what i've learned as i've been preparing for our home sale

1.  we have an amazingly caring and generous realtor.  we've known dawn kirkland (with real estate starz) for years now, and because of the blessings she's shown us over the past week, we're no longer trying to sell ourselves.

2.  people aren't always honest.  i have zero desire to throw anyone under the bus, so i'll give no details other than this:  what was supposed to be a minor couple-of-pieces-of-siding repair quickly turned into a chimney rebuild and a half-house repaint.  (**this wasn't related to our contractor...he was fantastic!**)

3.  contractors can't tell time.  poor guys -- i know of some great homeschool curriculum to help out with that.

4.  windex creates a magnetic force field between glass and sticky little fingers. 

5.  expecting a contract on the house the day after it was listed (with no sign even in the yard yet) might have been a tad unrealistic.

6.  vacuum lines in the carpet make me really happy.  like OCD happy.

7.  vacuum lines in the carpet only last 3.7 seconds when you have six little feet skipping through the room.  seriously -- i timed it.

8.  i really, really love our house (especially with all the cleaning and sprucing up we've done these last two weeks), but the lord has moved our lives in a new direction (to pearl ministries), and we have amazing peace over the decision to move homes along with with it.

speaking of that peace, this afternoon we were strolling with dawn through one of the two houses we've settled on, and we were talking about how the lord is working in each of our lives and how he continually shows himself faithful in all situations.  we shared with dawn, she shared with us.  josh was walking around in one of the bedrooms when suddenly he grabbed the kids and took off through the back door.  a minute later, the kids ran back into the house yelling about the big wainbow (in jackanese) that they saw outside. 

dawn and i just smiled at each other.  what greater encouragement could i ask for as we walk this sometimes uncertain path?!?  (if you look close, you can see that it's actually a double-rainbow)

let me go back to pearl ministries really quickly.  as you know, after much prayer and subsequent clear direction from the lord, josh went on staff with them in december.  pearl is a very small not-for-profit organization here that exists to empower and equip individuals and churches in uganda to care for their orphans and vulnerable children.  orphan ministry is very close to our hearts, but much more importantly, it's close to god's.  scripture says that he is the "father to the fatherless" (psalm 68:5) and that one outflow of "pure religion" is compassion and care of orphans (james 1:27).

with that in mind, i would love to give you the opportunity to join me on thursday, june 3 for a drop-in african jewelry party from 7-9pm.  the full-time gals at pearl are going to come to our house and set up a gorgeous smorgasbord of crafts and jewelry, all of which were made by hand by women in east africa.  pearl ministries' goal isn't to simply financially support its primary partner, ranch on jesus orphanage, but to focus on sustainable community development and growth throughout the area.  and one way they do this is by supporting the women whose exceptional, god-given talents help feed their families. 

and you can take part!!!  please pass this along to all of your friends and let's make this a huge night for pearl!  facebook it, tweet it, or email me for an evite that you can pass along to everyone you know.

if i've got your email address, you'll probably be getting the evite from me soon, but if you don't hear from me and would like to come, please comment on this post or send me an email to let me know you'll be here (allisonlewis@bellsouth.net).  i can't wait to see you (or even meet some of you for the first time)!

one more shot before i go -- this was my view on the way back from the new house to the old house (aka sticky-windowville).

great is the lord and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom.  psalm 145:3