6 Week Check-Up

It’s been 6 weeks today, since the big move.

I figured that’s a good time to do a little check-up, or check-in with how everyone is doing.

Whenever you give birth, have surgery, or break a bone 6 weeks seems like a big marker for a check up on how things are healing and settling into the new norm.

A couple things stand out to me; the areas that we thrived in before, we still thrive, the areas we struggled, we still struggle.

Joy filled people are happy and strugglers struggle.

Moving does not create anything; it just rearranges and brings to light what was already there.

It’s a little like cleaning behind the fridge or stove, you don’t know what it really behind there until you MOVE it.

I think any kind of change or move or pressure just brings to the surface more readily what is in a person. 

Pressure is what brings out character.

So needless to say I think we have all found some stuff that can use some clean-up in our character, and some stuff that makes us feel like we are in better shape than we realized.

We were praying for clarity while Charlie was in Uganda and the only thing that is clear is that he in not moving here super soon.  We are bummed about that, but we also are thankful that God make it clear and we trust Him, so we will just keep asking Him to show us the way and walk in it.

There are a couple of advantages to living life apart with married visitations (wink); we are super intentional with our time together as a couple and a family. You know when you only have a few days, to not waste any of it.  The funny thing is, our usual definition of not wasting time, is to go faster and fit in as much as possible.

 We have learned to slow down and savor each moment.

I have realized thru this move that I have lived a big portion of my life pretty much unconscious or at least on auto-pilot.  The things I do, and the places I go, have been pretty much the same over the years.  There would be seasonal changes and a new baby, or adoption, or marriage to celebrate but even thru all the changes, so many things remained the same for me.

 

I have had to pay closer attention these days, wake up and think thru everything.  So, while my brain and GPS feel exhausted at the end of most days, it’s been good to wake-up and learn to be more intentional with each day.

This move is full of new territory and character building opportunities.

Romans 5:3-5 New Living Translation (NLT)

3 We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. 4 And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation.5 And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.