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.

Boxed In

 The living room looks like a storeroom. Who knew our life could be contained in that many boxes?! And there are more boxes to fill as we get ready to move. This is after loading up the back of the Subaru with "stuff" and donating it to Value Village, and depositing a work van load at the local dump. No photos to share of these events, which I'm sure you'll appreciate. 

Not everything in life can be fit into boxes. I'm glad we have spiritual freedom to live outside the box the world sometimes tries to cram us into. As I've mentioned previously, it's been an honor to have some of the devotions I've written published on various websites. Today I'd like to invite you to check this one out where my musings entitled "Spiritually Anorexic" was posted today.

Love Lines from God

Enjoy!

Announcement: Eastward Bound

 
For the past three years some of my devotional pieces have shown up about once a month on the website, ChristianDevotions.us. Then more recently on a blog called Love Lines from God. Please be encouraged to check these publications out. I'm sure you'll be blessed by what is shared there. Also keep an eye out for another blog that I'll be participating in called "VineWords" after the first of the new year. 

This year our women's ministry deacon at church invited me to share some devotional thoughts in a newsletter going out occasionally to the women, and I was delighted to do so. 

I'd like to put the last one I wrote here on my blog as a way to announce the change we are approaching as of the end of October. So here goes:

How Does Your Garden Grow?

"The Lord will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail." (Isaiah 58:11 NIV)

How I admire people with gardening skills. Although both my parents were garden-minded, that gene did not get handed down to me. Every summer Dad set up his garden in well-fertilized soil by the barn. Corn, potatoes, and maybe some pole beans grew in abundance. On the east side of the house Mom's efforts produced gladiolas, chrysanthemums, and irises balanced with rows of carrots, peas, leaf lettuce, and a patch of squash. Sadly when asked to pull weeds, I couldn't even distinguish weeds from carrots.

Isn't it wonderful that God compares His people to a well-watered garden? Similar to the lushness of those summer gardens of my childhood, what the Lord plants in us and nurtures brings results that cannot be mistaken. 

When I encountered Isaiah's prophetic statement in my prayer journal recently as the verse for the week's reflection, it settled in my heart just when I needed it.

You see, after much consideration, prayer, and discussion over the past couple of years, my husband and I have made the decision to move to Idaho. My emotions are like a rollercoaster. I love being in Washington state. It's my home, where my roots are. But in all practicality we need to be in a place where the cost of living is lower. Fortunately we have family already living in the Boise area that own rental properties; we have been offered access to one of them. While dragging my heels through the dirt a bit, I'm recognizing this is God's way of meeting our needs. 

Still my tears have spurted like a water hose with holes at the thought of being at a distance from my children and grandchildren that live here in Washington. What reassurance to know that God is fully capable of tending each one of us in whatever soil He plants us, and bringing about amazing results. I'm starting to look forward to what He'll grow in me in Idaho.

Think about the beauty God is growing in your garden.

Find Friends

This is the devotional I wrote and shared with my writing group this past Saturday:

“I look up to the mountains—does my help come from there? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth! He will not let you stumble; the one who watches over you will not slumber. Indeed, he who watches over Israel never slumbers or sleeps. The Lord himself watches over you! The Lord stands beside you as your protective shade. The sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon at night. The Lord keeps you from all harm and watches over your life. The Lord keeps watch over you as you come and go, both now and forever.” (Psalm 121, NLT)

When we last saw our heroine, she was lost in a maze of moving boxes. Two months later and she has emerged, grateful for the destination God has provided. For her and her hero, being in their castle together after living in two separate realms, is most satisfying.

Our new neighborhood

Hey, in the middle of this move, we weren’t sure where we were going to be, or even when. The apartment application process took more time than usual due to needing various work and wage confirmations so we weren’t expecting to be able to get into it until after Christmas, if at all. Then suddenly things fell into place and we could move in before Christmas! It meant a bit of a scramble but were we ever grateful when after days of rain, the morning broke bright and sunny on December 23rd, our moving day. We were even more grateful we weren’t moving after Christmas when Whatcom County was in the throes of Icemageddon!

Moving Day! Snow on the ground but blue sky above!

Being in Bonney Lake made celebrating Christmas in Enumclaw with some of our kids so much easier. Only a half hour drive instead of three hours. Our friends that my husband was staying with for three months, were having family come for Christmas so the bed he vacated was much appreciated. Our friends had surgeries scheduled for January as well so I think it’s a relief for them to be without an extra boarder as they recover. 

My husband’s job involves him going out on sales calls to home owners that could be anywhere in Washington state. He is given his list of appointments via email first thing in the morning. There isn’t time for him to share them with me but we recently learned how to use a particular app on our iPhones. It’s called “Find Friends”. So at any time of the day I can tap on that app and see where he’s located. At least as long as there is a cell tower near him. There’ve been a few times when all I get is “Location cannot be found.” The first time that happened I kind of freaked out. My lucky sister was the one who got the slightly panicky P.M. from me to, “Please pray.” My imagination had me picturing a car-jacking, or a home invasion and his phone being destroyed. Now that I know sometimes service is interrupted and that he’ll show up on the app eventually, I’m all c’est la vie. 

This move has been an exercise in patience and trusting God to show us one step at a time. He had His eye on every tidbit of the process, He oversaw the apartment application, the missing employment verification forms, our friends’ surgery schedule, and the weather! And because the Lord Himself watches over us, He doesn’t need a Find Friends app!

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.

Be Fruitful and Multiply

It’s been several months since I last played over here in the light of Aniluminary. Have you missed me? I’ve missed being here. So where have I been?

Well, I’ve been on the move. The hubby and I made a major change in our lives and took ourselves 1,300 miles from where we’ve been for almost thirty years. A 1,300 mile leap of faith. We’ve returned to the Pacific Northwest where I was born and spent my growing up years, until I ventured out into ‘new territory’ by way of southern California. In that ‘new territory’, I met and married my husband. As a young couple with our first child, we responded to our shared attraction for the Pacific Northwest and moved back here. We stayed long enough to produce a double feature in the family, our twins. Then away we went again. And like a yo-yo a couple years later, wound up once more in this familiar neighborhood. After expanding the family with our youngest, the yo-yo re-looped to SoCal, for a much longer stay this time.

But let’s fast forward to the present and guess what? The yo-yo finally retracted and here we are—we feel like we are home. I am done with yo-yoing! And no-o-o-o-o-o, we will not be having another child this time!

Although…here’s a thought:

Every time I’ve written an entry for my blog, I feel like I’ve brought something to life, so maybe these writings are my babies. If so, if it please the Lord, may I be fruitful and multiply. And may these kids of mine enrich your lives.

Just for fun:

While visiting with my mom at the assisted living facility not long ago, Sock Monkey tells a story, not the one about how he got a knot in his tail—that’s too scary. (Sock Monkey came into existence at my mother’s sewing machine.)