October 30, 2013, Journal Entry:
"It is the fifth anniversary of my Dad's disappearance...and the final offer for the sale of Sunrise Medical Campus has been accepted. Now the journey begins in earnest...clearing out my office, unloading the Oasis...and finally, beginning the process of packing up our house to move. What a strange and surreal thought. I am so grateful You go before us!"
In His mercy, the Lord was slowly weaning me from my comfortable and familiar world. The sale of Sunrise closed at Christmas time, and the same buyers soon offered to purchase the Oasis. This leg of our journey was at an end and we still had no clear idea of what the Lord had in store for us. Walking by faith and not by sight was no longer a platitude. Henry had booked tickets to revisit Scotland/Orkney in February of 2014. We would view homes near Peebles (in the south) and in Orkney...
February 13, 2014, Journal Entry:
(Edinburgh) "I find myself in the strangest juxtaposition...caught between the sharp suspense regarding our future - and the desire to enjoy the privilege of visiting this warm, stately city. My heart will find no rest - until I find my rest in You. This must be my daily pursuit."
"It is the fifth anniversary of my Dad's disappearance...and the final offer for the sale of Sunrise Medical Campus has been accepted. Now the journey begins in earnest...clearing out my office, unloading the Oasis...and finally, beginning the process of packing up our house to move. What a strange and surreal thought. I am so grateful You go before us!"
In His mercy, the Lord was slowly weaning me from my comfortable and familiar world. The sale of Sunrise closed at Christmas time, and the same buyers soon offered to purchase the Oasis. This leg of our journey was at an end and we still had no clear idea of what the Lord had in store for us. Walking by faith and not by sight was no longer a platitude. Henry had booked tickets to revisit Scotland/Orkney in February of 2014. We would view homes near Peebles (in the south) and in Orkney...
February 13, 2014, Journal Entry:
(Edinburgh) "I find myself in the strangest juxtaposition...caught between the sharp suspense regarding our future - and the desire to enjoy the privilege of visiting this warm, stately city. My heart will find no rest - until I find my rest in You. This must be my daily pursuit."
"I am not sure what to make of the sudden destruction of Henry's greenhouse and garden in the windstorm last night after we left...Our prayer is: 'Speak Lord, your servants are listening. Sometimes we are slow of hearing. Forgive us, protect us, and correct our course if necessary!'"
Our days exploring the Borders were pleasant, but fruitless. We had certainly found no suitable home...no open door. The highlight was having dinner with a local pastor and his wife, Ian and Lindsey Gray, whom we had contacted online before the trip. Ian is the pastor of Peebles Baptist Church, and we had been listening to his messages online, deriving MUCH encouragement from his truthful treatment of Scripture and God-given gift of teaching. If anyone is interested, check out their website!
It was perhaps with a combined sense of dread and destiny that we boarded the tiny plane to Orkney on Valentine's Day. Upon landing we were greeted by unexpected sunshine! We 'hired' a car and drove to The Foveran, a 'restaurant with rooms', where we would enjoy the hospitality of Paul Doull and his family for the next five days.
Eager to get a glimpse of the place we could call 'home', we struck out to see the houses we planned to view while there. I cannot begin to explain the sense Henry and I had as we drove up to the first. While the setting was beautiful, there was something dark and foreboding about the property. We could not bring ourselves to keep our appointment, but called to cancel at the last minute.
After several disappointing experiences/dead ends, I began to wonder if we were on a proverbial goose chase...
Eager to get a glimpse of the place we could call 'home', we struck out to see the houses we planned to view while there. I cannot begin to explain the sense Henry and I had as we drove up to the first. While the setting was beautiful, there was something dark and foreboding about the property. We could not bring ourselves to keep our appointment, but called to cancel at the last minute.
After several disappointing experiences/dead ends, I began to wonder if we were on a proverbial goose chase...
Sunday we returned to Kirkwall Baptist Church, where the Lord had met us in a profound way the previous June. At the morning service, we learned that a couple who had prayed with us in June, Alastair and Sarah Banks, would be sharing about their recent trip to Nagaland (India) at the evening service. We decided to attend.
Shortly after we arrived that evening and found our seats, Pastor Rob Kiff and his wife Pat came in and sat down beside us. Rob had given the message about Jonah, which greatly impacted us when we visited before. After the service, Rob (who recognized us) queried: "You're back???"
"Actually," I responded, "we think the Lord may be calling us to move here."
Rob's wife looked at him, then at me. "Well, if you're moving to Orkney, you could buy our home! We're looking to downsize. We haven't put it on the market yet. We've only just begun to discuss it."
Rob's wife looked at him, then at me. "Well, if you're moving to Orkney, you could buy our home! We're looking to downsize. We haven't put it on the market yet. We've only just begun to discuss it."
I was dumbfounded. Could this be the answer to our prayers? Then, remembering a dream I had journal about in May of 2012, I asked: "By any chance, do you have black granite countertops in the kitchen?"
She looked perplexed and answered,
"Well, as a matter of fact we do. Why do you ask???"
"Well, as a matter of fact we do. Why do you ask???"
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