Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice; let the sea roar, and all that fills it; let the field exult, and everything in it. Then shall all the trees of the forest sing for joy. – Psalm 96:11-12
After Jeff and I were married, we lived in Edmond in a house I had lived in since 2004. We remodeled the house, installing new carpet and tile and re-painting all the walls. We tore out the kitchen and installed beautiful cabinets with glass windows. I had my dream of two ovens, which made cooking for Thanksgiving and Christmas for many people much easier.
My youngest daughter, Mandi, had been looking at houses and had found one she loved in Guthrie. She asked me to go and look at it with her, and we both drove what seemed like for miles out into the country to look at the house. I really loved it, and when I found out it was not on their list of houses to purchase, I asked Jeff to come and look at it with me.
Jeff had grown up in Guthrie and was only too happy to look at this house. We drove out to the house and met the realtor, and he also loved the house. We told the realtor we wanted to make an offer on the house and asked her if she would be willing to list our house in Edmond.
In a matter of four days, we sold our house in Edmond and bought a new house in what I perceived as the country. I was very apprehensive about this move, but it was a new beginning and a new house that was ours.
We moved to our new house in October 2015. Jeff worked tirelessly through the winter months, landscaping, moving dirt, and installing our pool. When spring and summer arrived and the weather started to warm up, we were able to go into our backyard and hear all the wonderful sounds of nature. I believe it was the most peaceful I have ever been in my life.
Being that close to nature and having an acre of land has been such a blessing to us. Each summer, we look forward to having all our family over and enjoying the outdoors without neighbors being inches away. I don’t believe I could ever live in the city again. During the pandemic, it was such a great space where we could be together as a family and still have distance between each other.
I encourage you to find a place where you can go to experience all of God’s wonderful creations and be at peace.
Gabrielle Moon, Executive Director of St. Luke’s Children’s Centers
