Today, I will pack up the rest of the house to move 5 hours away to a foreign familiar land. The place where I grew up and lived over half of my life. The last couple months of this transition I have taken to heart Philippians 4:8, “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable–if anything is excellent or praiseworthy–think about such things.”
I turned off the news, I quit reading several blogs and am terribly behind on many, I pray more and go out of my way to really connect with relational starving people. I had asked God for some type of sign that I really should move back home and begrudgingly put the house up for sale. 48 hours later it was sold. It’s hard to do 2 out of 3 on that one but I wanted another sign..”God would you go ahead of us and help us to follow?” was our household prayer.
On one of my moving expeditions with a huge trailor, a rainbow double was beside the truck for an hour. I stopped at a side road and took this picture. Iroically, when we had moved with the company I worked for almost 7 years ago, a rainbow was arched over the building I would call my work place. I guess we have had several rainbows (literally) in our decision making life (God to angels” if you want Gary to make up his mind. Put out a rainbow).
“Ok Lord, you got this..um, why isn’t the road paved??” (God to angels “you should not have had that old road graded…it’s too nice).
I resonated deeply with G.W’s post. It’s very much worth the read. https://collinsgw.com/2020/06/20/amazed-a-haiku/
I suspect life will change a lot as I haven’t seen around the next corner of life.
Neither have you
Jesus has gone ahead. Lets follow. He summons.
Thanks for sharing, Gary. It sounds like God has you on quite a journey. I follow G.W.’s blog as well; he certainly has a way of saying a lot with few words. God’s best to you.
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Thanks David. Yes, the next page of life will be quite different. Gotta Love G.W.
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Awesome Gary! As you wander onto the path less traveled but is very well known by your Guide let me add our blessings to your journey! May you continue to follow Him down those unknown roads knowing that you are completely safe and being well led. That unpaved road is the perfect place to see the rainbow and know He will never leave nor forsake.
From our family to yours, no matter where the next bend leads, may you always find His joy, peace, hope and faith as your daily bread.
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Thanks Homer
Thats an awesome sendoff. So true. God is the author of dangerous adventures
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For some reason this post never showed on my reader, Gary. I pray for God’s best for you and your family, and I’m satisfied it is His best in the way He leads you. I hope you are able to stay in contact as you follow Him. You have always been a good on-line friend.
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Thanks G.W.
I intend to be online a little more consistant?? But the road ahead may have some potholes and may get narrower. Your blogs inspire and push me…thanks for your online friendship. I now live (just spent first night as a family) close to where the Mississippi river begins.
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May God bless the next chapter of your life!
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Thankyou. I sense He is already doing just that. People showed up to help unload our stuff. Bags of food and plates ready to eat…blessings abound.
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That is amazing!! Celebrate God’s goodness! 🎉🎉🎉
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We really are celebrating. Although we have not found some simple things
..like silverware and the box of bed sheets.
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Sending prayers your way as you take this next step in following the Lord. He knows the way, even when it doesn’t make sense to us or we aren’t so sure about it.
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He does know the way Stephanie. And, no, it doesn’t make sense at this time. The winters are colder here but the fish are bigger…and family is closer. This is definitly going to be interesting
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The Lord takes us by the hand and leads us through this life. It is a pilgrimage, and sometimes we do not fully understand it. I believe as we travel the mountains and valleys, He supports our every step. What feels like a wilderness to us is no wilderness to God. He always has a plan. New journeys open new vistas as well. I look forward to your photos so we can share this passage with you. God bless you and keep you in these coming days.
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Thanks Linda. I fully intend to keep the camera busy and share. Trusting God in the road ahead and around the bends
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You have a gift and it is a blessing that you share it. 🙂
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Sharing is the fun part Linda. The hard part for me is selecting what might connect with readers.
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God will continue to watch over you, Gary.
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Anna, Thanks for the encouragement. In my head, I know He will.
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I hope the move went well, Gary. I know when I moved to Maryland I was overwhelmed w/ boxes (LOL).
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Well… we should have labeled every box with an itemized content list.
In the unpacking game, the boxes are still beating us…but we now have a plan. Hopefully a winning strategy will emerge. We laugh alot so that’s good.
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Many moons in the past a wise general speaking to his soldiers said “may what ever god you worship stand between you and death.”
Happy Gardening
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And we had to move in the middle of gardening season…picking raspberry’s soon though.
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A beautiful read, Gary. Thank you for giving a glimpse into recent days of a brother. I could picture it all so vividly, though my imagery might differ from how it really looked physically. Won’t it be amazing to be in heaven with all things being clearly understood?
As for this:
“I turned off the news, I quit reading several blogs and am terribly behind on many, I pray more and go out of my way to really connect with relational starving people.”
Same here. I still get notified of new blog posts by email, but time has not permitted much more than a mental acknowledgment of “Oh! It is good to be reminded of that blog friend” as that brother or sister is brought to mind. (Hello, GeeDub, if you too are reading this. You and Gary are two of few whose blogs I follow.)
Blessings to you in your new old familiar surroundings, brother Gary!
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Thank you Steeny
I think of you now and then as I have noticed less blogging from you as well. Yes, one needs to take care of the home front first and neighbors and, well, life stuff.
maybe when the drifts are too big to get out the door we will both take some time to read and share on the web again…blessings to you as well and enjoy the rest of the summer.
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