Have you heard the song Pastures New by Nicklecreek? If you have, then you'll know how I'm feeling about moving away from Kentucky, to New Jersey, and ultimately to Eastern PA. The song is wistful, sad, and hopeful at the same time. And that pretty much sums up the mixture of feelings I've been experiencing this past week. I turned in my last assignment of the semester on Tuesday night (well, actually more like 1am Wednesday morning), celebrated a make-shift birthday for Abbie and Matt on Wednesday, then started intensive house-packing on Thursday when my Mom arrived. Matt's parents came in on Friday afternoon, right after I got my tattoo finished (pictures to follow...eventually!) and right before our open house when our friends stopped by to wish us well. More packing Friday night, graduation events on Saturday, more packing, church this morning, final packing, then Matt, his dad, and my mom hit the road around 1:30. Matt's mom, the girls, and I are spending our last night at Asbury Inn, and we'll fly back to Jersey tomorrow afternoon. Needless to say, I haven't had very much down-time to rest, much less process my thoughts and feelings about ending this phase of our lives and beginning the next. So, while I'm sitting in the dark listening to Bella's Lullaby (from the Twilight soundtrack) on repeat in an attempt to get Abbie to finally fall asleep, I'll do one of my favorite things: make a list :-)
Things I'll miss about Kentucky:
the big sky, and especially the amazing sunsets
our church. our small group. our Sunday school class, and all our church friends
Ryan, Aura, and their awesome kids
my professors and classmates who have taught me SO much
Christmas in Wilmore
our first home, where Karis was born
the many odd and goofy "Kentucky Moments" (my favorite was a homemade bumper sticker on a rusty pick-up truck that said "I'm the only hell my mama ever raised." Classic.
seeing tractors and the occasional horse driving/trotting down our street
my friends from school
Ale-8-1
Things I'm looking forward to about PA:
waking up to singing birds
making new friends
being closer to all 4 parents
being closer to the city
seeing our backyard in the fall and winter
moving into a new home
Abbie's Goodnight Moon room
seeing Matt grow into his calling as a minister of the Gospel
I am so thankful that the Lord brought us to Wilmore to begin our life together as a married couple and to start our family. Although we've experienced some extremely lean times, we've lacked for nothing. We've made friends who have loved us and cared for us and our kids, and who have taught us how to really BE friends, even though we knew that our time here was short. The Lord has truly provided for us in every way, which had helped me to trust Him even more.
The church I grew up in had a message in big gold Gothic letters painted on a panel across the ceiling. It said "He Goeth Before." I know that's true for us as we rest in Jersey for the next month, and then as we move to PA to start our ministry. Praise be to the Lord for His faithfulness. How can I repay the Lord for all His goodness to me?
2 comments:
You can't..... just continue to be thankful and watchful. And remember "God is Good~~all the time and all the time~~God is Good!" He sees the BIG picture while we only get to see it day by day.
I think what you can do to show your appreciation is to be a witness. Go spread the Good Word and spread His Love :)
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