We are moving!!! Very exciting and very scary. We have been in limbo for about six months not knowing if/where/when my husband would get a new job, he's a teacher and a football coach. We have been in our current home for twelve years. We have been in a community that we love. We have had the privilege of being part of 2 AWESOME school districts in the county that we live. My children have been in a unique position that they have some really special friends in both schools and made the move of districts while staying in the same home.
This impending move means a great distance from where we currently live. And it means leaving all our friends, our church and the comfort of knowing the area. It means starting over in a way. Where will we go to church? Where will I grocery shop? Where are the good parks? How do I sign kids up for sports? How do I begin to forge relationships with a whole new district of teachers that will be working with my children? When will the new place feel like home? I can pretty much answer each of those questions in the same way....short answer: I don't know. What I have learned over this last year, is that I have no control over anything. But if I am faithful God will take care of all of my anxieties. And that's not always an easy thing to do. Truth is, I'm a bit of a control freak. I need to know what is going on so I can have a plan and be prepared. But, as I have learned lately, God does not always do things in a way where we know what's happening so we can plan. And I believe He does so in a way so that we become more reliant and closer to Him. I am trying to teach my children that faithfulness may not be easy at times, it is what we are called to do and we as a family are gonna do just that.
People have asked me how my children are doing with the knowledge that they are really moving from all they have known. My response is, "Depends on the day and time and who asks them." And I'm ok with that. My husband and I recognize that this will not be easy for any of us. When we first told the kids that Dad took a new job and we will be moving, it was a difficult discussion. The four older kids shed some tears, and Mom and Dad shed some with them. That was on a Sunday night. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday went by and my husband and I continued to see moody attitudes, long faces, tears and a lot of chatter about how this move was gonna impact their lives. On Thursday I had had enough of the negativity. This move had a lot of scariness about it, but it also has a lot of excitement and joy in it. It was time to delight in the joy.
So on that Thursday I talked to my children and laid a few things out for them to think about. The following day we were going to visit the new school as a family. It would be the first time that the 2 oldest had been to the area. So here's basically what I told them: Your Dad and I gave you a few days to be sad...time to get over it. No more negative talk....no more disrespectful attitudes. Do you know how many 'I' statements you have made over the last several days verses how many 'family' statements have you made? Did you even tell your Dad congratulations or have you been so wrapped up in yourselves that you missed that? Dad and I are always there for you guys....to cheer you on, to encourage you, to support you. Have you shown that to Dad? That's what I expect in this family. We need to be each other's biggest supporters and cheerleaders. And quite honestly I'm disappointed that not one of you congratulated him. This move is not about you. I know you'd like to think it is, but it's not. This is about what we are being called to do as a family. Dad and I never take a decision about our family lightly. We consider several things, weigh options, and pray hard for direction before we commit to something so big for our family. We know that just because we want something, it doesn't mean that is what is best for us. And sometimes following where God leads us is not the easy thing to do. And we are striving to do the right thing, not the easy thing. And when God opens doors...ya don't stand in the doorway and bang your head on the doorjamb....you walk through it. And we are choosing to walk through it. So, no more negativity. We are gonna choose to be excited and find the positive and sometimes its just a choice. Its ok to be sad....its ok to shed tears over it. But you need to recognize that everyone will be impacted by this move. And even though that's scary....we're going to do it together. And that is the greatest blessing.
End of lecture. :)
And that was that. Each one...on their own...found their way to tell Dad congrats. We when went to visit, we stopped and everyone got to pick out some kind of spirit wear for the new school. We have continued to recognize all the things we will be missing from around here....with some sadness to go along with it, but we also have begun to share about some very exciting things on the horizon. I felt that they just needed to be reminded that Dad and I got this! We want what is best for our family. And its been a reminder for me that God does the same with me. He's got this! And He expects me to delight in the joys He provides and even in the difficult times I should delight. He is with us and just as I want the kids to trust my husband and I....God desires the same for me. I'm trying to remind myself that I'm not in control and ultimately...He's got this! Now, where are my boxes? Time to pack. :)
This impending move means a great distance from where we currently live. And it means leaving all our friends, our church and the comfort of knowing the area. It means starting over in a way. Where will we go to church? Where will I grocery shop? Where are the good parks? How do I sign kids up for sports? How do I begin to forge relationships with a whole new district of teachers that will be working with my children? When will the new place feel like home? I can pretty much answer each of those questions in the same way....short answer: I don't know. What I have learned over this last year, is that I have no control over anything. But if I am faithful God will take care of all of my anxieties. And that's not always an easy thing to do. Truth is, I'm a bit of a control freak. I need to know what is going on so I can have a plan and be prepared. But, as I have learned lately, God does not always do things in a way where we know what's happening so we can plan. And I believe He does so in a way so that we become more reliant and closer to Him. I am trying to teach my children that faithfulness may not be easy at times, it is what we are called to do and we as a family are gonna do just that.
People have asked me how my children are doing with the knowledge that they are really moving from all they have known. My response is, "Depends on the day and time and who asks them." And I'm ok with that. My husband and I recognize that this will not be easy for any of us. When we first told the kids that Dad took a new job and we will be moving, it was a difficult discussion. The four older kids shed some tears, and Mom and Dad shed some with them. That was on a Sunday night. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday went by and my husband and I continued to see moody attitudes, long faces, tears and a lot of chatter about how this move was gonna impact their lives. On Thursday I had had enough of the negativity. This move had a lot of scariness about it, but it also has a lot of excitement and joy in it. It was time to delight in the joy.
So on that Thursday I talked to my children and laid a few things out for them to think about. The following day we were going to visit the new school as a family. It would be the first time that the 2 oldest had been to the area. So here's basically what I told them: Your Dad and I gave you a few days to be sad...time to get over it. No more negative talk....no more disrespectful attitudes. Do you know how many 'I' statements you have made over the last several days verses how many 'family' statements have you made? Did you even tell your Dad congratulations or have you been so wrapped up in yourselves that you missed that? Dad and I are always there for you guys....to cheer you on, to encourage you, to support you. Have you shown that to Dad? That's what I expect in this family. We need to be each other's biggest supporters and cheerleaders. And quite honestly I'm disappointed that not one of you congratulated him. This move is not about you. I know you'd like to think it is, but it's not. This is about what we are being called to do as a family. Dad and I never take a decision about our family lightly. We consider several things, weigh options, and pray hard for direction before we commit to something so big for our family. We know that just because we want something, it doesn't mean that is what is best for us. And sometimes following where God leads us is not the easy thing to do. And we are striving to do the right thing, not the easy thing. And when God opens doors...ya don't stand in the doorway and bang your head on the doorjamb....you walk through it. And we are choosing to walk through it. So, no more negativity. We are gonna choose to be excited and find the positive and sometimes its just a choice. Its ok to be sad....its ok to shed tears over it. But you need to recognize that everyone will be impacted by this move. And even though that's scary....we're going to do it together. And that is the greatest blessing.
End of lecture. :)
And that was that. Each one...on their own...found their way to tell Dad congrats. We when went to visit, we stopped and everyone got to pick out some kind of spirit wear for the new school. We have continued to recognize all the things we will be missing from around here....with some sadness to go along with it, but we also have begun to share about some very exciting things on the horizon. I felt that they just needed to be reminded that Dad and I got this! We want what is best for our family. And its been a reminder for me that God does the same with me. He's got this! And He expects me to delight in the joys He provides and even in the difficult times I should delight. He is with us and just as I want the kids to trust my husband and I....God desires the same for me. I'm trying to remind myself that I'm not in control and ultimately...He's got this! Now, where are my boxes? Time to pack. :)
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