April 27, 2009

***overwhelmed***

since chad and i our decision to move to tulsa to be apart of the church plant our life has been crazy. but every moment i still know that God is telling us to do this. when we got married {eight years this september} we never thought we would take such an adventure but through learning, growing, & TRUSTING we know God has a different & better plan for our life, for our family.

everything has been falling into place... {selling our house in 3 days & for more than we asked... getting money back from different things that we didn't know about or just didn't remember... raising support is going well... and i could list more... God is so good!} but through all of this its been tiring, esp for chad who seems like he is working two full time jobs... youth pastor & church planter. this past weekend was the hardest we have faced yet, since we began this journey.

we went to tulsa this past weekend to find our "new" home. we don't know the area or the schools very well so we just started driving around. our target area of people that we want to love & reach is a big triangle in tulsa. inside that triangle are ghetto schools, not so nice apartments & then really expensive homes & privates schools.

feeling overwhelmed seats in now!

we meet up with some dear friends that live near there & they asked us about where kaden will go to school. we said tulsa schools. and they advised us just the opposite.

so we are torn & more feelings of overwhelming feels us very fast. we want to be missional, to live there, to be the church to those people but at the same time i want kaden to get a good education and not learn horrible habits everyday while around those kids at school. maybe i am being a sheltered mom little too much but i feel its my job to protect him as long as i can.

the next day, we drove to all kind of apartments. since we don't know the area we don't want to buy right away. we were thinking apartments... swimming pool... fitness room... no yard to cut!!! but every person we talked to told us the same thing - "don't go to tulsa schools, jenks, union, broken arrow is your best place to go to school"

the boys went with us... not such a good idea! they did ok the first two places we looked at & then it was all downhill from there... and we were going downhill fast!!!

towards the end of our LONG day brock said from his car seat, "i want to go home" and kaden said to him, "we don't have a home, remember we sold it". my heart was filled with sadness & tears filled my eyes. our home - the only "home" they have known is just a memory now.

i felt very overwhelmed at this point. what is God thinking, asking us to move, relocate our boys from "home sweet home"???

***since being home from our weekend up to tulsa we have talked to more people that gave us the same advice. since they all are saying the same things about the schools we are going to try to find a rent home in jenks school district. we did find some nice apartments but still very tiny. we would be on top of each other at all times. we know that its a great time to buy right now but we don't want to rush into buying just yet. we want to live there at least a year, get to really know the area before we settle down.

so i end with asking you to please pray for us. this is huge & like the title says... we are feeling overwhelmed about all the decisions that effect our future that need to be made now. all the prayers are greatly appreciated!

11 comments:

Audrey said...

Wow Misty! I know God has great plans for you guys. I'll keep this situation in my prayers that God will lead you in the right home.

PS. We go to Edmond Church of Christ!

Angela Nazworth said...

Oh Misty, my heart hurts for you because I have known so much of what you are experiencing and I will probably go through a move yet again this summer...it is tough...and the process stinks, but yes...God is with you and that does make things better...but still even so does not take away some of the weariness. I will pray for you as you journey.

beckylbranch said...

Oh you know you are in my prayers!!! It is so overwhelming moving to a new city, new streets, new faces, new EVERYTHING! Sometimes I just want to drive off and go back to Arkansas..but I can't because I know God brought us here and no matter what that reason is, He is in it. I'm praying for you that God will give you direction in this tough time! Keep us updated and take care
much love, Becky

Anonymous said...

Definitely praying for you guys. I know it seems completely overwhelming right now - and it is!!! But you know & Chad knows that the Lord is going to greatly bless you & your family for your obedience to Him. Your boys might be leaving "home sweet home" but they have a greater gift - two parents so sold out to Jesus, and that will be a lasting legacy with them. I felt the same thing when we moved to NOLA - "What kind of mother am I to move my precious little girl into such a scary, dangerous place?" But the Lord is our shield and our strength. We will continue to lift up your family in prayer.

If you need a friend in the area, Elizabeth at Finding Him Bigger (she's on my blog roll) is from that area. Maybe you two can email and get to know each other. She has young kids too.

*Hugs*

suzspeaks said...

Bless your heart! I'm sorry it was a rough weekend. I'll be praying!

Megan said...

Oh gosh! I know you are so overwhelmed right now and I am tired just from reading it! It will get better! I don't know if you know this or not but I am from the Tulsa area - it sounds like you have good friends who live there and can answer all of your questions, but if you ever need to ask me anything go ahead! (p.s. I agree with them about the Tulsa Schools thing)

Stephanie said...

Hey girl, praying for you! I can't imagine the stress. I am already weighing out schools for Jadon, and he's 2 years away (I want to protect him forever!). Are you guys still doing youth with the church plant? Jon and I would love to be a part of a church plant, someday.

Steph

Yes, Jon went to NYLC. I went to the one in LA three years ago, but that was before I had kids. I wanted to go so bad, but there was no possible way.

*I would have bought Jadon the potty seat that went on the toilet, but he is afraid of the toilet...along with many other things. It only took me three months of bribing to get him to sit on this one :)

jennifer said...

oh girl. i hear ya. david and i went through this when we moved to ohio to start a church plant.

apartment living is kinda tough, but we wish we'd lived in one a little longer so that we could get to know the area better. you are definitely doing the smart thing.

i'm praying for lots of new friends for you very soon - and clarity in decision making.

Heather said...

Hello, Misty. You don't know me, but your blog actually showed up in my google alerts today! (It is set to send me anything about Tulsa or Oklahoma schools.) Your friends are right about Tulsa schools, and so I would like to suggest homeschooling to you. We have been doing it for 5 years now and it is wonderful. If you'd like to know more, you can "visit" us at www.myspace.com/millerhomeschool or www.oklahomahomeschool.com has lots of good info!

Sarah@Life in the Parsonage said...

Wow you guys...WOW!

God's got some plans, praying for you guys!

6 Happy Hearts said...

I grew up in mid-town & south Tulsa.
It sounds like you have heard enough advice. I know God will plant exactly where you need to be to bloom & show His love.
The Tulsa area is a wonderful place to raise a family.
I moved back 4 years ago & it was sooo hard to make a decision. We chose the "burbs". We are not w/o our trials, however we have learned so much I would not trade it.
Blessings on your move : )