Project Treetops

In a recent IMX report (which profiles one's values and several other character traits), I came out with a caution rating of 99 out of 100.  Let me say that again, in another way. On a scale of 0 to 100, my cautious personality is profiled at 99. This means: I don't do adrenalin, I don't do adventure, I dislike change, I think about every eventuality (twice) and I certainly do not do the unexpected.  Why then, at the age of 36, am I embarking on a new venture to move with Sean and our two boys out of the city and far into the unknown?  Why am I saying yes to budget cuts, homeschooling and farm living... and no to conventional schooling, Discovery Health, Pick n Pay and traffic? Why am I agreeing to move out of our lovely flat in the heart of Sandton, away from friends, further from family (well, mom, to be precise) and move waaaaaay down south onto someone else's property and far into the unknown?  Well, to be honest, the answer is not short or particularly simple but it is clear.  And to explain I need to take a step back a bit - so here goes:

January 2014

At the start of 2014, on the drive home from holiday in the new year, I had a little cry about the fact that 2014 was going to be CONSISTENT. No new pregnancies or babies, some more financial security and no major changes on the horizon.  I felt God actually gave me the word 'Consolidation' for 2014 and indeed, it was exactly that, a year of consolidation. Quite ridiculous, looking back, to think that I actually had a cry about the lack of change the year would bring! What Sean and I did know, was that 2015 would be the year of big change. We just did not know what that change would look like.

Fast forward to October 2014:

We spent many months praying, fasting and seeking God. In June we left our home church, which we had been at for 8 years, asking that instead of them seeing us as leaving, they see it as releasing us instead into what we feel God is calling us too.  We still didn't know what that was but we felt we were collecting puzzle pieces.  In late September, we took a little family weekend away to friends in Magaliesburg.  I recall saying to Sean that I felt a change in the Spirit for us - and indeed, not long after, we started to really see the clearer picture.  I won't go into the finer details of what this big change involves.  For those details please go to: http://www.evernote.com/l/Abtij4G6lZFF6LQaOoMv5GkMwMYwV_BYhEY/.

What I will say is that looking back I clearly can see God's hand in our decisions.
  

And here we are... 2015:

Our move does require some guts, a lot of faith, an upstream swim and walking the narrow path.  What makes 'Mrs 99 out of 100 Cautious Girl' decide to say yes? Well, firstly, it's a yes to God. Of course I am praying like mad that He not only is calling us to this but is holding our hands and walking with us towards it too. Secondly, at 36, I decided that I do not want to look back on my life at the end and realise, I never took a chance, I never risked anything and I always played it 99% safe. I do not want to be the reason for holding back our little family (especially our boys) from what could possibly be the best thing we ever do.  Sean made it clear that if I cannot make this move and change, we don't do it (I was having a bad day) - he is not going anywhere without me.  Lastly, it is now or never! Our boys are young, we have little holding us back in terms of ties to where we live, work and school and we really have nothing (except maybe pride) to lose.

So, as 2015 begins, we take a huge breath, prepare to dive deep and just start swimming swimming swimming!