Just reading back to my first and only post of 2011 and pondering my choice to focus on contentment. I should have known that the Lord would use that to stretch and challenge me in a new, unexpected way.
We just found out late last week that we are moving. Back to Texas. Mark got a wonderful job at an amazing company and we will have the opportunity to be close to his parents. So close in fact they are letting our zoo invade their wonderful home until our house sells.
I should have chosen the word bittersweet. It is a sweet opportunity before us, to give our kids time with their grandparents, for Mark to take more seminary classes, for us to take advantage of the Texas economy and save, save, save.
It is bitter because we are leaving our home. Yes, we have only lived here 3 1/2 years but the depth of our time and experiences go way beyond that. We were richly blessed with an amazing church, the best of friends and a thousand opportunities to serve the kingdom. It is hard to say goodbye to that, no matter how sweet the other end will be. Very, very hard.
In the short time I've had to let this sink in, I'm reminded that no matter how wonderful our lives were here, they're nothing like they will be in heaven. This life is temporary with a capital T, we are vapors in the wind. Our eyes should continually be on the eternal, the promised home of heaven.
So my lesson in contentment is to not get too content. To not hold too tightly to things and comforts that will pass away. The relationships we've made will go with us and I hope, hope, hope, we will be able to continue to nourish and grow those friendships despite the distance. And no matter what, the Lord is good and He goes with us.
Looking again to Psalm 16:9, "The mind of man plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps."
