painful goodbyes

29^th April

So much has happened in a month. We met the buyers of our Cheshunt home and everything I prayed for came true. They adored our house and we were so happy it was going to people who thought it was beautiful. Our hearts sank last Tuesday when the estate agent called us and informed us they could not get a mortgage and were having to pull out. My mind went into overdrive and I worried about the place being empty for months and the garden neglected. We said we couldn’t possibly have any viewers with a house full of boxes but the agent was persistent and we agreed to show people round. As I write this we are moving in a few days and the house still has not sold. The roses are all budding in the garden, all about to burst forth into a spectacular show and we are about to uproot and leave all this beauty behind. I begin to understand how Noah felt, building his boat with not a drop of water in sight. This morning I was packing the last few bits and pieces from our bedroom and came across a card from Andrew with the verse. ‘The joy of the Lord is your strength.’ Written nearly 18 years ago and yet it is what I need to focus on right now. Lovely how God uses words from the past time after time at just the right moment. I need strength and I need joy and it is all to be found in Him.

Last Sunday was our last at our little church. It was a very precious time. Charles preached and gave us such a touching farewell from the platform, and kind friends brought plants and flowers, gifts and cards which were most unexpected but most welcome. I had such a lovely time upstairs with Lyddy. We went over the Easter story again as everything else is packed but it is lovely to see her soaking in the stories now and when I mentioned heaven she piped up with ‘no one cries there’. We made up our own game to remember some of the main points of Easter using 2 plastic bottles and some coloured fluffy balls. There were lots of tears and heavy hearts. Why are we leaving our little church right now when we are so needed? One day it will all be made plain.

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