the two rebekahs (and why i didn't move to stars hollow)

one of the rebekahs (in the orange scarf)

today is our last day in idaho. i am getting an early start. actually hava woke me at 3 a.m. because it was "too dark". normally i would fall right back to sleep, but not this morning. instead, i was editing endless lists in my brain like, " move kitchen items into the tub, move stuff now in tub to roof storage" and so on...it is my last day to tie loose ends, until we will finally roll out of town!

i imagine that anyone who has made a major life transition can relate with this, but last week was tough! it was almost time to go. keith was working sun up to sun down on construction....making bike racks, building rooftop storage, inventing an effective veggie oil filtering system. me? i cant really remember what i was was doing. its a blur of caring for my kids, keeping us all fed and hydrated, packing, cleaning, errand running, getting rid of more stuff and drinking shots of chloraphyll. (affordable green drink, good for when you're depleted.) being too tired to read, i opted for watching lost episodes of gilmore girls.

we got so busy we kind of forgot to make time for some essentials, like playing. keith and i started taking out our pressures on one another. my anxiety level was super high. the kids were whiny. i looked at my few boxes of things i had whittled my life down to in the driveway. what was i thinking? maybe i was not made for a traveling lifestyle anymore. i didn't have a bed to lay my head down on. no stove to cook on. at that moment, i wanted nothing more than to forget about this whole thing and move to stars hollow.

thankfully that is not where the story ends. the next morning, some of my mama friends had planned a gathering for the purpose of praying for me and sending me off with blessing. talk about good timing! later that nite we would share a final dinner with our good friends. once in the presence of those dear and trusted friends, all the stress poured out of me like the contents of a pressure cooker. confession is so good for the soul. i am amazed how, in god's design, something shameful can not only be disarmed, but transformed. my friend and her husband prayed for us that nite(thank you gordon and tammy!) and brought into our weary souls the perspective of heaven, changing everything.

not only were our the needs of our souls provided for, but material needs as well. let me tell you how: it involves two rebekahs. the first is a dear friend, one of the coffee mamas who prayed for me. she heard of our need and without hesitation offered us her fold out couch. i am not talking about an extra piece of forgotten furniture stashed in her garage, getting no calls on a craigs list ad. this sleeping beauty was the centerpiece in her living room. i wrestled with accepting such a lavish and sacrificial gift, finally concluding i dare not turn down a pure act of love like that. these are the caliber of friends i have been blessed with.

the second rebecca saw our schoolbus and being the adventurer at heart that she is, decided to stop and ask us about it. we gave her, her boyfriend and son a tour and had a terrific visit. she asked me what color i was going to paint the bus. i looked around and pointed out a typewriter on the floor to show her the powder blue color i love that will soon cover the bus. she told me she had an RV stove that very color. after a quick scan she noted that we didn't have a stove and asked if we wanted it. a perfect stranger offering us a much needed (and turquoise) stove? the relentless generousity of god! he is too much!

as you have probably guessed, i didnt move to stars hollow, (which is for the best since it is a fictitious place.) although still busy, we are putting bike riding and frisbee throwing back on the to-do list. i no longer feel overwhelmed but remember where my strength comes from. i admit i am happy to know i have a place to lay my head and that we wont have to be become complete raw-foodist overnight thanks to the rebekahs!

written by

firebynite on September 13, 2010 from Nampa, United States

from the travel blog: super vegi-matic bus travels

tagged Rebecca, GilmoreGirls, Prayer and Confession

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Love you guys!! So blessed to hear about God's provisions!

written by jessie readmond on September 13, 2010

Amazing! God is love!! xo

written by Elisha Pettit on September 13, 2010

I love this Story! I love that I got my stove painted turquiose and that when I met you I knew it was not for me but for you. I love that you talked about stars hollow and sometimes wanting to give up on your dream because it seems out of reach ~ and even though I hate TV I watched every SINGLE episode of G.G. on DVD right after I became a mom and got divorced. I HEART stars hollow and would live there too if it was real. I also love the gift of your other Rebekah and that you realized its good to accept and allow pure acts of love like that into our lives.
Love to you and your beautiful family on your journey!
Rebecca

written by Rebecca Johnson on September 13, 2010

Tiff...
The ultimate, turn that frown upside down testamony! Thank you for being honest. Thank you for sharing. And Thank you Lord, for the Chettas!

written by lila afoa on September 13, 2010

Oh, Tiff ... giving you my couch was definitely an act of love, but it wasn't really a sacrifice. It was just so obvious that the couch belonged to you. For awhile I had been feeling that there was something "off" about the couch being in our House ... I realize now that God was preparing my heart to make giving easy. I love you much!
(Sleep well, and dream of me. :D )

written by Rebekah Guthrie on September 15, 2010

so glad you didn't make that move to stars hollow...to hard to find you there!

love your blogging tiff and while i know there has been adventure after adventure and God-encounter after Jesus-encounter....could we have another taste?

maybe this weekend whilst in calif?

praying for you...

written by tam on October 5, 2010

i have to say you did a good job on blog, come on.

written by Babara on December 21, 2010

thank you barbara. Are you the Barbara I met in woodland?

written by

firebynite on December 22, 2010

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