Yesterday I resigned myself to hunkering down to another school year in Mississippi. My desk was nearly finished and I have projects to get to and writing to do. My dad, a retired carpenter, had just made the last cut for the shelving, when the phone rang. That one phone call has turn all my plans upside-down. It looks like we're moving!
For months I have struggled with the idea of staying here another year. It's not that we don't like it it here, but we know it's not where we want to be long term. But, there's something else as well. Here's the short version: my husband and I have been married for 6 1/2 years. Of that time we have only lived by ourselves for the first 5 months. For 4 years we lived with my staff at a retreat house and for the last 2 years we have lived with my parents. During our short married life the economy has tanked and effected everyone, including us. We thought we would have been in a house years ago. Finally, in the last few months it looked like it would be possible to have a place of our own. And...it all fizzled out...but then the phone rang with an offer for my parents' house. It's wonderful news for my parents!
All the legal and financial hoops still need to be cleared for the sale of my parents' house, but it's looking good. My husband and I have made a hard decision: our son and I will go to Austin and network like crazy and, hopefully, my husband will land a job in Austin very soon. (Please keep this intention in your prayers. Thanks!)
As I was staining the shelves for my desk this morning, I thought about a conversation I had with my spiritual director years ago. In order to be free to say 'yes' to something, you have to be free to say 'no.' This simple notion on freedom has played a big role in many of my life decisions. For months I had said 'no' to staying here. I didn't want to do it. Once all our job options dried up I was left with a choice: stay here and be miserable or stay here and be happy. Yesterday morning I decided to be happy with staying in Mississippi. I would say 'yes' to living here.
A few hours later the phone rang and God had a great big laugh...
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