Needed Peace

It's really happening.  And soon.  The reality of this move is starting to hit me.  The sadness is creeping up on me, and yet I can face it with this hope........

"You will keep in perfect peace

    him whose mind is steadfast, 

because he trusts in you."  

Isaiah 26:3

I'm holding tightly to His promises - and I am so glad He can be trusted. The only thing that's somewhat unreliable is my ability to remain steadfast. But then, He gives us what we need when we ask.  

I'm pressing in!!  

Interrupted

"Mom, naps make people crabby."  

This response from my Ethan at his mother's exasperated tone. 

 

I'm still wondering why I thought it a good idea to rest in the midst of chaos.  It was clear I needed more than the (almost) 1/2 hour I got.  

From the mouth of babes......

The Sky

My children know it.

One of the things I want them to remember about me is that I loved the sky. I've told them since they were little beings, "Look up at the sky".   Many times during one of our walks to the lake, we'd pretend to take a photo.  If it happened that I didn't have the camera with us that day, we'd save the beauty of the view in our minds.  They were very often pictures of the sky. Or perhaps I was taking an imaginary shot of one of them against the backdrop.    

I took this shot as we were pulling out of our neighborhood the other day. Ethan asked why I had stopped - I couldn't speak, but it didn't take long for him to figure out what I was doing.  I marvel at a scene like this.  It stops me in my tracks, almost as if it presses down all around and I can't help but notice.

   

I hope, in this busy life, my children are learning to take in the beauty of creation.  Especially when I consider all that threatens to distract them.  

On a day like the one above, at least when I'm around..... they do!!

Fingerprints

I gave my 13 year old some advise the other day.  

"Leave a part of yourself when you move from place to place" was the thought that came to me as I was packing.  "Just be sure it's well thought out and not trouble for the new owner."  

We'll be leaving rocks in the garden from our different travels.  There will always be something here that connects us to this place.

In addition, of course, to our wonderful memories.

Stuff

Life is full of it.  

I've said it recently;  I think it's good to move every few years.  If nothing else, simply because there's too much to manage.  Moving it all, and often for that matter, helps keep it light.  

I once sat next to a gentleman on an airplane who shared that he and his wife were seasoned veterans when it came to moving.  They had lived all over the world, and subsequently were used to living simply.  I liked that thought.  

We recently lightened our load in preparation for the move.  It felt good.  So much of what we accumulate becomes what we don't even know we have.  

So, my theory:  keep it simple, and purge every now and then.  And if you find it hard to let go of, do something crazy and move across the country.

Besides, you can't take it with you when you leave for your final destination.  

It is after all, only stuff.

Short but Sweet

Ever notice things seem sweeter when short lived?  As I prepare to uproot and move West, I'm noticing things with a deeper appreciation.  

For example, the new growth on the plants in my landscaping.  Last spring we (finally - can I hear an amen?!) finished this project.  For what seemed like an eternity, our yard was incomplete, and that for many reasons (you won't be reading about them here).  This spring, the new growth seems especially precious, in part because there's something growing in the garden, but really because I know I will not have the privilege of watching these plants grow to their full potential - at all - any more - ever again.   

Certainly, family and friends have far greater meaning to me than plants. How grateful I am that the sadness that accompanies a move does not mean the end. While it does change things, it is not over.  

Could it be that much of our lives are spent in neglect of the preciousness we fail to embrace in the goodness of life?  Are we so busy living that we fail to really live at all?  I never thought so, but I am coming to find out otherwise.  

Thank you Lord for your many wonderful blessings.  Help me walk forward with a grateful heart!  

A New Beginning

And so it begins.  This blog thing.  I have toyed with the idea for some time. Now I have reason. 

You see, I have had the pleasure of staying connected through the blog.  No need to convince me of the blessings of technology (thank you, Lynne, for your inspiration).  As our clan ventures to the West Coast, this is one way we wish to share our adventure.  Happily, this will serve as a place to connect the old with the new.  

 

"The Gift of Change" was birthed when I asked God to help me.  In the midst of a most passionate prayer, He met me there.  Change brings unsettling ideas to mind.  Some change is easily welcomed, but most often it is nothing less than a battle to embrace.  As creatures of habit, we cannot see the benefits of change - not initially.  

It is a matter of whether or not we believe God allows all things.  Change, as challenging as it can be, in the end refines us - by His plan.   

Thanks for sharing this gift of change with us!!