Momentum Building

Making up our minds that we desire to open Adytum, The Sanctuary, to others on a very limited basis in a B&B fashion, in a Boutique Spa setting – one or two suites at most- was a big decision. One we have wavered a lot with. We have even moved on to other things because the Spa seemed to be taking so long to come together…

The main delay has been the landscaping and hardscaping. Taming 15 acres without chemicals or pesticides is an honorable, if not monumental, task. The thousands of earthworms- and armies of robins ready to devour them should they raise their heads- attest to the richness of living soil. We have dominated without destroying. The land, receiving so much respect, has responded by being as enchanting as she can possibly be. She is green, ordered, yielding, passionate….We work as One.

This week, about a dozen trees have been planted in time for the last of the hard spring rains. Paper bark maples, exotic dogwood and orange witchhazels. We have blueberries, evergreen huckleberries and various shrubs in Autumn colors yet to go into the warming earth.

Our friend and neighbor has generously given a host of unusual plants to add to our growing collection. It’s not often others take an interest in our projects- to the extent of providing their input, experience and actually gifting us with plants and trees that excel in uniqueness, personality and beauty. We feel very blessed, excited….The natural landscape is already quite lovely, and these distinctive additions will only enhance it, magnify it, enrich it.

The Divine Delays post of a month or two ago detailed my acceptance of waiting on God, letting go, being willing to “have it be so”. That post was about our elusive concrete man, the half done project, the empty pails, the rusting rebar, the used forms all littering our Sanctuary- for over a year….We weren’t sure what he needed to finish the job, so we just straightened things up as best we could without discarding too much. Meantime, all our guests stepped around it…

Being a “finisher” – living with this undone mess for so long has been unbearable. I have more than chaffed under it….Desiring to see the huge stone fountain bubbling over by the front door, and enjoying the stamped concrete front porch actually completed has been one strong overriding desire this past year. I have worked through many emotions. And I was completely powerless on many levels to affect its completion. Therein lies the secret….action and movement do not hold the greatest influential power. But working in the unseen Realm, the place of true Reality, does. I have given it- yes over and over- to God in prayer.

This past week, while enjoying our far infrared sauna, I just completely gave up. I figured we must be getting “move on” signals and I started thinking about who might finish the hardscaping…. I let go 100%. The day before, I had been mowing the fields early one spring morning. The tractor became stuck on a high spot, a stump I couldn’t see under the canary grass I had been mowing down….My walk back to get Donn’s help turned into a run when I heard equipment near the house- that “beep beep beep” when big trucks are maneuvering. I was SURE it was the concrete crew, coming back after a year and a lot of broken promises…

Well, it wasn’t. All that emotion and hope of seeing them turned into resignation that it was truly never going to happen. I gave up. Seems some particular magic happens about that point…this isn’t my first experience with utterly giving up despite having prayed my heart out over a matter.

I will never understand why, the next day after these two days of expectation, then dashed hopes and giving up….there they were- unloading forms and shovels- three men ready to make all my hardscaping dreams come true….Since I have been paying more attention to my thoughts, my words, my creative power and co-partnering with the God of the Universe- this has been one big riddle…strong emotion (running to the house SURE it was them) turned to complete and utter resignation that it was truly NEVER going to happen. I gave up. Then “boom”- there they are….go figure.

I was so ecstatic, so utterly bowled over, I made a fabulous meal at noon and invited them all in. It reminded me of the feast for the prodigal son in the Bible….rather undeserved honor, but joy all the same….

So now, they have promised (we shall see, I know….) the projects ALL completed by my birthday in early June. If this is true then we would truly be ready to accept guests here in a B&B fashion. Before, it has just been family and friends. But somewhere, mid stream and after preparing several rooms in the house, we changed course a bit. Yes, the delays had much to do with that decision.

We committed to taking the mornings for swing trading- hours of following the markets. We decided that having people roaming all over the house didn’t feel right to us. We decided to open up only the first floor, which in 6000 sq. ft. doesn’t seem like much of a sacrifice. All our privacy is still intact basically. That space has a fantastic lake view and a private entrance, and can even be closed off the main house at the stairway door.

So we went back to the architect….redrawing the first floor suite- 750 sq. ft.- into a self contained apartment. This gives us options. As parents age, and may face a single life- it is an option for their living here. As kids transition into new careers, or move from one state to another, it provides options as a safety net for temporary needs. As we age and possibly desire less involvement with the house and land upkeep, it provides options for a caretaker to live in that space. But for now, it remains in the planning stages- for whatever purpose it fulfills - B&B suite or apartment.

The momentum is most definitely building, however, with the completion of the hardscaping. The Sanctuary is more welcoming with the addition of all the lovely, exciting new trees, shrubs and flowers. If there is one thing I’ve learned, in trying to hear the Voice of God and abide by His direction in this matter of Adytum- it is that there is a season under the sun for everything. A time to build, a time to plant, a time to create grace and beauty, a time to share it all.

Just making up our minds to open this great place is enough. We are now being led into different paths and will attend a trading seminar in Gatlinburg, TN. Somehow, all the plans and directions we feel led into for our lives will dovetail nicely. In God’s economy nothing is ever wasted. There will be a time when the first floor suite is completed and ready to receive guests.

Momentum is building in all areas- not just in completing this great house. A recent seminar on gluten intolerance has assured us that we need to make some more changes in regards to our already great diet….Momentum will build in our health. As I ride my bike daily now, as Donn works hard on the land we reach exponential levels in health creation. Our house is simply a reflection of us.

Remember Winston Churchill’s words, “First we shape our houses, then our houses shape us”. As Adytum, The Sanctuary becomes more organized, cleaner, neater, more beautiful, more creative in her approach, more full of grace, closer to her potential – so do we. The one is a picture of the other. We must keep this momentum building, yet be willing to accept setbacks, be willing to “have it be so” and rest in it- the delays or the light speed of accomplishment. Perpetually, we seek God, asking Him to be in charge of us, our projects, the future use of our time and talents. We have experienced with Him, when He moves it is often with lightening speed and He expect us to be on board and at the helm alongside Him.

I sense we are in that time warp zone with Him, all of us at the helm right now co-creating this life we call our Grand Adventure. We are open to changes and recharting our course- even changes of immediate plans and goals. We are fluid, malleable, trusting Him to keep potentiating our lives here into realms we can’t yet imagine.

I love living this way. So who knows what will happen, when, how….We just keep showing up, keep schooling our hearts to trust like little children, keep dreaming as big as we can, keep unattached to the specifics and the outcomes….therein lies the joy of being caught up in the synergistic vortex of momentum building; being buoyed along the swift current of exultant transformation, in us and in Adytum, The Sanctuary.