Dec 17,2020-
As I pack and stack boxes of personal belongings in preparation for moving early in 2021 into a townhome near our son and his wife, I am at peace with my decision. I had struggled for about a month with it, as I began to realize how much home and yard maintenance there is for me alone at this place, in addition to my responsibility for the maintenance of the Titus 2 residence, as well.
I spent time in prayer and talking to family and a few close prayer partner friends and a financial advisor friend. On a day that I drove nearly 7 hours total in transit to and from a relative’s home for a lunchtime visit with sisters, I talked with the Lord at length. When I arrived home I was at peace with the decision to move. The Lord reminded me what He had told me in 2014 in response to a ministry coach’s question, “Do you have to do what you do there, at Bethel?” at a time when it was clear I would need to leave Bethel Village or continue in conflict with its administration. After praying about her challenge the Lord spoke clearly, “I have called you to a purpose and a people, not a place.” All it took was God reminding me of that hard season and my resistance to change then to realize that I have loved every home in which I have ever lived, not because of the house or its location, but because it was a home where He dwelled with me and those I loved. While my personal description of this home has been “sanctuary”, I realized that my sanctuary is anywhere that I am in community with loved ones and my Lord, The Holy One. That can be anywhere I choose to be! I do not leave the sanctuary behind. It goes with me anywhere I make my home! I will miss the daily beauty of the sunsets and watching the varying conditions of the lake. I will miss the time among flowers, trees, and shrubs, many of which Bill and I planted and nurtured. But sunsets are beautiful from whatever perspective one is blessed to view them and there will be additional flowers, trees, and shrubs to enjoy and the additional blessing of Joni, Billy, and being able to move back and forth between one another’s homes with just a few steps and a knock on the door as we did in the years during which they lived across the street from Bill and me on Tropical Drive. .