I was grouchy last week, holding onto some unmet needs and dreaming of a better surrounding. We bought a lake property in 2020 and we have loved it, although we don’t have the time, or make the time to go enjoy it enough. There was a feeling stirring in me that said, “He (Alton) got the lake property he desired and I didn’t get my mountain view”. This was paining me inside and I was scrolling the web for any available lots with a mountain view. There it was, finally my little piece of heaven on earth, only a short 5 hour drive south. I’m sure we’d make it there more often than the lake lol.
dismissed truth
In my knee-jerk excitement I told Alton I was going for a drive the next day to go see this property. It was 32 acres on the base of a valley just outside of Waterton National Park. Unobstructed views of the gorgeous Chief Mountain and Rockies. This place was so grand in my mind, I dismissed Alton’s failure to say how he wanted to join me.
nothing was going to stop me, but me.
There was nothing that was going to stop me this time. The mountain dream property I have always desired, would be there just waiting for me. I woke up early yesterday, I showered and got dressed. There was a wind outside that made it so cold and one thing I hate more than anything is WIND. Give me cold, heat or rain, but keep the wind away. The weather wasn’t going to stop me, I was determined to have a day of travel.
road trip vs. sourdough starter
In the kitchen I saw my sourdough starter sitting on the counter, waiting for me to feed it. Then on the other counter the sourdough I had rising in the basket overnight was ready for the oven. So, in my haste I quickly fed my starter, popped the dough in the oven and started to clean the kitchen. I was waiting for my family to get up out of bed, surely they would want to come on a road trip to southern Alberta with me? Nope, no one got up in a hurry. Bennett was taking his time and Alton seemed to have a list of to-do’s for the Saturday that did not include a road trip.
bake while I wait for them to change their minds
Did I want to take this trip alone? Not really, I wanted my family to be excited as I was. Then I thought I would give my head a little break and get some yogurt made, a little butter and put together some muffins for the week. These were distractions, so that I could possibly buy some time and convince my family to tag along for a 10 hour car ride.
pouting isn’t pretty
Well, an hour went by and there was no one who wanted to come. So, I pouted a bit and decided to go outside to lick my wounds. I wasn’t going on the road trip by myself so making a day at the farm doing what I love seemed like a good second option.
wind is my enemy
As I came back from the milk parlor the wind took my breath away, things flying everywhere and it didn’t seem to stop. There was a grass fire close to our home and this wind was not helping. It seemed like the wind was tragically not going to be a good thing today. Reluctantly, I wanted to enjoy being outside however the wind made my time futile.
speak to me God
God spoke to me as my feet hit the steps into the house. He said “turn around and look at the clouds”. I know at this point you may think I should be put into a psych hospital because ‘God speaks to me’, but I assure you, He does. I turned around, and the clouds were dark and beautiful, and reminded me of the mountains. I stared at them for about a minute and then He spoke again. “Jessica, the wind and cold weather will be the struggle in the property your heart wants.” I took a few steps up the stairs and thought about the place I had my hearts desire for.
He showed me Truth
God knows that my worst weather is wind, and He told me that this would be exactly what I would get if I lived in the valley by Waterton, Alberta. I came into the house and searched the weather for that area and compared it to where I live now. It was as I suspected, colder average temperatures in summer and WINDY! It was like God was giving me a taste of what the outdoors would feel like yesterday, (and today). He was showing me exactly what I would get if I kept desiring this mountain property.
i don’t want to create my own challenges
There are some struggles in my life that come up with me having no say or control over them. Then there are choices I make that clearly give me some life challenges; I don’t want my desire for a better view to be one of them.
God is so good to me, especially when He doesn’t always give me what I want, but He gives me something better. Thank you Jesus for your grace and continuing to show me what I have instead of what I want.
Jeremiah 42:3 Pray that YHWH LORD GOD will tell us were we should go and what we should do.
