Virginia Adventures (Part 4)

So here we are at my last part in this series…our Virginia Adventures. You can read the earlier parts here:
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3

This is the day that I would come full circle. Four years ago after visiting the farmhouse site at Yorktown, I came home with inspiration to simplify. I wrote some posts about it on my original blog(Beautiful Feet Bring Good News), and they really struck a nerve. I then went on to create Simply Living for Him. At the time it was my vision to write about simplifying all areas of life, including homeschool. I went on to write eBooks (that I thought NO ONE would read) and have been blessed with opportunities to speak at homeschooling events. God has been SO good.

So you can imagine, I was excited to go and see that place again. As we walked down and noticed the differences, I was starting to feel a little disappointed. There was now a construction site as a backdrop rather than the simple, but beautiful gardens. I was sure when I walked into that farmhouse I would have nostalgia and tears as I remembered where this all started.

The construction at the farmhouse site

Well, just as I always have learned, often our thoughts about something and our anticipation about things rarely compare to the realities when they come to pass. I walked into the house and wasn’t even sure it was the same house in my memories. The table was set more elegantly than the last time, and the furnishings were different. The simple picture in my mind was different now.

standing in front of the 18th century farmhouse

Yes, the world is getting more complicated each day, and the irony of the situation is that even this simple place that I remembered was changing. I am sure it is being improved upon and the end result of the construction and changes will be wonderful, but I was longing for that feeling I had the first time I came here.

Yet, that is the lesson of life. You can’t go back. We can’t always recreate those feelings. We are always moving forward, and often when we try to make things stay the same, we end up in a losing battle. Life is ever evolving and ever changing.

I also have seen that life is so unpredictable. God has plans in store for us that we can never imagine up in our dreams. He has given me opportunities and blessings I didn’t ask for, and didn’t even know I would desire until I had them already. He took a little ‘ol mom like me, placed a desire on my heart, and has given me opportunities beyond my imagination.

As I think back to how we started our homeschool year with the verse Ephesian 3:20, I can’t help but smile. HE surely did do things beyond our dreams this year, and not at all in ways expected. He gave us abundantly more.

first day of school 2013-2014

I am so grateful for the ability to connect with other families, to write for my blogs, and to speak at events. The only reason I will continue to do those things will be to glorify HIM. It is never about me. I’m “just a mom” on this journey and HE is the One who works. I am nothing without Him. My goal will be to continue to point people to Him in all I do. I desire to simplify not just to lessen stress and distractions, but to do so in order to keep my focus on HIM.

I have no idea what He has in store for me in the future, but my goal must be to obey whatever He asks each day. I can learn from the past, but not try to live in the past. I need to move forward and let Him lead. And yes, while this world is ever changing and getting more complicated each day, I can keep my eyes fixed on HIM and not the things of this world. I CAN simply live…for Him!