are trying to become debt free.
~Jenny
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