Saying, “Goodbye” to our Small Town

2 Replies

How lucky I am to have something that makes saying, “Goodbye” so hard.    ~ Winnie the Pooh

Saying, “Goodbye” to our Small Town…

Life has a funny way of taking you down twists and turns, stopping, staying a while and then starting all over again.

I was born in a small town. (Hey, we Hoosiers can say that all we want since Mellencamp lives in our small town!) I love this college town even when the traffic is insane and the lines at Target are long; it’s my hometown. I’ve been a Skibo, a Bulldog, a Panther and a Hoosier, proud of each one even when I have to explain the first and last to others who weren’t born here.

A Hoosier bleeds red and white and eats, sleeps and breathes basketball; the loyalty never leaves them even if they locate elsewhere. (Claim to fame: Have I mentioned that I was an extra in the Gene Hackman movie, Hoosiers? If you look real close in the final basketball game you probably won’t see me but I was there screaming just as loud as anyone for Hickory High.)

Memories are down every road, past every landmark and in every face. I grew up here, fell in love here, had two of My Three Sons here and met Jesus here in this Small Town. In 1985, we moved away the first time to Indianapolis where The Sweetheart began his career as an air traffic controller with the FAA. In 1995 we moved back to Bloomington and to the farm where The Sweetheart grew up. It was a great place to raise boys and we loved it. But then in 2001, the Lord called us into full time ministry and we moved again to Ohio and then to Missouri to pastor. In 2010 our lives took another twist and turn as we left everything we had ever known, sold almost everything we had and flew to lands unknown on our first missionary journey.

small town

We assumed we would be overseas a long, long time but only God knows what is behind every open door and He decides when it is time to close one and open another. So in 2012 we came back to this Small Town to continue our ministry with Revival By Design, traveling around the country on the weekends. We have been living in the mother-in-law suite of my mother-in-law’s home for the last four years, (how is that for a twist!) and caring for her physically as she deals with Alzheimer’s and dementia.

It has not been an easy decision to come to this point and say that we are pulling up stakes and moving again. Anyone who knows me is aware that I have ALWAYS wanted to live in the eastern mountains of Tennessee. Ever since I was a little girl I have dreamed of actually calling the Smokies home. Then little things happen.

norah jayne

Yeah, this little thing lives on the other side of the Volunteer State and we want to be a part of her life. As a family, we have waited a long, long time for this blessing that has turned all of our lives upside down and we couldn’t be any happier. Norah will have her Nana and Poppy right down the road and her Nanny, Rachel’s mother, Tonya, moved just around the corner a year ago. We want Norah to be spoiled by her grandparents and I am thrilled to get to babysit a couple days a week as well. Who wouldn’t want to snuggle that little bundle all day?! Tonya calls it living in Norah-Norah-Land!

With Goodbye’s come thank-you’s. I want to thank The Sweetheart’s family for stepping up to take over the care of my MIL. It is no easy task to care for an aging parent, especially when their mind is struggling to keep up. Thank you in advance to my sisters-in-law for all the responsibility you will be taking upon your shoulders.

Our church family at Turning Point has been amazing. We will miss you more than you know! Pastors Ron and Cindy Hawkins are simply first class and we will forever be indebted to them for giving us a place to land and feel at home for the last few years.

To Kristopher and Korey: thank you so much for allowing us to leave again and not making us feel guilty. And thank you a thousand times for helping us last night with The Move. Your patience with the two of us was inspiring. Remember, Eisley has a place to stay at our house!

I don’t see my parents or siblings as often as I would like to but appreciate knowing they are close by. Thank you all for being there for us these last few years.

No I cannot forget where it is that I come from
I cannot forget the people who love me
Yeah, I can be myself here in this small town
And people let me be just what I want to be

That’s the great thing about small towns, you take a part of it with you no matter where you go. I love all of my friends here and the good thing is that nothing else changes, we will still meet here on the blog, still follow one another on social media and still encourage each other in the hard times and rejoice with each other in the good.

Pray for us today as we travel and get settled. Look out Norah, here we come!

nana

Sharing with Wholehearted Wednesdays, Sitting Among Friends

 

 

 

The lamp and the light

Leave a reply

The Lamp and The Light.

Our car had the worst foggy headlights I had ever seen. I would complain to The Sweetheart that I couldn’t see well at night, it never seemed like our lights were even turned on. I tried every Pinterest remedy I could find from toothpaste to baking soda to bug spray. Some would make it look a little better for a while but then it would come right back.

Finally, we heard that a local store offered, at the low, low price of $29.95, a once-and-for-all fix for those cloudy headlights. I do not know how they did it but they look brand-new and completely clear!

You simply cannot drive at night without headlights, you are asking for disaster.

“Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” Psalm 119:105.

And you simply cannot navigate in the world in which we live without a lamp for your feet. We have GPS, a God-send to people like me who are directionally challenged! (I may or may not have just created a new word.) But even this modern technology can be wrong at times.

Recently, on one of our Revival By Design trips to the South, we were to be staying with missionary friends for the weekend. We had plugged the address into our GPS and finally arrived at about 10:30 p.m. We pulled down into the driveway, quite a steep dip, and were waiting on our other friends to arrive before we went to the door. They were twenty minutes behind us.

But things didn’t look quite right. The house was very small, I was already wondering about the accommodations. There were toys scattered all over the yard and there were lights on in the house.

The Sweetheart was content to lay his seat back and snooze until our friends arrived! I was in a panic, sure we were at the wrong address and even more sure that the homeowners would come out with a shotgun at any moment.

We WERE at the wrong house. Typing the address into GPS but leaving off a necessary East or West apparently makes a difference. When we finally realized we were sitting in someone else’s driveway and it was nearing midnight, we got out of there and fast!

It matters what map you use and what kind of lamp lights your path! When this God-breathed inspiration of scripture was written it was necessary to carry a lamp, filled with oil, if you were going to be out at night. There were no street lights or anything else to light your way.

And that lamp didn’t light up the road for miles, it just showed enough for the next step, and then the next and the next, etc. God’s Word is enough for every day, for every situation and then the next day you open it again and it is enough for that day. You will find your answers, your direction for EACH DAY when you make it a priority and let it be your guide.

“Take therefore no thought for the morrow,” said Jesus, for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.” Matthew 6:34.

You have to take that next step and keep walking and the Light will always be there, it will be a continual light for your path, for your LIFE.

Lamp and the Light

In studying this thought today, I discovered the Hebrew word for light, אוֹר, can also mean happiness. Say what?! Could the psalmist have meant that when we let that lamp guide our feet then we will have complete contentment, joy, even happiness walking in that Light?!

Or perhaps the reason the Psalmist mentioned a lamp AND a light was because if we let the Word of God take us on the first step, in the light that the lamp gives us, then He will light up our entire path, giving us continual direction and lighting our way to see clearly where He is leading! He will give clarity and assurance that He is with us, making our way plain.

A lamp unto my feet, a light unto my path. Walking daily with God will give us all the light and direction we need for each step, for each question, for each trial that comes our way. Jesus will always be there for HE is the Light, the Truth and the Way.

Are you struggling with something today and not sure which way to turn? Let the Word of God be that lamp that points you in the right direction and the Light that brings the peace that passes all understanding.

For the Kingdom

Sharing with Modest Mondays

My only safe haven

6 Replies

It’s #FiveMinuteFriday and today’s word prompt is Haven. If you want to read other posts on the same subject you can go to Kate’s place here!

I immediately thought of the words to the old hymn, Haven of Rest and will now have it in my head for days. The author, Henry Gilmour, was an immigrant from Ireland. He had set sail at the age of 16 to learn navigation but when they arrived in Philadelphia, Henry decided to stay in America and seek his fortune. He earned his living as a house painter and serving in the Civil War, was captured and spent time in a confederate prison. After the war, he trained as a dentist, an occupation he would have for many years.

Henry also knew the Savior, which is obvious by his hymns. One of my favorite verses is the very first:

My soul in sad exile was out on life’s sea,
So burdened with sin and distressed,
Till I heard a sweet voice, saying, “Make Me your choice”;
And I entered the “Haven of Rest”!

Is it really that simple? Will our burdens be lifted and our life free of pain, worry and stress if we make Jesus our choice?

Yes.

And no.

True, our troubles may not vanish but the sweet peace that comes with knowing Jesus can carry us through any situation. He is our safe haven!

So what is a haven? It is simply a refuge, or place of safety or an inlet providing shelter for ships or boats; a harbor or small port. We witnessed first hand several beautiful safe havens when we were on the Mediterranean island of Malta last year.

haven

You can’t see the inlet itself here but picture a violent storm and this small boat tossed about on the waves of the sea. Certain that they will be lost in the storm, all of a sudden they see a shelter, a place of refuge, a literal safe haven.

“He made the storm be still,  and the waves of the sea were hushed. Then they were glad that the waters were quiet, and he brought them to their desired haven.” Psalm 107:29, 30 ESV.

Carved out of the rock, a perfect place for shelter, a safe haven away from the storm! That is the key!

Jesus takes us through the storm, He doesn’t remove it.

Click To Tweet

He shows His hand and His mighty power by protecting us, sheltering us or covering us with His strength to do the unimaginable. Philippians 4:13.

Are you searching for peace and safety? Do you need a place of refuge and someone to lift the heavy load you are carrying? There is such a place just for you when you make that choice. Jesus is calling! You were not meant to bear your burdens alone, let Him carry them for you and bring you peace today. Anchor your soul in the Haven of Rest!

I’ve anchored my soul in the Haven of Rest,
I’ll sail the wide seas no more;
The tempest may sweep o’er wild, stormy, deep,
In Jesus I’m safe evermore.

If you have never heard this comforting hymn, take a listen: