April 29, 2014

Malaysia Bound



Last August my husband and I were sitting in the car getting gas, and within a simple conversation our life path shifted. Countless moments and experiences led up to that moment of course, and it just felt like it all "clicked". Like tons of stories of looking for a home and feeling like it just wasn't here. Or the numerous talks about feeling like what was important to us in lifestyle, for our family, our dreams and in fulfilling our purpose just didn't feel like it was within this area. It can really only be described as an overall feeling like we just weren't in the right place. Now, trust me, we love this area, it's been good to us and we love exploring everything it offers. But a different lifestyle and path more true to who we really are was rapidly unfolding as a real possibility.



That day in the car I was sharing with Kevin a little image I had found earlier that morning. It was this:

                                            
It wasn't the idea of just running away and living in a perpetual irresponsible fairy tale, not at all. We have nothing to run from, and we definitely don't have any desire to just do nothing and check out of life. For us it was summing up a lifestyle that valued enrichment over things, exploration over expected, and what's really important over what everyone tells you has to be for you life day in and day out.  I gave it to Kevin, and told him that when I read it earlier in the day something inside of me just lit up. He went and got the gas and when he sat back in the car he said "ok, what if we just go?". 

Now anyone that knows me knows I can be a frustrating mixture of free spirit and totally structured thinker. As soon as he said that, my adventure mind turned off and I started thinking of all the reasons why we couldn't. I started throwing out thoughts, but the list ended up not being very long, and nothing on it was really concrete. We realized we didn't have that many roots in the ground, the biggest root we had we could sell, and that time wise, it was actually the perfect time to take a step like that. 

As we drove we could feel God confirming what we were feeling clear as day, everything made more sense. It was that same night we felt like we would be going to Malaysia first, and that next August/September really stood out to us. We went home totally different people then we had left, who knew a Home Goods run could be so life changing ;)

We didn't know then how things were going to work out, but since that time many things have taken care of themselves. Three weeks later Kevin was released from his contract at the Navy Yard, the Friday before that awful shooting occurred, it happened on the floor he worked on for 3 years. It was a blessing that he was not there that day. It was the beginning of our life here starting to unravel to reveal a path that was heading straight towards leaving. 

Do we know every detail of how we will transition? No
Do we know every detail about what we will be doing once we get there? Nope
Do we know if Malaysia is somewhere we will stay long, or will that be a stepping stone? No clue

But do we ever really know these kinds of things. No. We may think we have a plan, but life has it's own. So intead of trying to over control it, we are just open to it. We know we have goals, businesses, and dreams inside of us that will flourish once given the opproutunity and time to be nurtured. What we do know is that we are willing to step out on faith and experience an adventure unfold. 

We are praying daily for direction, grace, favor and resources. And we welcome any positive thoughts and prayers of yours too. There is power in speaking things over your life, and even more power when other's add in too. I can't wait to share things along the way.