Back to the Bacons

Well, this last one was my longest stretch of silence. I was just in a season of privacy. Our life has been an interesting journey these last two years, and this past year... well... I just didn't feel like explaining. I didn't want to feel obligated to defend. I'm thankful for the year that we had with a roommate. Rebecca is one of the coolest chicks I will ever know, and we had a BLAST being the Rebacon's. She absolutely kept me sane this year. But our next chapter has begun. In fact, I am sitting at my new computer desk (the vintage yellow table that I got from my mom two birthdays ago), with the last few unpacked boxes a foot away from me while Brett reads a text book on the couch beside me.

Let me unpack that statement for you. I am too tired to unpack any more boxes!

We moved 16 days ago. Well, I guess 17 because we started on a Friday. And by we, I mean Brett and I. Rebecca is no longer with us. She's alive, just living elsewhere. So that means, we are back to being the Bacon's!

I will never regret the year that we had with Rebecca. But when we realized that year was coming to an end and we asked ourselves if we wanted to renew our lease or look for something new, an opportunity for Rebecca to live with some other awesome ladies in our ABF class came up, and God led her there. In the beginning, this broke my heart. I loved seeing Rebecca every day. She was absolutely a sister to me. But even through the tears, of which there were MANY, I knew that it was right. It was time for Brett and I to just be Brett and I again.

But. That meant another move. We couldn't afford the house that the three of us were living in, and though I dreaded the thought of packing up and moving again, we were all relieved to get out of that house. It wasn't in the ghetto, but the house was kind of a dump. No, wait. That's not fair to say. It was just kind of falling apart. Dumpy. Not a dump. Is that nicer?

We ran through several housing possibilities, and began an apartment search, but as we prayed about where to look, God opened an amazing door for us! Even now, after living here for two weeks (I feel like we've only been here a few days!) it seems too good to be true.

We are renting an apartment garage. Here's the story. Rebecca serves in a ministry at our church that goes to Dallas every Tuesday night to feed the homeless. Anyone can volunteer and go anytime, but Rebecca is one of about 10 regulars. Two other regulars, are two ladies who are long time members of our church, are both single, and happen to be roommates. They live in a house whose previous owner was a married couple with twin sons. When the boys became young men, they needed to be out of the house, but couldn't live together. So the couple built a four car garage, with two identical 900 square foot apartments above it. Our landladies were living in the house behind this family, and when the family eventually put the house up for sale, our landladies snagged it for a great deal! A great reason to get to know your neighbors!

I can't remember how long they have owned the house now, but a while. Recently, the two apartments were being rented by two girls who were both teachers at a school in Irving. At the end of this past school year, in May I think, the girls let our landladies know that one of them was planning to buy a house over the summer and the other was going to move with her to be her roommate. So one Tuesday night, when Rebecca went to serve at SEALS (that's the name of the ministry that feeds the homeless), she asked if she could take the boxes home with her because she was moving. That comment led to these two ladies asking her if she had found a place to move, to which she said, yes, but my roommates are looking. And now, a few months later, here we are!

I have never felt safer in my life. It's a gated entry, and the ladies have 8 dogs. That is not a typo. 8 dogs. 8 dogs that run out to "greet" whoever comes through the gate into the yard, and they are not quiet about it!

The other apartment is being rented by the niece of one of our sweet landladies, and so far, she's been awesome! She came down and showed me how to use the fancy washing machine when I couldn't get it to start.

Here is the other part of the story.

Brett started seminary!!!!! He is a full time student at Dallas Theological Seminary, going for his Masters of Fine Arts in Christian Leadership. I think that's all the right words =-)

So he and his mom were at lunch one day, talking about job hunting and general future stuff, and she said "if you want to start seminary, I would pay for your first semester". That was the beginning. A few weeks later, we heard a commercial on the radio for a preview day at DTS, which Brett actually went to last year, and the door just didn't open, but with his mom's comment in mind, he signed up for the preview day, and a few days later, was applying to be a student.

Brett's mom is not paying for the semester, because DTS is crazy expensive, but she did make the first payment of the semester, and has helped us a lot along the way. I have no idea how we are going to pay for seminary, but I am 100% positive that this is where God has led us, and he is going to provide.

He has already provided this amazing apartment. The rent here is $210 less than we were paying for our portion of rent at the house, AND it includes electricity, water, gas and cable/internet. Can you believe that?!? I can't! I seriously can't. I am overwhelmed by God's grace and provision. Finding this apartment is what confirmed in my heart and mind that seminary was the right move. When we moved into our first house, even as renters, it felt like a step forward, and I hoped that we would never end up in an apartment again. But this is different. We are students. Well, Brett is a student, but we are partners. One flesh. I even got to go to new student orientation! haha.

I am thankful for this season and eager to see what God teaches us while we are here. A couple of days ago, he reminded me that every trial has purpose.

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God." 2 Corinthians 1: 3-4

You'll be hearing from me again soon =-) I'm ready again.