Oh! The Places We'll Go

"Come now, you who say, 'today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit', whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow.  For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for little time and then vanishes away.  Instead you ought to say, "If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that." James 4:13-15 (NKJV - emphasis mine)

I have reflected on this verse a lot lately.  It's posted on my microwave, I see it often, and I pray those words repeatedly.  For those of you who know our family, we said when we moved to CA two years ago that my husband Tommy would finish out his military career here until he retires in 2018.  We believed that.  We planned on that.  And now today, that plan is changing.  

We found out a few weeks ago that we have orders to move to North Carolina and we will be leaving in two months.  In all honesty, we are devastated.  We miss our family that lives on the east coast and we are SO grateful for what lies in our future making memories with cousins, grandparents and extended family.  But in this moment, we are sad.  

We have called Temecula, CA home.  Some have called it Pleasantville and we kind of agree.  It's always sunny (hence the drought).  There's so much to do and see.  The ocean is so beautiful and full of wildlife.  But more than the landscape or the climate, it is the people who have captured our heart.  So instead of bitterness for moving (at a really terrible time of year), I chose gratitude for what I have experienced.  

I am grateful for the schools that my children have attended.  For the teachers who pour into them not just the facts, curriculum, and numbers, but good morals and respect.  They have challenged both Zion and Trinity in different yet specific ways to keep them developing into awesome kids who demonstrate kindness and obedience.  They have taught them things not just to make them smarter but also wiser.  I am so thankful for their commitment to them and they will be deeply missed.

I am grateful for my job.  I work at a stellar pediatric therapy clinic that has been a part of me growing leaps and bounds professionally.  I have learned about unique diagnoses, equipment, therapy interventions, and most of all compassion on a level I have not seen elsewhere.  I have heard devastating stories and celebrated profound triumphs.  I look forward to what lies ahead for me as a pediatric physical therapist and I know that the lives of little children I get to impact in the future will reap the benefits of my time working here.  

I am grateful for my neighborhood and my friends.  This could be a long paragraph and in reality, if I wrote a book it wouldn't do you all justice.  You have cared for our children, fed us some of the most delectable food we've ever tasted, shared your best wine, laughed the biggest laughs and cried real tears.  You have been the family we needed when ours was so far away.  Thank you for your generosity, your time, your loyalty, and your unconditional love.  

And probably the hardest thing that we have to say goodbye to is our church.  You, as a whole, reflect the truth of Jesus in every way.  The way Christ would speak into the hard realities of people's lives yet reflect the unwavering grace and forgiveness of a loving Father - you do that!  You teach the Word well - not just with a memorable sermon but with actions.  Not just the pastors but the congregation who attend.  You give, you serve, you love, you listen, you care, you hope, you laugh, you celebrate.  Everything that I see reflects the Savior.  I pray with everything in me that I can take just a sliver of what you do, and bring it to the next church we call home.  Thank you for letting me serve here.  Thank you for encouraging me to grow in the Lord.  Thank you for your Kingdom work.  Great is your reward!

So now we must pack up our life, throw out our junk, wipe our tears, and go east.  We know that just like God has done here, He will do the same there.  We trust Him more than ever and know that ultimately this world is not our home.  So whether we find our feet in California, North Carolina, Mexico, Africa, or some other distant land, we pray that His Kingdom come and His will be done.  Amen.