2008.... A Year of Blessings and Changes

Our House In Spooner, Wisconsin we moved into our beautiful new house in August of 2004....My Husband build it with his strong hands and God given talent...I am so BLESSED to have such a HANDY man!!! We both loved our home, our yard and flowers.

As I reflex on 2008, it was a whirl wind year filled with God's power and timing . It all started in the Fall of 2007. I was sitting on our front porch pondering our situation. After 18 years of managing a cranberry marsh, the marsh my husband Brent managed had sold and he lost his job in the spring of 2005. He went to work doing what ever he could find from construction to logging, we even bought a sandblasting business trying to get some kind of stability and steady income in our lives again. The sandblasting was too seasonal and winters are too long. We soon realized that it would not be the answer for us.

As I sat on the porch that day, a thought came into my head. We need to put our house up for sale and if it sells, God will direct our steps...and if it doesn't we are suppose to stay where we are and God will provide. But I felt that selling our house was the key to God moving us on and out of this situation. Brent came home from work that day, we sat on the porch together and I shared my thoughts with him. To my amazement he had been thinking the same thing. We knew that that was conformation so we listed our house a week later. The selling agent said that the way the market was he was doubtful that it would sell (and of course I was silently hoping he was right). It was a big house and houses that big in this area don't sell if they are not on a lake. (Well we serve a BIG God so hang on....that baby went quick).

A View of the Front Porch, this was in Spring 2007 ...I LOVED my flowers and plant baskets

Our house the Fall of 2007

Brent building our sun deck

Our back yard......we wanted to dig a pond back here someday surround by lots of flowers

Anyway, we had a few showings the summer of 2007 and even got an offer...but the buyers needed to sell their house first and they were having a hard time doing that so the deal fell through. I was some what relieved I will say. I was not really wanting to move...but if that is what God wanted for us I wanted to be obedient. Well, in February 2008 a wonderful christian couple with 4 beautiful children was shown our house and they fell in love with it. They made an offer and we closed on April 25, 2008. As Brent and I were packing we both would look at each other and say or should I say yelled out loud.....WHAT HAVE WE DONE!!!! But we kept on believing God had a plan......so we kept on a packing and believing.

The Entry Way going into the Living Room
and the stairs going down to the basement and up to the lofts

The Living Room and a partial view of one of the Loft.....There is a cat walk that leads to another Loft on the other side

A better view of one of the Lofts. I had my sewing room in one loft and an office in the other loft...it was soooo awesome. I could work up there but still be part of the goings on in the home

My sewing room

The View of the living Room and Kitchen from the Lofts

The Dining Room

Our bedroom all packed up...through the french doors is our bathroom. I went dark wood in here...I LOVE the contrast and I think I would do more dark wood next time we build

A partial view of our bathroom

Our Kitchen, Brent and I designed the kitchen, we were so proud if it...Brent did all the wood work in our house

My sister helping pack up and clean the kitchen...what a trooper!!!!

Our living room and kitchen view, we were in mid-packing here......it looks pretty bare without our furniture

Our Kitchen after packing :(

My first big clematis flower....I was soooo proud




One of my perennial gardens....I LOVE FLOWERS!!!!

We closed on April 25th, 2008 and were officially homeless. From there we rented a house in Spooner until we knew what direction God would have us go. There were many doors that closed for us during this time. We were going to build a smaller version of our house but things just didn't fall into place like we thought they would so we started wondering if God was going to move us on and I mean really on....like out of the area. I DID NOT want to think about that but I did say I wanted what God wanted for us so I had to stand in FAITH and trust Him. This meant that I would have to leave my precious family and quite a job that I dearly LOVED....could I really do this?

Brent and I decided that maybe he should try to get a marsh job again seeing that growing cranberries is his passion and he has missed it everyday since he lost his job 3 years ago. There are not many marshes in the Spooner area so we always knew that if he was to grow cranberries again, we would have to move. He called around to some of the growers he knew and got 2 names of marshes that were possibly hiring. With in 10 days of making the phone calls he had and interview and got the job here in Wisconsin Rapids. We sold our sandblasting business and he was here working on the marsh the end of May, 2008. I stay in Spooner until the 1st of September because my daughter was home for the summer from college and I wanted to be with her pulse we were looking for a place to rent here and it took time...Brent came home on weekends, it's a 3 hour drive, but he faithful showed up every Friday night.


The rental we moved into in Spooner after we sold our house, I really enjoyed living in this house

My sister and daughter Kara helping us move into the rental....our family really pitched in and helped us move, we could not have done it without them...thanks guys, we love you!!!

The view of the back yard of the rental in Spooner.....I LOVE it!!!! It was so peaceful. I did a lot of stitching while relaxing on the back deck soaking up the sun and looking at this beautiful view.

So as I sit here in Wisconsin Rapids on this New Years Eve night and reflexing on all that has happened this past year, all the packing and all the moving and all the changes.....my head kinda spins but there is one thing I know for sure.....I will keep trusting in my God. No matter where I live....No matter if we have a job or not....No matter what the economy looks like....no matter what the politicians say and don't do....no matter what things looks like....God is in control and HE is our STRONG TOWER!!!

Our rental here in Wisconsin Rapids...Brents bosses are going to build us a new house on the marsh either this summer or next..I can't wait. We are hoping they will use the plans we have already drawn up which is a smaller version of our house....wouldn't that be awesome...we get our house and a job....WOW...only God could make that happen.

The Kitchen and Dining Room of the rental here in Wisconsin Rapids

The Front of the rental here

We serve a awesome God and I am excited to see what He has in store for 2009. I don't make New Years Resolutions anymore, I am only kidding myself when I do. I have learned that each day is a gift and each day is a new start. I pray that God gives me the strength and wisdom to be a good wife and mother and to serve Him in a way that brings Him glory.

Happy New Year Everyone and if you are struggling with something right now...don't be afraid to lay down what is precious to you....give it to God...trust HIM...and believe He is big enough to restore and redeem....He will not let you down!!!!!.......God Bless....Rhonda