I say good-bye once again to a home. Tonight is our last official night here. It’s easy to know how you’re supposed to feel as a Christian—knowing a house is only a temporary, earthly dwelling that only feels special because of the loved ones who live there, but it’s incredibly tough to put what you know you’re “supposed to” feel into practice.
I’ve been talking about and praying over moving many times throughout the past several years, wanting something different, bigger, better. But, now that the move was forced, it’s caused me to reflect.
This was my first house as an adult. You’ll know this if you’ve read my story, but after moving so many times as a newlywed and new mom, we finally settled here. This small house has sheltered us for the past 15+ years. My youngest was born here, and it’s the only house my children have every really known. They’ve grown here. First steps on these floors. Birthday parties in the kitchen. Movie nights snuggled on the couch in our cozy little living room. Snowmen built in the front yard.
I guess as I get older I cherish the memories. Every. Single. Little. One. I document them, even though my kids probably think I’m extreme. Memory-loss diseases run in our family, and I never want to forget these treasured moments, so that makes it all the more difficult to say good-bye. This experience, however, causes me to remember something (because I’ve learned this before): tomorrow can change in an instant. In fact, even the next minute of our lives isn’t promised, and it’s certainly not guaranteed to be constant and routine and agreeable with ideas we’ve conjured in our minds. That’s the importance of keeping our focus on things above. Things unseen, but known. Praying “Your Kingdom come, Your will be done” and remembering it is His will, not ours. And His will can give, and it can take away – look to Job for that one. “’Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away’” starts Job 1:21. But then it states, “blessed be the name of the LORD.” That’s the key—counting it all joy as James 1:2 describes:
“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds”
and being content despite circumstances as Paul declares in Philippians 4:10-13:
“I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at length you have revived your concern for me. You were indeed concerned for me, but you had no opportunity. Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.”
Joyful, content, faithful, trusting. That’s where I go from here. Things don’t grow without change. And many times that change can be quite painful, but necessary. Because if we aren’t learning and growing, progressing, we are in danger of becoming stagnant and regressing, and that’s never a good thing. So, here comes a new chapter in my book of life, and I am highly honored to personally know the Author.
References
All Scripture (unless otherwise noted): English Standard Version Bible. 2021. BibleHub.com and
English Standard Version Bible. 2016. Crossway