Me on the other hand, I have not been the best example of how to handle pressure the last couple of weeks. Hot Mama finished her Masters at BYU - seriously how does someone do that at the same time as caring for a family like ours, 5 kids by birth, 4 by adoption and 3 foster kids, and working full time - super woman! Anyway, Masters degree = school principal job in Seattle. Thus, Capable Father = freaking out.
I know that this job is a blessing for our family, it is where we need to go next. Its just getting the move done, the actual logistics of moving a family of 11 is a little tricky. Visions of Barnum and Baily come to mind, with a little bit of the Beverly Hillbillies moving truck, and on my particularly pessimistic days mix some Grapes of Wrath in there too.
In our particular situation there are just a lot of variables that are going to need to come together to make this work, partly manpower, party financing. This where my complicated relationship with faith comes in. This is going to take some faith on my part, probably some prayer, and asking for some help. Areas that I don't really excel in, my kind of faith is the kind where you figure it out by yourself.
I should just learn from the kids on this on this one. Gelly, was the teacher this time.
Hot Mama and I don't hide discussions about finances from the kids, they hear us budget and decide how to prioritize resources for a large group on a limited income. Our theory is they will need to understand how to do this themselves someday. So the discussion on how to fund our relocation has been open to the family. Part of the plan is of course a moving sale, lighten the load and make some cash.
After the first day of our moving sale I was putting the little boys to bed, I had tucked Gelly in and was tucking Cardo Man in. When I stood up Gelly was kneeling down praying in his bed. I asked him what he was praying about and he said fold your arms we will do it again.
His prayer went something like this, "Dear Heavenly Father, please bless that super super lots of people will come to our yard sale tomorrow so we can have money to move to Washington, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen." Then he looked at me with his giant brown eyes and said "see, it'll be OK, night dad."
Then comes the knock at the door at 10 o'clock that night, it was our Bishops wife. She says sorry to come over so late but the Bishop felt like it was really important to bring this to you tonight. She then handed me an envelope with a couple hundred dollars in it. It was all I could do to recount to her what Gelly had prayed for just an hour or so before. Love our Bishop!
This is moving to me on so many levels, that Heavenly Father knows my little boy and is listening to his prayers, that my little boy has the faith to ask his Heavenly Father when he is in need, and that the lord cares enough about my family to send someone late at night to answer a my little boys prayer. If you could put tear stains on a computer screen you would see them here.
The next morning I asked Gelly, do you remember your prayer last night? He says yeah, I tell him that Heavenly Father was listening to him and sent the bishop to help. His answer, yeah, I know dad.
How do I forget so quickly? Why can't I just know like Gelly? We see the lords hand in our lives everyday when we look at how our kids have come to be ours. So when in comes to this move I am going to try to switch the freaking out for simple faith. Faith that when you are trying to make the right choices for the right reasons a path will be made for you. Seattle here we come.
After all, I do know miracles happen in our family, I know it every time I hear Gelly call me his daddy.
Gelly with his sidewalk chalk beard.
The part where you said, my kind of faith is the kind where you figure it out by yourself...I was laughing so hard. That is so you! I love the way children remind us so innocently that Heavenly Father loves us and listens to our prayers. By the time I finished reading your post, I was doing to ugly cry! :) Beautiful!
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