This Wood

This wood will be the walls of our home.  When it arrived, I couldn't help but stare at it.

It will one day have stories to tell.  

Stories of grace, forgiveness, sanctification, sin and repentance, mercy, and faith.

Stories of laughter, teasing, tears, sadness, aging, pain, joy, nervousness, and doubt.

Every home we've lived in (this will be our 6th) has characterized an era of our family.

Henderson Street was 3 months of being newly wed, adjusting to being married, and looking for a house.

Walsh Court was getting a puppy, remodeling and painting, pregnancy, Graham's birth, joys of new parenthood, Grandaddy's death, pregnancy #2, and Grandpa's death.

Misty Meadow Drive was Asher's birth, swimming, painting and remodeling, 3 lovely women who, one by one, lived with us to help with the kids, pregnancy #3, Samuel's birth, GMommie's death, and pregnancy #4.

Hurley Avenue was Joseph's birth, juggling life with 4 boys 4 and under, and questioning where God wanted our family.  We decided it was Minnesota.

Logan Avenue was full of waiting, joy of being near family, pregnancy #5, the longest winter of all time, Nathan's birth, loneliness, beautiful summers and good climbing trees, the coldest winter of all time, questioning where God wanted us, until in faith, we decided it was back in Texas.  The hardest decision of our life thus far was made in that house.  Taking your children away from their grandparents is not something you do without some pain.

Our current home has been light and fun, full of friends, baseball, our only home that has been without diapers for a year, struggling with pregnancy loss, house planning, and swimming.

What do these walls have for us?

What does God have for us in this next era?

Someday these walls will speak.