Bye-Bye Ebenezer Acres

It just seems that special places require a name. Some weren't exactly sure what was up when I started this blog and called it Ebenezer Acres. The name was meant for something much more special to me than blog name; it is connected with the acres and acres of land upon which we currently live. It has been inspirational to me and part of much of my material on this blog.

There are times in life when God drops you smack dab in the middle of something--or somewhere--that you can only consider and acknowledge, "This is a God-thing". Ebenezer Acres, where we live, south of Quincy, Michigan, was a God-thing for our growing family.

Upon our first sighting of the property we knew, this was going to be the time of our lives.

It may not say that to you but being the city girl I had been all my life, never once having lived on more than one acre and moving 18 times, state to state and even out of the country, in 24 years, it was just a slice of Heaven. I never desired a"Mansion on a hilltop" (as in a big fancy estate) but always believed that given a plot of land to work and live on with open spaces and plenty of trees, I'd be happy as a lark. Moving to the country I felt like a caged bird that was allowed to expand its wings for the very first time. Wow, it felt good.

There was virgin dirt, fresh and unturned, just waiting for seeds. Anything planted grew, and it was like experiencing a miracle every time something was planted! We prayed while we planted and prayed thankfulness again, while we picked.  

   

Fruit trees, Grape vines,   and flowers everywhere.

Critters of all shapes and sizes; perfect for a boy with a bow and arrow.

Plenty of starry nights making campfires and camping ideal.

My favorite part, endless fields, and a front, wrap, stone porch, perfect for hosting any event;

hundreds have visited us here.

Then the icing on the cake, for the first few years we had endless use of the landlord's pool, opened and treated just for the Nottingham clan.

Barns a plenty - opportunity to try our hand at agriculture, and a trial it was.

   And even a hayfield to glean from.

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Wide open spaces, making a knife throwing hobby possible.

And awe inspiring sunsets to view nightly from a bay dining room window.

This was "my" Ebenezer Acres!

Just years before, our family went through an economical disaster. After a job loss and a various other things, not limited to but including having a baby with no insurance, we faced foreclosure on our former home. How often I prayed to see the "ram in the bush", deliverance. But it did not come. It seemed God would allow us to walk the path and experience loosing our home. It was a humbling and trying time.

Then, an offer was made to us, "Visit our country property, you'll love it".

Love it, we did indeed and it has been a reminder to me that like the stone Ebenezer, an ancient Israel monument, that the Lord God was our helper. This pretty piece of earth, has done the same for me. God provided, helped, and allowed us joy during a very trying time of our lives.

Well, the Nottingham family has grown and the demands of life have also grown; right out of our Ebenezer Acres home and budget. With a landlord that wishes to sell and our budget says "no can buy", it's time to pull up roots and move on. It is more important to me to have a complete family (vs. a dad who is always gone working) than to have things.

The house-hunting process, like it is for anyone, is tedious and at times stressful, but I can't help to believe that just like "Ebenezer Acres" came to us, another plot of land, be it on a city square or endless grassy field is there.

I have learned a few things living here. Country life is often elevated, :spiritually". There are "lines" between city dwellers and country dwellers. But I find, people are the same, wherever you go. And in the end, we all only require (as morbid as it sounds) a plot of about 6ft by 3ft, a place to finally rest on earth. How often we gather, toil, labor, and stake our claims forgetting it eminently will sift right through our fingers. How often our blessings become our burdens.

This reminds me, that while we've quite happily rooted ourselves here, it is not for us to stay. There are greater things in store for us, things of a spiritual nature, found in contentment and joy, which we will take into eternity with us. So, right here in blog land, I'm saying, "Farewell my friend, you have served us well. I've loved every inch of your beauty. Thank you God for being our Helper, in times past and in times to come." 

Author's Note: Stay tuned to see what's next. Prayerfully, it will not take too long!