06 Apr To Not Give Up
For almost a year now, we find ourselves parked on a lovely piece of acreage, which is parceled out to a number of other people hoping to live equally simple lifestyles.
Last summer’s episode with crazy-angry-axe-weilding-neighbour-man (link to that story!) was scary, but other than yielding a restraining order, has long since been “forgotten”. Thankfully, the couple that caused the outrageous event, has left the property.
New arrivals have come with their own “baggage”, and amidst foul language and mud-slinging monster tires revving by, once again, I found myself a tad afraid last week…so I prayed for my neighbours , as well as myself. How do we tell ourselves to not give up?
Over the last year, my husband and I have cultivated a relationship with the sometimes angry man (from the second paragraph) next door, and by consistently showing kindness, have not had any issues with him ourselves.
This past week, I have had the added privilege of witnessing firsthand what a quiet and soft-spoken man can accomplish. (I pause here to chuckle, because my husband, of whom I speak, is generally anything but quiet!)
But, whilst a new neighbour was cussing out menacing words against the landlady, women in general, and fellow neighbours, my husband calmly walked over to him, and gently reminded him that we should not turn against one another but work together. The man almost instantly calmed!
Within a day or so, my husband and this same neighbour were working side by side with a common goal and, since then, chat amiably daily.
How many times do we want to just give up, and run from this life and its issues?
I mean, if I would start to run, when and where will I stop? Between cold winters, lack of access to water, the muddy impassable road, and angry threatening neighbours, the thought has crossed my mind multiple times just this last few months!
But problems are everywhere, and running from one problem in life may make it easier for me to contemplate the same elsewhere in life…
My husband and I have definitely faced a bus-load of trials and problems in the last two years of living in this bus conversion, even on different lots, but do you know what? We had trials when we lived in our sweet little house in Northern Ontario, and in our homes in Southern Ontario, and in our lovely house in Ohio, and in our home in Quebec, and in our quaint house in Alberta… Such is life!
I have this saying on my wall near my bed that says, “A true love story never ends”. Those words have been put up in our bedroom in multiple houses. How many times has that little line convicted me and reminded me to not give up, on my husband, on our relationship?
Fern and I have purposed in our hearts to not give up. To not be running from one thing to another “better” thing, but to work at completing what we have started.
Our desire is to focus not on life circumstances, but on the people involved and around us…on how to make a positive difference right here and right now, regardless of the trials we may be facing.
Where we are living is not going to matter in the grand scheme of this life. How we are living while we are here will make the difference.
(While there are sure to be times when a life circumstance should be left behind, we firmly believe, through praying and being in full agreement between us, that we are to stay where we are at this time.)
Most importantly, let us not give up on each other — our friends, husbands, wives, family members, and even our “ugly from all outside behaviour appearances” neighbours 😉
In this vein, I am really looking forward to writing and vlogging about our newly determined bus conversion remodel!! Here is a sneak peak of getting out of the mud, finally, and awesome helpful new neighbours. (Definitely worth not giving up!)
Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.