Wide Open Spaces...

I drafted my last post just a couple days before our family relocation to Walkerville (3 weeks ago to the day), and so obviously quite a significant amount of emotional water has passed under the bridge since then. I say emotional, because i think anytime one goes through a major life event or decision, our emotions are always heightened, and rarely predictable...

In all honesty, i didn't know what to expect from a 'feelings' point of view after our move, other than the obvious excitement and trepidation associated with a new home (down south!) and an unknown path lying ahead of us. One feeling however that has remained with me since our arrival on the farm, is that of disbelief... Disbelief at just how incredibly beautiful our surroundings are, and that we have a 180 degree backyard panoramic view, of seemingly endless fields of green! (daybreak view below)

Funny enough, since the beginning of 2014, Dannean continuously spoke about 'wide open spaces' being something she felt in her spirit, and that it might have relevance to our future move... Well, how about 200 hectares of the greenest 'wide open space' you've ever seen - hahaha!!

Another feeling i currently harbour, is one of overwhelming gratefulness to God... Not only for the picture frame view and surroundings we find ourselves in, but for those people who have welcomed and surrounded us with such love, kindness and generosity. Greg & Charmaine Hart, Joe & Lorenzo Delauretis, Stephen & Bianca Poleman, and Vernon & Cristie Mitchell to name but a few... It really was something we never counted on or considering in planning our move, but to have received such wonderful support these past few weeks, has meant so much to Dannean & I. God really has made his people to be the tangible expression of his love and grace... Thank you Saints!

The last feeling i would like to share (at the risk of appearing to be overly in touch with my feminine side!), is that of childlike joy... Which over and above what i have already mentioned, almost certainly has as its source, me being in between jobs at the moment (in waiting on the Hope Factory's proposed offer of part-time mentorship) and having oodles of time to play the entrepreneur with 'Mbuzi' (Swahili for goat) - pictured here below... 

Mbuzi is my newly branded motorised bike, fitted with a 48cc engine onto Africa's toughest bicycle (according to the manufacturers). This concept, although as old as the motorbike itself, has held my attention (over the past 18 months) for 1 reason in particular... South Africa is a country in desperate need of alternative / improved public transport solutions. And so, with Mbuzi's range of 80-100km's on 2 litres of petrol, a top speed of 50km's an hour, and a price tag of only R4,000 - i'm hoping that he'll be it!

On a final note, and although it is still very early days, a huge thank you to my amazing family (wife!) for choosing to go on this wonderful adventure with me, and of course to our dear friends who have partnered with us in prayer, emotional and financial support - thank you from the bottom of my heart - i really do feel like the luckiest man alive! ps. there's always wine and a sunset at our new home, so for anyone in need of either or both, please do pay us a visit! (40km's south on the N1 from William Nicol off ramp)

'I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living! Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!' Psalm 27v13-14.

Just. Simply. Be

The craziness and busyness have ended: decison making, prayer and fasting over our future, planning, organising, packing, moving, cleaning, unpacking... All done. Of course we still have lose ends to tie up and much faith needed as we look for God's provision but the actual hard slog of getting here is all over. And I am content. I am finding joyful moments; sunshine on my face and the wide open spaces that I felt God speak to me about in July 2014. Yet, I feel like I am coming 'unstuck'. By this I don't mean I am falling apart. By this I mean, in the lack of me needing to plan, pack and organise, I find myself feeling utterly useless, purposeless and somewhat directionless. Not feelings that I expected to be confronted with this side of our journey. I am a doer by nature. Which makes me efficient and organised -yes- but does not alway endear me to those who are more feelers than doers (read: my wonderful husband). I have been and will continue to be praying that God will show me my purpose in this new life we have chosen. Purpose that goes beyond being wife and helper to Sean, mom and homeschooler to our boys, daughter, sister, friend... But today, for just one moment, I had a thought. I thought that perhaps my very own direction and purpose right now is to just. simply. be.  To let go of the pressure I place on me to do do do and to have something to show for my moments, days and weeks and to just be. To enjoy the blessing of my surroundings, the newness of it all and to simply abide in Him. Although it goes against my natural tendency, and of course I am still a wife, mom, daughter, sister and friend... I am also just me. And the best me I can be is found in me abiding in Him. 

WE. HAVE. ARRIVED!

WE. HAVE. ARRIVED!

It has been nearly two weeks since we arrived at our new house, on a farm, in Eikenhof (close to Walkerville). We have unpacked all our boxes and home is beginning to feel less like a holiday and more like, well, home! The move day went smoothly. The movers were a wonderful family run business called AJ10 removals (highly competitive prices and we would definitely recommend them).  It was hard to say goodbye and tears flowed as I drove with the boys out of our gates and away from the only life they have known and, to be honest, the only life and community that I have really known.

Once we arrived at our new spot there was just too much to be done to feel sad again.  All hands were on deck to help unpack, clean, scrub, paint... We were so unbelievably blessed by family and three special couples who arrived bearing fresh food, freezer meals, treats and dinner! We only know three couples this side and we have been totally blown away by the love, support and kindness we have been shown. We could not have asked for a more embracing welcome to our new home and new community and life. On this note I want to take a quick moment to publically thank all those who helped us in so many different ways; from looking after our boys (in the midst of the emotion and chaos) while I packed, moved and unpacked to helping us physically pack and move and then clean, scrub and paint. And of course, a thank you to our family and friends who sent and continue to send messages of love, care and support!

Back to move day...

Sean spent much of our moving day taking photos and staring at our amazing view. We truly are blessed to be on a farm, wide open spaces all around and yet not far from city life.  Our first night was so quiet that Sean and I both kept waking up to listen... to the sound of nothing! It has certainly required a mindset change moving from our second floor flat to a big house on a farm.  Actually my big fear before we moved was that I was going to feel fearful here (I didn't feel it yet but I was scared of feeling scared... if that makes sense).  God has an amazing (kind) way of help me in my fear and faith struggle.  Firstly, we thought we were coming to two dogs and an alarm system.  But that was not to be.  We knew before hand that the dogs were gone but we arrived to a disabled alarm system (and both the farm owner and his son leaving for a week's holiday).  However, on night one, while friends prayed for us and for our protection I had a picture of angel's wings fully covering our whole house... so much so that it was only wings that I could see and no house at all.  So night one, 3am, after trying to listen out for whatever it was I thought I should listen out for, I finally made the decision to trust the special picture as a promise from God and I went to sleep.

Tristan and Connor have adjusted quickly and so well!  I guess it would be hard for them to pine for our previous home. Here they have so much space, both inside and outside.  They play up a storm and love digging, loading, riding and just being totally free.  Easter was a treat as there were so many fun places to hide eggs!

As for me, I am adjusting.  I have cleaned, steamed, scrubbed, scraped and cleaned some more.  I have no regrets about our move and love our environment.  I fully believe we are in God's will and I am glad that we didn't wait for everything to be in place before we moved.  We are still trying to find a tenant for our flat - something I find hard, not only because of the financial implications but also because the thought of our special home standing open makes me a bit heartsore. Sean is going full steam ahead with his motorised bicycle concept and although he has not finalised anything, there are some ad hoc work prospects in the pipeline. I guess the truth is that I am clinging to God and His promises and faithfulness with all my might... It's either that He comes through, or we find ourselves in a pretty precarious financial position.  But my money is definitely on His faithfulness.  And despite my 99% caution rating, I am so glad that we are here; that we put everything (our faith, pride, finances, selves) on the line and have taken this leap of faith.  The hard part was making the decision to do this.  I am no longer scared.  Now, as from the image Sean felt God give him, it is just a case of strapping ourselves into the roller coaster, letting God have the controls, holding on tight and enjoying the ride. Wheeeeee!!! (And eeeeeeek!!!)

A photo outside our special home
on moving day

Sean and the boys with his exciting
new motorised transport concept 

Our amazing view at sunrise

 Wide open spaces

Watching the boys as they play...
What a view!