Pausing to Reflect

I thought I'd stop the Christmas rush for a day, because this weekend marked a significant moment in Shafferland.

One year ago:

If you've been reading here at the old blogaroo for at least that long, you know what a long, excruciating ordeal it was to sell the house that Ryan owned before we got married. We owned it for a full two years after we got married, and in that time, we spent a year waiting on a family who promised to buy it and then didn't...and then we had to clean it all up again and start over. A new family came who desperately wanted the house and placed an offer, and it took 141 long, ridiculous days of hoop-jumping and paperwork and delays that according to our Realtor, never should have happened.

We were exhausted. Our buyers were exhausted. Our Realtor was exhausted. And no doubt you were exhausted because every now and then I had to vent about it here and you had to read.

But just a year ago, we handed over the keys and walked away from this house that had been both a blessing and a burden.

We drive by it now and then, and it seems like the new family has settled in well and is really enjoying the chance to call it home. We are thrilled for them - and not just because they relieved us from owning two homes. We know this was a blessing they needed in their lives, and we're happy they have it.

But looking at that picture again, and remembering life as two-home owners caused me to sit for a moment and think about all the beauty that came from that house sale. Not just the financial relief of no longer owning two homes. Not just the time-relief of no longer maintaining two properties. {Although...certainly both of those!!!!} The chance to breathe. The chance to dare to imagine a life with freedom in it. The chance to imagine a life where we didn't have to work so hard to keep up with a surplus house.

It was because of this sale that I was able to leave work and stay home. And while leaving work was hard, there has been a peace settle over our life and our marriage because I'm able to focus on home.

Because this house sold...I don't have to dread this winter {which, granted, so far has been filled with warmer days than we had this SUMMER!} because I don't have to commute in any forthcoming snow.

Because this house sold...I finished a book manuscript.

Because this house sold...I was able to say yes to some speaking engagements in 2016, and hopefully I can say yes to more!

Because this house sold...I was able to begin the process of cleaning out this home of ours, to simplify, to downsize, to make life easier.

Because this house sold...I've been able to take on tasks for Ryan so his evenings and weekends are easier and he can rest.

Because this house sold...we are free to be ready for whatever God has next.

This day that happened a year ago was the first domino in a line of beautiful happenings for us. I'm grateful for it. I don't take it for granted. I haven't forgotten the immense weight that fell from us when we drove away from signing paperwork that night, knowing we were just ONE home owners.

The waiting to get to that point was long and arduous and filled with moments that were not our finest. {Usually more on my end than Ryan's. He's far more patient than I.} We cried over that house and got angry over that house and prayed over that house and read Scripture over that house...and finally handed over that house.

And today, we celebrate the beauty that has come in the freedom.