This is by far the hardest thing I've had to write. This is a sweet morning is our house of 9 years. When you marry a coach you plan on never being in one place very long. At least that's what I thought. Seminole tried to warn me that people come and stay, but I still had my doubts. I can remember the first year in our house I kept saying, well I'll unpack that box if we're here next year. Now this morning the sweet sounds and surroundings that I've grown accommodated to will change tomorrow. As I go out the back door this morning to sit on the porch the security alarm reminds me "kitchen door 2" as I open it. Stepping out the sun peaks over the back fence and cast shimmers across the blue pool waters. The grass is freshly cut from the day before, prepping for the new owners who move in Friday. I sit in my favorite spot on the glider and soak up the sun. I've spent some sweet time back here. Mornings before my c-sections, studying/reading, random days when I just want to be outside. The birds are still singing but the dogs aren't pacing in their corner anymore, eagerly waiting for me to come give them scratches and say good morning. Their corner is lonely and empty and I miss them. The yard where kids have crawled and toddled and grown to run, the pool where they took their first dunk to dog paddle, the porch where bikes and wagons and many a chalk drawings have birthed little artists, is quiet this morning. This is the place, the seat where I have pleaded so much with God, had many a talks, many a quite moments, many a battle. This was the place where God grew me. Stretched me. Challenged me. Taught me. How to fight through motherhood, that thyroid cancer is not a finality but a turning it over to him. A trusting him. A faith walk if you will. This is the place where marriage has been real and hard, but sweet and fun. This is the place where God grew the drive and therapist in me. The coach, teacher, and father in Jody. I've been so blessed to study many a late and early hour here. CFMT, OCS, and write a women's health pelvic case study here. What a place, what an experience. The flood of memories rushes back and overwhelm me at HOW MUCH I have asked for in this place that God has allowed me to do, to see, and to SEE FULL-FILLED.
A house is only bricks and mortar. God builds the home and the family in it. Oh what an amazing family he has given me. One to want to love me and walk with me through the next leg of this crazy journey. I have prayed for fellowship in Steamboat for a long time. As a PT student, I got the opportunity to have a rotation there and that was it for me. I knew I was among talent that went beyond the typical. This was truly the next level and thankfully I was being exposed to it in school and shown an advanced approach at the start of my career. Through that rotation, God planted the seed in Steamboat that one day I would go on the become a Certified Functional Manual Therapist. I set my sights on fellowship long ago, committing my plans to God, knowing that if it was not the path He had I would go wherever He had for me. But God does not dangle a carrot and plant a desire that strongly unless He intends to water it and see it through. That's so humbling. I feel so blessed to know that He's just confirmed it every step along the way.
Here's a quick recap. CFMT passed in 2011 after a diagnosis of thyroid cancer and removal 6 weeks before testing. He's just reminding me that He's in control. For those that aren't sure what I do, a VERY simple explanation is a manual therapist uses their hands entirely when working on soft tissues within the body, joints, nerve or resisting to turn on the right muscle or muscle group. (That's very simplified!!) So for ANY surgery 6 weeks before testing it was scary because prepping for more than a year for a major test process and not being sure if I would even be strong enough to implement the mobilizations was scary. OCS passed (PTL) 2013. Wrote my women's health case and submitted in Feb 2014. What a process it has been. On a blog I wrote over 2 years ago, I refer to the book by Priscilla Shirer One in a Million. I can now confirm from that post what I eluded to throughout that blog and once again referred to several months ago. I was sitting in the recliner praying over direction and timing. At that time, I was really asking God to reveal whether fellowship would happen, whether it was still His desire for me or something that I latched to and refused to let go of. I had a tremendous opportunity at Hobbs again as rehab supervisor, but my dilemma was signing a 2 year contract and not knowing where fellowship might fall. In that passage that morning, (refer back to blog) it was over "I'm doing something a long way off." In that moment I knew that God was showing me, IT WILL HAPPEN. You are going to go. That was pretty humbling and awesome to hear. It does not matter when, I am responsible for the timing. My timing is PERFECT. Well, as always...it is! I accepted that position 2 years ago this June. This month I have full-filled that contract. Absolutely amazing HE IS!!
So my flood of emotions and memories this morning just simply feels like praise. As my tears fall, as memories rush back and turn these tears to laughter and I am so humbled to simply sit with my Savior this morning, as I have so many times. The blessing is that I know also that week of CFMT testing I sat outside the Christian Hertiage school everyday that testing week and lifted my eyes to the mountain across the street. I prayed so many things that week. Dear Lord.....LET ME PASS. Let this knowledge flood the room, flow through my hands, flow onto the paper. And let me return to this place. To this place as a functional manual therapy (FMT) fellow. God heard me. And He has a wonderful sense of humor. Our rent house is across from the school and I'll get to pray to Him toward that mountain every morning. Isn't He amazing at the details?! I did not ask for that kind of specific, but that's the way He works.
Our house sold in a day. I prayed that it would to be reassured that this was the Lord and nothing else. This journey has been amazing in this house. It has been a HARD task to pack. Hard on a momma, therapist, and working woman. 9 years of memories and 2 kids and more junk than I need. A purging of what is needed and what is just excess. It is almost done. Tomorrow we close and load. I will walk through an empty house tomorrow and I know that final walk-through will be the same flood it is now. I'm thankful that God builds the people in a home and loves us enough to listen to the prayers and lists we make in them, dreams we build. One thing I know for sure. This is a house I will miss because through it He has heard me in more ways than one. I brought my babies home here and watched them grow up. That makes it the hardest to leave. This is not just about me or Jody. This is their PLACE. Their house....the only place thankfully they have known in 6 and 3 years. In typical Reece fashion, she's excited about moving to Steamboat Springs, ColoRADOoo. Let's just say sorry Colorado but you won't have to ask where we are from....just ask Reece. Cale is just excited about building snowmen and learning what this skiing thing is. As long as all the toys get to go, they don't seem to care, but Reece would pack Mrs. Alexander if she could be her teacher next year. (Thank you for an awesome year!)
Seminole has been a great place. FBC has been the church that has loved us through every phase of our 9 years. The youth we have worked with while we have been here have grown up to be some of our dearest friends. We were so blessed to close our time here last night with a special visit (Hope) from one of our sweet girls. Alex...you have become one of my dearest friends from youth to now. I love each one of you that we have been so blessed to work with here. Our German daughter (Samira) will bless us in Steamboat in September with a visit from her entire family! So in closing.....since this has become a book......I will say Lord thank you for giving us an amazing first home in a great small Texas town. There's nothing small about the hearts here or the dreams He has given us. To our youth, the Lord has GREAT plans for you, bigger than you would ever set for yourself. DREAM BIG. It is about the Lord alone. Glorify Him, keep yourself and your plans pure and fixed on Him. Submit to Him.
I will take down the final 2 frames from the wall today. They were gifts given to Jody and I at wedding showers. (TEN years in DECEMBER!!!) The framed verses read:
Be still and Know that I am God. Psalm 46:10
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me...... Psalm 23:6
