Four Days Isn’t Long Enough but I’ll Take It

"Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble." (Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 NLT)

Next year my husband and I will celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary. Being in our early 20s when we tied the knot means we've known each other way longer than we haven't. Ed and I consider each other as our best friend. So to be apart for any length of time is not our favorite way to go. But the work situation has made it necessary. Thus when the opportunity arose for Ed to be here with me for four days last week, we took advantage of that. 

Grateful that the renovation job will come to an end and we will be together full time soon.

Having been introduced to Latte' Da, a local coffee shop, by my friend Kristia the week before, Ed and I made it our morning routine. Definitely enjoyed the atmosphere here and will return often.

 

Exploring our new-to-us environs included walking around in The Village at Meridian. It will be fun to visit again when all the holiday decorations are up.

Maybe Santa will reside here

I'd also like to see the fountain with its colored lights at night. Meanwhile the fall foliage is very eye-pleasing.

Fountain at The Village

Indian Creek reflections

Indian Creek is nearby in Kuna and we took our time meandering on the trail, filling our eyes with points of interest.

At Indian Creek

 

Meanwhile I have kept busy. Getting the house organized and finding places for everything is ongoing. And having some social time with friends, celebrating the 16th birthday of one of their four daughters on Saturday, was really nice. 

Then on Sunday visiting Rockharbor Church with my sister-in-law was quite an experience. It's a mega church in Meridian with several worship services every weekend and lots of ways they are serving the community. The music was fantastic, and the pastor's message on prayer based on 2 Timothy chapter 2 spoke to my heart. Parking might be a bit of a frustrating endeavor at this campus, but how I rejoice at the number of folks who are hearing God's word and being offered the free gift of salvation and eternal life through Jesus Christ.

This way if you want to know more.

Although my desire is for a smaller church to connect with, I also want to follow the Lord's leading, so when Ed is home again, we plan to visit Rockharbor together, continue to pray for guidance and visit other churches in the area also.

I would appreciate your prayers for that as well. Thank you for taking the time to read about our progress. I'd be honored to have you follow my AniLouMinary blog and comment as you feel led.

Moving is a Process

For those of you following me on my journey, this may be a bit of a long read. But it's probably the best way to bring you up to speed on this moving process.

Monday, October 27th

We finished loading up the U-Haul truck, hooking up the car-dolly for our Hyundai on the back, and getting said vehicle properly aligned and attached.

Off we lumbered just around noon. The route we chose was south on I-5 to Portland where we transitioned to Highway 84 eastward. 

The first couple of hours I will admit tears overflowed down my cheeks. My husband, Ed, asked what he could do to help. "Just be tender and kind, and allow me to process and express these feelings," I said. To suppress them would have hurt too much. As I cried, my heart also reached out to the Lord for strength and comfort, knowing He understood my heartache. That verse in Isaiah that He gave me weeks ago still holds true: "The Lord will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail." (Isaiah 58:11 NIV)

We felt His presence as we drove, enjoying good weather and decent traffic conditions. Since we didn't want to be driving in the dark through mountains, we opted to book a room at a Comfort Inn along the way. So The Dalles, Oregon, was our resting place for the night. 

Tuesday, October 28th

Our journey continued eastward, arriving at our new place of residence in Kuna, Idaho, around 4:30 p.m. (Mountain DST). Diana, my sister-in-law (my husband's sister) and brother-in-law, Ed, who own this rental property, were here to greet us with smiles and hugs. Shortly thereafter, our dear friend, Kristia, arrived to help us with unloading the moving truck. How grateful we are that she and her husband, Toby, who we knew well when we lived in SoCal, now live just a few blocks away from us. What a blessing from the Lord. And yes, big hugs all around ensued. More hugs when Toby showed up a little later to lend a hand.

In addition, my friend, Melody, whom I knew when we lived in Lynden, Washington, and who now lives in this area, had put me in touch with a friend of hers from her church who organized a crew of great helpers. Janine and her husband, Craig, and several others became the hands and feet of Jesus as they carted every box and container off of the truck and into the house. Amazing to experience the camaraderie and swiftness with which the task was completed. To cap it off at the end, Craig offered a prayer of thanksgiving to the Lord, and a blessing for our home. 

That first night in Kuna found us spending it at Diana and Ed's house in Eagle because we had neglected to have the gas company switch the account to our name prior to our move so the house had no heat. But it ended up being providential. 

Wednesday, October 29th

What a treat to observe a beautiful sunrise in the morning as we drove back to our place in Kuna.

We needed to be onsite between the hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. for the gas company technician. To our dismay he informed us he could not complete the hook-up due to the deterioration of the flue. There were already cracks and little holes in it and it disintegrated at every touch. Imagine if the gas had been left on in the interim between the prior tenant's leaving and our arriving. A real safety issue. In record time Diana and Ed's HVAC guy arrived, assessed the situation, and replaced the damaged parts of the flue. And by evening we were warm and cozy.

Thursday, October 30th

This year is my 5th year to be involved with Bible Study Fellowship. I hadn't been able to do this week's lesson homework, but I still wanted to plug in to the class that meets in Kuna. I'd already been in contact with the discussion leader of the group I was assigned to, so with great anticipation I attended that morning. Although I dearly miss my group back in Washington, what a joy to find another group of like-minded ladies. And within a five-minute drive from my house, no less. 

In the evening our friends, Toby and Kristia, invited us over to their home where we enjoyed a delicious dinner of home-made Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana Soup, and reminiscing of our times together in SoCal, wiping our tears away one minute and laughing the next. 

An additional blessing came when Toby offered to take my husband to the airport the following Saturday, removing that burden from my shoulders.

Friday, October 31st

We prepared for trick-or-treaters with a big bag of tootsie blow-pops and a smaller bag of Hershey's kisses. With only about a dozen or so costumed kiddos coming to our door, a lot of blow-pops remain in the big bowl. I'm not a fan of said candy; however the kisses have all disappeared! 

Saturday, November 1st  

For work purposes, Ed needed to return to Washington state for a couple of weeks, so Toby was here by 4:30 a.m. as promised to transport him to the Boise airport. The plan is for Ed to be back here in another week or so.

Sunday, November 2nd 

A highlight of my day was a walk with Kristia on a trail nearby along Indian Creek. With sunny but breezy weather, it was a treat to walk and talk while enjoying the colors of fall all around.

Renewing this sweet relationship is a confirmation that God has led us to this particular place at this particular time.

Monday, November 3rd

Birthday number 72 for me! I had wondered how it would be celebrated in my new environment. To begin the day, Michelle, a new friend who was part of the unloading crew, came over to help me unpack a few boxes. Well, we ended up visiting more than unpacking but at least a few books found their way onto some shelves. And then we were off to Aubergine Kitchen near the "The Village" in Meridian for lunch,

where my longtime friend, Melody (Michelle's sister), and my sister-in-law, Diana, and her friend, Jamie, joined us. Melody and I hadn't seen each other in a number of years and it was a joyful reunion. 

In the evening, Toby and Kristia, welcomed me into their home for a simple but delicious meal complete with fresh-baked brownies and ice cream. My brownie came topped with a birthday candle and the "Happy Birthday" song. Yes, I feel blessed and well-celebrated!

Wednesday, November 5th

No move to a new place is complete without a trip to the local library. Thus it was my goal that day. I love that it's less than a 10-minute drive away. A happy vibe filled the facility as the children's storytime was in session. At the counter a pleasant young lady greeted me. Hannah helped me with procuring a library card, and then with printing out my Bible Study Fellowship homework. When she came out of the back room with it, a smile on her face, she asked, "Are you a Christian?" I replied, "Yes, I am. Are you?" Her response was an emphatic, "Yes!" We talked about local churches I'm researching for Ed and me to plug into, and I mentioned that I might be visiting Rock Harbor Church in the near future. Her face lit up as she stated, "That's MY church!" She went on to say that it is a big church, but there are plenty of small groups to plug into, and she loves it. 

This was another confirmation to me that in spite of my reluctance to move here, this is where the Lord wants us to be right now. He is indeed guiding us and satisfying our needs, making me into that well-watered garden.

Pilgrimage to Jerusalem

I’ve often said that waiting for something isn’t hard for me. It’s not that I’m patient exactly but I find things to occupy my time while I’m waiting. Change is a different ball of wax. In spite of my opposition to it though, that ball of wax will drip. In a way I want this upcoming change to happen NOW so we can be done with it, and I have reason for that, but I also have mixed feelings about it. 

After being laid off from the job my hubby’s had since mid-2013, he accepted employment with another company. Oh, so full of gratitude that God provided this new job within four weeks! The catch is that the office he will work out of is about 115 miles away. Doesn’t seem like far but when it’s in the Seattle area with its famous freeways, where you’re free to sit in traffic for hours on end, a daily commute is out of the question.

Yep, the change I’m talking about is another move for my hubby and me.

Here’s where my mixed feelings arise. I’ve loved being back in the county where I was raised. Reacquainting myself with familiar territory, seeing friends from childhood, feasting my eyes on nature-rich scenes, frequent family get-togethers (especially with my sister), it’s all been so good. The tears come pretty readily when thoughts arise of not having easy and quick access to it. 

BUT circumstances are such that the move will not happen right away. In the interim, he is staying with friends of ours close to his new place of employment during the week, and coming home on weekends. 

Now, I’ve often experienced being on my own for days and weeks and months in previous scenarios involving my husband’s work situations. And it works out okay. I’d rather have him home every night but a paycheck coming in regularly is not a bad thing. But folks, I confess I’m becoming eager to have both. This week I’ve had a little taste of it. I’m spending the week with our friends too! 

With rain pattering on my umbrella this morning I explored the yard around their home, letting my eyes be refreshed by the lines of their landscaping, which, yes, includes a slide.

Caught a shot or two of chickadees at the feeder.

A glimpse of a bear peeking over the patio fence. 

As I meandered I mused on what I read earlier in the day in my quiet time. “When they walk through the Valley of Weeping, it will become a place of refreshing springs. The autumn rains will clothe it with blessings.” (Psalm 84:6 NLT) According to the preceding verse, they are those who receive strength from the Lord, having their minds set on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. I am on a journey to the place God has chosen for me, and my husband, where we will be together. On the way there may be a few tears pattering—with change, that’s to be expected. Aaaah, refreshing springs and the blessings that sprout from autumn rains are part of the change too.