It is the end of March today, and I feel like March tried to beat us. It brought excitement, sure, moving to Medicine Hat to be "missionaries" and plant a church is pretty awesome.
But with it also came some distractions and false hope. We spent a good amount of March trying to secure the ability to purchase a house instead of renting one once we got to the Hat. Because of this process, we had to let some time go by while everything was sorted out. Turns out that without a job there, lenders don't really want to give me a bunch of money to buy a house. Weird huh?
Once we realized that we needed to shift from property buying to property renting, we had just a few days left to find something. It's a pretty good thing that my wife had be planning a contingency, and researched some options for us ahead of time. That being said, we have had just a couple days to communicate back and forth and secure a place 1250kms away. Today we will give the final go ahead on a unit that should suit our needs for the next year or two.
I am looking forward to April, and I have a feeling that it will be good to us. April will afford us many opportunities to share time with family and friends before we leave. Sure school the kids' school work may not like April, since we will probably do a good bit of ignoring it, but there will be plenty of time for heads down school work once we get settled in our new home. Until then, we will be taking advantage of every opportunity to spend time with the people that we love, and even some people that we like.
Now, to spend a good portion of what little March we have left trying to figure out my job situation. Stay here and send the kids ahead while working and waiting for my licensing exam in May...go, get a job, and come back mid-May for my licensing exam...help move the family there, then come back right away to work and get ready for the exam...
Tick-Tock...
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
the announcement
I would like to say that we have been settling in since returning from our trip to the Hat, but really it has been the opposite. We have been seeking direction, and making plans of the plans that we will need to make.
For what?
For the move to Medicine Hat.
We have been listening for God, to hear what He has in store for us. And as such, when you listen, quite often you will hear Him. But that comes with a warning though, that you will need to be prepared to listen, whether you like and agree with what He has to say or not. When you are fortunate enough to hear His plan, it is a blessing for sure, but only if you choose to follow.
And that is what we are doing. God is working in Medicine Hat, and we are going to go and be a part of "His-story" there. So, we have spent the last couple weeks figuring out where we are going to live, how we are going to get there, and when we are going to go.
Of course there are more things we need to work out, like transferring utilities, phones, insurances. Sorting out the kids school/homeschool. And lets not forget the whole job thing. Apparently, you need to work if you want people to give you money to pay all the bills.
The list goes on. When one thing gets figured out, it's time for 2 on the table to be sorted. This is an exciting time though, and as busy as we are getting, we need to remember to keep focused on Him, and the reason we are going.
Also, as excited as we are getting, there is sadness. We are going to miss so many people. Long time friendships and family, as well as the new friends we have been getting to know these last couple years. I know that we will keep in contact (which is why I caved and joined facebook, and there is skype, and good ol'fashioned letter writing and phone calls), but the ease of driving up the road to see Grandma & Grandpa, or hang out with the guys is going to change. There will be new relationships, sure, but that does not ease the loss of these ones.
Our solace comes from knowing that we are doing His will, and he will help facilitate these relationships as needed. And speaking of such, it is a beautiful sunny spring day here today, and I am going to go and spend some time with a friend during his break, walking the trails of the Green Timbers forest and chatting about life.
For what?
For the move to Medicine Hat.
We have been listening for God, to hear what He has in store for us. And as such, when you listen, quite often you will hear Him. But that comes with a warning though, that you will need to be prepared to listen, whether you like and agree with what He has to say or not. When you are fortunate enough to hear His plan, it is a blessing for sure, but only if you choose to follow.
And that is what we are doing. God is working in Medicine Hat, and we are going to go and be a part of "His-story" there. So, we have spent the last couple weeks figuring out where we are going to live, how we are going to get there, and when we are going to go.
Of course there are more things we need to work out, like transferring utilities, phones, insurances. Sorting out the kids school/homeschool. And lets not forget the whole job thing. Apparently, you need to work if you want people to give you money to pay all the bills.
The list goes on. When one thing gets figured out, it's time for 2 on the table to be sorted. This is an exciting time though, and as busy as we are getting, we need to remember to keep focused on Him, and the reason we are going.
Also, as excited as we are getting, there is sadness. We are going to miss so many people. Long time friendships and family, as well as the new friends we have been getting to know these last couple years. I know that we will keep in contact (which is why I caved and joined facebook, and there is skype, and good ol'fashioned letter writing and phone calls), but the ease of driving up the road to see Grandma & Grandpa, or hang out with the guys is going to change. There will be new relationships, sure, but that does not ease the loss of these ones.
Our solace comes from knowing that we are doing His will, and he will help facilitate these relationships as needed. And speaking of such, it is a beautiful sunny spring day here today, and I am going to go and spend some time with a friend during his break, walking the trails of the Green Timbers forest and chatting about life.
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Change of Seasons
As we arrive back from Medicine Hat and start to settle in to our daily routines again, I look around and see that Spring is arriving. Maybe part of that is because it is +10 degrees Celsius today instead of -20, but it could be due to the sunshine and birds too.
I see that the seasons are changing. Outside, the trees are thinking about coming back to life and the animals are venturing out of their hidey holes for the first time since winter began. Outside, seasons are changing.
And I see that they are changing for our lives too. Since the beginning of January, our family has really focused on listening for God in our lives. We spent a season coasting on what He had told us previously, and then we kind of stopped listening and set the spiritual train on cruise control. Thankfully, our God is forgiving and continues to have His great plan in mind for us, whether we are aware of it or not.
As we become more aware of Him speaking to us all the time, we look around and see the work He is doing in this season. We can see glimpses of what He is preparing for in the next season, and we notice that right now we are in the midst of those seasons changing.
Now we have a choice. He will continue to do His work whether we watch and listen for it, or turn back to our lives and intentionally ignore it. We can choose to stand idly by out of fear...fear of change, fear of loss, fear of inadequacy...the list goes on. Or, we can choose to step out, step up, and trust in Him. Trust that He will provide, trust that His plan is better than anything we can come up with. Trust that we will be blessed by listening to and obeying Him when He calls.
The choice is never easy, although it should be.
I see that the seasons are changing. Outside, the trees are thinking about coming back to life and the animals are venturing out of their hidey holes for the first time since winter began. Outside, seasons are changing.
And I see that they are changing for our lives too. Since the beginning of January, our family has really focused on listening for God in our lives. We spent a season coasting on what He had told us previously, and then we kind of stopped listening and set the spiritual train on cruise control. Thankfully, our God is forgiving and continues to have His great plan in mind for us, whether we are aware of it or not.
As we become more aware of Him speaking to us all the time, we look around and see the work He is doing in this season. We can see glimpses of what He is preparing for in the next season, and we notice that right now we are in the midst of those seasons changing.
Now we have a choice. He will continue to do His work whether we watch and listen for it, or turn back to our lives and intentionally ignore it. We can choose to stand idly by out of fear...fear of change, fear of loss, fear of inadequacy...the list goes on. Or, we can choose to step out, step up, and trust in Him. Trust that He will provide, trust that His plan is better than anything we can come up with. Trust that we will be blessed by listening to and obeying Him when He calls.
The choice is never easy, although it should be.
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