Couldn't Have Said It Better Myself

Today the kids and I were in the car, on our way to meet some of Jack's school friends for a picnic at a playground about 15 miles away. We were ooh-ing and aah-ing over the gorgeous trees in bloom -- white, pink and even brilliant magenta blossoms beckoned us along the road -- and congratulating God on the incredible beauty all around us. (As in, Great job on that tree, Jesus! That was amazing!) Suddenly Sophie burst out clapping and said, "Hoo-way! Hoo-way! Hoo-way for 'pingtime!"

Lost in Transition

It's Easter, my favorite holiday! Mind you, it's hard to beat Christmas, but as I see it the only thing better than celebrating Jesus' birth is celebrating all that God accomplished in His death and resurrection. And the only thing better than reading or telling the old, old story is reading or telling it again. There's always something fresh to learn, something new to discover among precious reminders along the familiar path. Just because I've walked this way before doesn't mean I know all there is to know. Sure, I know what I know, but one of the wonderful things about God is there's always more to discover. Not a single one of us has Him all figured out. And so I press on, reading and rereading; telling and retelling; pondering and pondering some more.

I've been pondering a lot lately, in general, because we're walking along another familiar path at the moment, one that involves a lot of mental and emotional energy for me: We're moving. A week from tomorrow.

It's not another international move, and for that I'm immensely relieved and thankful. But a move is a move. We're leaving greater London for a town that's definitely English instead of multi-cultural. I'll be walking less and driving more. The neighbors are fewer, the high street a bit further away. I've driven down there a couple of times and I like it, I really do. In time I'm confident that I'll come to love it. It's just... different from where we are now.

In pondering the move and my response to it, I've come to a realization: My pattern in past moves has been one of emotional resistance, trying to recreate in the new place what I loved about the old place. In my struggle to come to emotional grips with the process of leaving, I've often done a fair bit (and sometimes an unfairly large bit) of wallowing in my sense of loss, missing What Was. This time I'm going to try very hard not to do that. I'm going to try to let the new place be what it is and enjoy it for its uniqueness, enjoy this next season of our lives for what it will be.

We plan to come back here on Sundays, to continue going to our wonderful church and staying in touch with our wonderful friends. So I have the luxury of knowing we'll be back, and soon. That has helped me relax. Well, as much as is possible when the house is in an upheaval. It's all a matter of perspective!

Anyway, this transition is one of the reasons I haven't posted on this blog in a while. I've been a little distracted. Hopefully I'll get back to more regular posting after the move. Stay tuned!