New York Here We Come!......well, sort of.

I will never forget sitting in a Sunday School class back in DeSoto, Texas in 1997 right after David and I got married.  The whole topic that day was on "holding patterns".  The teacher made reference to how planes will circle in the air in a holding pattern until they are cleared for a safe landing.  They are waiting for the "o.k." to move forward and to land at their destination.  I never forget this message because I feel like I live this message about every couple of years or so.  If any of you know me, I grew up in Kansas City, MO.  I moved one time in my growing up years and it was across the highway.  No real trauma there.  I still went to the same schools and graduated high school with the same kids I played with in kindergarten.  I got married nearly 11 years ago and have officially moved (dare I say a number)...I think 7 times.  whew!  That's a lot of packin', gettin' to know new people, sayin' goodbye to newfound friendships and crying about the unknowns ahead.  Now don't get me wrong, I have e-v-e-n-t-u-a-l-l-y loved nearly all of our moves and have seen God's hand orchestrate our purpose for that particular place and for that particular time.  I just like to do a little kicking and screaming along the way just to keep things interesting.  Lo and behold, it is the year 2007 and we are packing a moving truck tomorrow morning to head to New York.  Now, don't panic friends, I'm not totally moving to New York right now, just sorta.  We have taken on a church called Glad Tidings as our client out in Tribecca (or Lower Manhattan) and they have provided us with an apartment to stay in while we are working out there.  Since they are our one and only priority right now, we will be out there the majority of the time over these next 12 months while they are renovating their new building.  As we speak, I am packing up all of my doubles...my second couch, my second guest bed, Little Girl's new big girl bed and all of the extra toys that we can live without here at our Missouri home.  We are going to try to fill this apartment up with pieces of us to make it feel like home while we are there.  We have not determined yet if God is saying MOVE TO NEW YORK MESSNERS...THIS IS MY ULTIMATE WILL FOR YOUR LIVES! But we do know that this is our opportunity He is giving us today and we are humbly (and a little crankily) walking through this door to see what He holds for us.  Pray for me if you have the time and can throw a request to God to bring me peace and patience in this "holding pattern" we yet again face in our lives.  One thing I know is that God is good.  He never fails me.  I am eternally blessed (I can't even start naming all the ways, but just look at my daughter for one big one.) and I know He has a plan for my and David's life.  The scripture we always tell Little Girl when she says she is "sca-wood" is "The Lord is my helper.  I will not be afraid"  Hebrews 13:6.  Let me lean on this today.