When we made the commitment to
move, I realized we would be leaving a lot of things we found comfort in
behind. We left our home of 10 years
where our babies started to become young men.
We left friends and family. We
left so much that was familiar, the stores, the mountains, all of the green
trees. We left behind a lot of stuff we
had gathered over the years. . In some ways we even left our identities
behind as we left behind all of the people who know us. What I didn’t realize is how leaving would
make so many things become so much more precious. In a lot of ways, I feel like so many
familiar things, things I was used to, have become new.
This became very real, very quickly
on our first morning in Ankeny. As we
left the hotel to go check out our new apartment, I was pulled over. I pulled into an empty bank parking lot and
Dave pulled in beside me. After giving
the officer my paperwork and waiting for about 5 minutes a second officer
pulled in. They went over and asked for
Dave’s paperwork. Over the course of the
next 15 minutes, another officer pulled in.
Dave and I were questioned separately by all three officers. I was finally told that their computer said
our license plates didn’t match the type of car we had and that someone else
with a different name who was a registered offender had Dave’s same or similar
driver’s license number. Bottom line, I
was a car thief and Dave was an offender traveling with 3 young men. In this new town, we didn’t have anyone who
knew us, anyone who could vouch for our character. I just kept thinking “Lord let your truth win
out”. Eventually, they came and gave
all of our paperwork back and said it was basically computer issues. I want
to make clear; the officers were just doing their job. In fact they were doing exactly what Dave and
I feel called to do, protect kids from bad situations. The situation made me realize how precious it
is to be known. To have lived with and
among people who would stand up for us and with us if the need arose. Too many people in this world have never
known that blessing.
Things have become more precious to
me which is strange, because having too many things stresses me out. The picture here shows our new fireplace with
precious things in front of it. The cast
iron stove came from my Grandma Toni’s house.
She gave it to me a year ago when I told her about all of the memories I
had from being a kid and huge family gatherings at her house in Alaska. The wood, sandollars, starfish and some of
the shells remind me of fun moments with the boys. The rocks are from our yard in Rochester;
collected from the many we battled with trying to put a lawn in, a trip to the
beach and Irish Cove in Alaska where we spread my dad’s ashes. All of those rocks, wood etc. were scattered
about our front yard. I walked by them
many times without really noticing them.
Now every morning, I see them and
smile. The blessing is in seeing them
and remembering.
I have to admit that even my family
has become more precious to me. I listen
more than I used to. Because I know this
transition isn’t easy on my sons, I question more. I don’t just assume they had a great day at
school. I’m not part of the youth group
now so I ask more about what they are learning about God and from God. Dave is currently working from home and it is
such a blessing. I have learned even
more about him that I love and value.
It has also caused us to be more intentional in the time we invest in
our friends and family. We text more,
write more, call more. We pray for them
more. Our sons our even more intentional
about spending time with their friends via the computer. It is strange, but in missing people, we have
learned even more what makes them precious to us.
We know we are where we are
supposed to be. That doesn’t make
everything easy, but we know God is in it.
We are even adjusting to the cold, as I write it has warmed up to 0
degrees. I have to admit all of the
sunshine helps it not feel so cold. The biggest struggle seems to be with the
boys making friends and finding their place here. They are headed off to Winter Camp with the
youth group for the weekend. We are hoping
that will help. Thank you all for your
continued prayers and love. Even those
things are more precious to us. Thank
you for being a beautiful part of our lives as we follow Him.
