**Play "Find Yourself" use the > keys to scroll down to the title on the playlist player to the right***
Well, We prayed about Chris's employment after he had really wanted to get on with the police force in the town we were from. (I was so scared God was going to answer yes, I had several people praying that I was supportive if he did, and that we had a definite sign, a burning bush or a letter would be great so there was no mistake) He then, went to work for his bestfriends janitoral company and was working there when Charles was born. He applied for several things, many friends of the family referred him to places, but nothing was panning out. He then applied for a job at GEICO and went through a long process and finally was hired for a position that after training would be in Raleigh, North Carolina. At first we were a little excited, we went to Dunn, North Carolina several times and new alot of people over there and thought this would be fun.
We of course, quickly started feeling scared and sad about leaving all of our family and friends, and my job. Life was full of change, and major changes, we both lived in Chesapeake all of our lives, we knew how to get anywhere, even knew the short cuts and back roads, we had street lights and I did not drive at night. We had to sell our townhouse that we purchased before we got married, so it was in my maiden name, therefore I had to do the paperwork (ugh!!! finances, and real estate together in one deal). The whole experience was gruling and I actually had to go back to Virginia to close due to problems that came up with our buyer. Our plans were not working out, again.
So it came time for moving day.. at least this could go smoothly.. (ha ha that would be a first) Nope, it poured down rained on moving day, we rented the biggest Uhaul and not everything was fitting on the truck, we had to start sorting the things we had to have right now, the rest (almost 1/2 the house would have to stay). I was panicing, so stressed, but I was holding it together.. I had to drive the 3 hours to our new home, which was not our ideal, but it was the best we found and our landlord was great. The backyard was big and open so we could hit golf balls which Charles liked too. And, it was perfect for blowing bubbles, which we discovered was very theraputic. We loaded up and headed for North Carolina, still raining. We pulled in the yard and the truck was a pain trying to line it up to get the loading deck close enough. We had to move during the week and most of the family was unable to take off work, but our two brother in-laws helped and My father-in-law came with us. We unloaded the truck and headed to take the truck back and got lost, with the North Carolina roads, we went up and down White Street a few times and finally got it turned in. Our family loaded up in their car and headed back home. That was the worst feeling watching them drive off. We were here all alone in North Carolina.
We were new in a town that was very different than what we were used to. Chris's first two weeks with GEICO were the most stressful, he had to use our car until his company car came in so I was stuck at home, alone with Charles, crying missing Papa for 14 days. Finally got my car back and was able to get out alittle, very little, I had the hardest time getting around (no sense of direction and I got lost every other turn). Chris's schedule was Tuesday thru Saturday and Monday's in Carolina are like a Sunday, many places are closed. We could not do any of the things that he needed to do, get licenses switched over, banking. It was rough I was on my own in a strange place, did not know anyone. The best part of the week was Sunday, the Church we actually found before the house we were renting. When we came to "house hunt" we passed the church and thought it looked like a good place to try, they were having a carnival and Charles was so excited, so we stopped and went in and he played, we talked to a few people. They invited us to come to services tomorow morning and nicely said, they would be looking for us. We thought it was nice, but the place was packed, they would not remember us tomorrow. Oh we were so wrong, Charles was the first one in the door, and as soon as we walked in one of the people that greeted us at the Games, called him, by name!!! oh, we were blown away. (Charles is very social and is hard to forget) We figure it was a fluke, but they remembered we were here visiting to look for a house to rent, again we were impressed. We liked the church and decided to look at the house again, that wasn't far away in Youngsville. We were both really heavy hearted and when we pulled up to the house we saw, someone from the fair, he worked at the church in the children's ministry. It was a sign. This was the house, from hundreds I looked at, this was where we were supposed to be. We signed the contract, alittle higher in spirits.
The church was always the first thing we talked about when we went back home. Charles and I were terribly homesick and went to Virginia alot in the beginning. Chris went by himself to church and really liked it. We finally got settled, still not all of our stuff made it to North Carolina. We had stuff at our parents house until just recently. We finally decided that we were not going to move this stuff down here and we began the painful process of going through it. And were so glad we did before bringing it down here just to throw away most of it because it was broken, ruined or otherwise just not of any use anymore. All this time these items were missed so much, but when we actually looked at the significance to our life here, there was none. God has purged us so much, which we so saddened by it, but now see it as a purification process. Our priorities are different now. Our thinking is different, we are different. We did not pray specifically much, we were to burdened and confused, worried we might have made a big mistake, but we prayed for wisdom and peace and the individual issues that arose. Christ knew what we needed. Even when we got off track and troubles found us and threatened our future, Christ interceded for us.
This verse is my "North Carolina" verse: Romans 8:24-27 (my additions)
For in this hope we were saved. But, hope that is seen is no hope at all who hopes for what he already has? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we WAIT for it Patiently. In the same way, the spirit helps us in our weakness (and stupidity and doubts) We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts know the mind of the spirit, because the spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's Will.
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