Author: Kathy Stephens

MOVING DAY…..
WELL 22 years ago today Dennis and I were putting the final touches on PROJECT “MOVE to Newton.” After much persuasion I finally convinced HIM that we should move back to my “home” town. Newton, “A Great small town” as they called it. I can remember that day like it was yesterday. WE had rented the biggest U-Haul they had, both vehicles were filled to the brim, both boys were loaded up and our sweet dog SMURF was in tow. It was a cool fall day and we were off. That 62 mile drive from Brandon seems like an adventure to Montana that day.
I’m getting ahead of myself. Let me back up to the transformation stage. This OLD house you see was an absolute wreck when we moved in it. WE had ridden over to Newton one Sunday just looking around at different places and truth is from the moment I put my eyes on this place I fell in love. The Holly bushes had turned into HUGE TREES out front and you could hardly see the house from the road. It had been sitting empty for some time. Renters had left it sorta a wreck on the inside so it took me awhile to get the owners to even agree to allow us to look at it. ( thanks to you… You know who you are… )
FINALLY the Sunday came and we made a second drive over and met the OWNER. He was like, “what you see is what you get. We really don’t want to rent the place. We have had some bad experiences”.
I have to tell ya there was much wrong to the naked eye. Old green carpet, no heat or air, kitchen was old school, No dishwasher, needed paint badly and when you walked up onto the front porch the old boards had given way to weather and wear and you would literally fall through. I did say to the naked eye right? WELL my little imaginary driven brain went to work. I could see it in my MINDS eye already fixed up. We looked at everything and left. The owner said, “well let me know what ya’ll think.” THE moment we got in the car and backed out Dennis looked at me and said, “baby, have you LOST your mind?” I laughed and began the chatter. Oh can’t you just see this, can’t you see that, We could do this, we could do that. I think I went on for the entire ride back to Brandon. WELL we decided to MAKE THE MOVE. We spent weeks over here painting, cleaning, and cutting down holly bushes. A friend of mine let us borrow heaters for that first winter and we got everything moved in just in time for my sweet husband to sit on the front porch and give out candy on Halloween night. haha Some time went by and we decided to make good on our rent to own agreement and the rest was history.
That first Christmas I put up 5 Christmas Trees. IT was a blast. Many years have gone by and MUCH hard labor, hard earned money, and hard core decorating has made this house a HOME. TRUTH is over the last few years I had mentioned us moving back to Brandon and Dennis wouldn’t budge. He finally told me one night, “babe, don’t mention moving to me again. We aren’t going anywhere.” THEN he said, “You brought me here kicking and screaming so I’m here to stay.” I was like “baby, you never said a word, you weren’t kicking and screaming,” He said, “well I was on the inside, ” hahaha
BLESS HIM. WE had some unbelievable times in this BIG OLE house. Oh the stories it could tell. The memories I cherish so much now. The ole saying, “home is where the heart is”, is more true than I ever imagined. Needless to say it’s not the same without Dennis here but HIS LIFE remains in and around me in this OLE house. This rock still remains under the tree in our backyard.
Someday will be moving day for all of us. Life is a JOURNEY not a destination….

THE OCEAN…..
I’m always amazed at how a few days at the beach can regenerate many things within me. There is nothing like the beach for rest and solitude, something Dennis and I liked to do every year in the fall when kids were gone back to school and the snow birds were just arriving. I’m reminded that life, like the ocean, has things that are hidden beneath the surface yet there is JOY and COMFORT in it’s rhythmic motion.
The ocean is the beauty of God’s Hand. The sound of Restoration. The resemblance of life’s HIGHS and LOWS and the sand surrounding it all where you can make footprints of your life. The sound of seagulls ringing in your ears and the sunrise and sunset reminding us that another day has come and gone.
I was blessed a couple of weekends ago to share this trip with my SISTERS in Christ. You know the ones you can pray and praise with without limits. The ones that Love you no matter what. It was such an honor to share in a devotional time which included YOGA #yogafaith. It was a time of sweet fellowship.
On Saturday I chose to stay at the house and REST. It was much needed. I walked and talked with GOD along the beach and reminisced on memories of LIFE. I sat on the edge of the beach and meditated on God’s word and prayed about things to come. As many of you know I love to write so I was jotting as God was piercing my heart. This is what I got.
Poem October 2017-
Life thrusts our hearts like waves and wind, only for Him to bring us peace again;
In the bottom of the ocean there are mysteries, it’s deep and dark where we cannot see;
In the dark we feel afraid and alone, In the depths of that fear we begin to groan;
From the muck and the mire you surround us with your love, pulling us up with mercy from above’;
Higher than the mountains, greater than the sea, Your love oh God carries me:
The empty chairs reminded me that GOD always has a seat for us. The shadow picture made me think of the imprint we leave on the world. An outline of our lives and The double H means your halfway Home. ha
Isaiah 43:2 “when you go through deep waters, I will be with you.”