Hello!
I have been taking a blogging break in the midst of packing up my dear family (my mother & father-in-law) as they have recently moved to Montana. This post is very raw, and serves purely as a personal journal entry. I need to remember milestones in my life, and this is definitely one of them.
To date, they safely arrived after an arduous five-day trek of driving cross-country with little to no "bumps" along the way, aside from one flat tire & a three hour waiting period for said tire to be fixed. They have since unpacked most of what they took with them and have lots of help making their 600 sq. foot cabin their new home. We miss them terribly. So far, it really just feels like they are on vacation, as it has only been a week since they've moved. But the empty, furniture-less and echoing house tells me otherwise.
The first day was tough. I had to say goodbye in the early morning only to go about my "normal" day as if nothing strange had occurred. I got up extra early to read my bible, while awaiting the unhappy goodbye. I remember sitting at the kitchen counter - reading, searching for encouragement from the Word. Silently, I hoped they would never come down, that this was all just a big, strange, funny joke. 'We aren't moving away, we just bought a smaller house! We thought we'd play a joke!' Too bad my mind's tricks can't sometimes come true.... As I read, I treasured the last moments of family still sleeping upstairs and prayed, "Lord, please hold back the tears. Help me to be strong so they can leave happy, joyful, and ready for their new, exciting adventure." As I heard the charming creeks of the well worn staircase, I knew it was time.
We stood in the empty dining room, staring at the floor making small talk like awkward teenagers staring at their feet... trying to delay the ever present moment that was to come. Seconds ticked away and I knew I had to leave for work. The prayer didn't work - I was a mess and so were they. But it was okay. We cried and cried. I joked to break the heavy emotion that filled the room, "You know I'm going to get pregnant tomorrow right? I can make that happen you know." It lightened the mood but only for a moment. We hugged again and I said goodbye. Although they had a long journey ahead of them, my day's routine had not changed which seemed so strange to me. In the midst of so much change, I still had to do what was expected of me. I couldn't stay home and say goodbye for two more hours before they left, I had to go. As I exited the house, I kept my chin up and my smile on. I honked the signature "two beep" goodbye as I drove away with my sunglasses on, hiding the streaming tears.
I cried a lot that day. I cried in the car, at work when my boss asked me if my allergies were bothering me, at bible study that night, and finally in my husband's arms as the day came to a close. It was a hard day, but all the tears were good. They were tears of healing, tears of joy, tears of transition. I am SO proud of them, and so proud to call them family. They are such an example of Godliness, their trust in the Lord far outweighs their earthly comforts. Not many people their age (no offense) would just pick up and move, leave family and church friends behind, only to follow the upward call of Jesus Christ - but they have and they will continue to do so until they meet Jesus. I have no doubt in my mind. They are people of genuine faith that consider their faithfulness to God more important than their own desires or comfort. I love them dearly, and am so blessed that they raised up their son, my husband, to be just like them. He is an amazing man of faithfulness, servitude, and passion for the Lord. I hope that we too, will be as faithful as they are and continue to be. I will close with this passage from the book of Philippians. Paul is writing from a jail cell to a church that he started in Philippi, to check on the people and the encourage them. Coincidently (or God-incidently) I have been reading through this book for the past six months along with the other ladies in my church family, and it has been so comforting to me during this time in my life. Here are a few verses from each chapter that I have found particularly encouraging:
Philippians 1:3-8
3 I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, 4 always in every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy, 5 for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now, 6 being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ; 7 just as it is right for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart, inasmuch as both in my chains and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, you all are partakers with me of grace. 8 For God is my witness, how greatly I long for you all with the affection of Jesus Christ.
Philippians 2:12-18
12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; 13 for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure. 14 Do all things without complaining and disputing, 15 that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, 16 holding fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain. 17 Yes, and if I am being poured out as a drink offering on the sacrifice and service of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all. 18 For the same reason you also be glad and rejoice with me.
Philippians 3:7-14
7 But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. 8 Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; 10 that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, 11 if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. 12 Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. 13 Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, 14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:10-13
10 But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at last your care for me has flourished again; though you surely did care, but you lacked opportunity. 11 Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: 12 I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. 13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
---
All this to say, please pray for my dear family as they too are transitioning. Thank you to those who have comforted us during this time, those who have helped in the labor of packing and lifting, and to those who continue to lift us up in prayer. Love you Patti & Jim and thinking of you daily! Can't wait to visit.....after the snow melts down to 3 feet instead of 15 of course :)
For more information on the ministry that they are now serving alongside of, visit this website: http://www.pottersfield.org/
*side note, Mom, I did not get pregnant the day after they left, you can stop holding your breath now - you must be blue.*
No comments:
Post a Comment