23 Years Ago...

Our beautiful home

It was 1989. I can still vividly picture the scene. I was standing in our cute little home, the first one we had bought together, surrounded by four noisy little boys playing at my feet. My husband had just come home from work and saw a letter lying on the doormat addressed to him. The letter was from the Methodist church. He opened it and I peered over his shoulder, curious to see what it said.
Dear David, it read, We, at the Local Preacher's meeting were praying about who God mght call to become a Local Preacher. Your name was discussed. Please give this your prayerful consideration.
I can distinctly remember my reaction...one that I am not proud of. I almost laughed as I said to my husband, You're not going to do that are you?
I might...was his reply. I was dumbfounded, because I knew that this was just the beginning of a slippery slope. If he accepted the call to preach, that might lead to a call to the ministry and I was not ready for that. Listen David, I retorted, you can preach, but don't ever tell me you want to be a minister..because I don't want to live in a parsonage. I want to choose my own carpets!
I guess I must have known what the future held...or at least I thought I did. 23 years and several parsonages later, here in Grand Rapids, we now finally own our own home...and David is still a minister. All along, God could see what I could not. I just had to trust him. On this Thanksgiving eve, I am thankful for a God who is faithful; a God who can see ahead when I cannot; for a beautiful house; but most of all for that far more wonderful home that He is preparing for me in heaven.