Sep. 29, 2009 - Life is Always Full of New Adventures

Well, Caleb is now 10 months old, so it must be time for an announcement.  So I have a very special announcement to make.

Ready…

What do you think I am going to announce?

I bet it’s not what you think. 

We are moving to North Carolina at the beginning of November.

Not what you expected is it.  It is honestly something that I never thought I would even think about, much less say out loud.  It is one location that never even crossed my mind as a place I may live.  I hate basketball and auto racing.  I hear both are very popular in North Carolina. 

Now you know why I have not been blogging lately.  My heart and mind and hands have been busy preparing for this.

I can hear you asking already, why North Carolina?  Well, this adventure started in July when Sean came home from work and announced that his employer would be laying off ¼ of the production employees at the beginning of August.  Someone asked if they would be recalled and the corporate officer said, no and told the employees the plant would eventually be closing. (well, he did not use those exact words, but the writing is on the wall.)  The employees were told they would be able to apply to one of the four other job sites if they wanted to transfer. 

At first we were not open to a transfer.  Our family is settled here.  We love our church family.  We all have friends here.  We are close to our extended family (if you consider 6 hours close).  Sean is a bi-vocational pastor. 

Sean had been applying for jobs for the last 18 months and had not even gotten an interview.  Jobs can be found here, but they often do not pay enough to support a family.  Sean decided to apply for a transfer just to see what they would offer.  We began to pray for him to get a job locally as he continued to send out resumes and put in applications.  Nothing surfaced.

Soon before vacation, he was offered a transfer.  In September he went to North Carolina on a fact finding mission.  He toured the area, the plant, the local housing market and even a UNC campus. 

When he returned we went out for dessert and asked for my final input.  Then it was decision time for him.  Before he made the final decision he informed the other Pastor at our church.  After telling our church family, we are now announcing it to our friends and family. 

It has truly been one of the hardest decisions Sean has ever made in his entire life.  There are so many people to consider, our church family, our extended family, our children.  The decision caused Sean many sleepless nights and stomach-turning days.  He has felt the weight of the world on his shoulders for two months now.  It has caused him to turn to the Lord for direction in a way he has rarely had to do before.  His time with the Lord has been challenging and encouraging. 

Planning a move 1000 miles away is a strange thing.  We will move to a new home town with only Sean having seen the location.  We are in the process of grieving the end of our time here, yet excited about what God has in store for us in our new home.  We are grieving the leaving of our church family and our friends, but trying to be excited about the new people God has planned for our future.  We are grieving the end of ministry here to people we love and people who are so like minded to us.  We will miss them more than words can even say. 

I have a new appreciation of our military families who move every few years.  What a hard cycle.  Move to a new location.  Learn a new town.  Find a new church.  Make new friends.  Learn a new culture.  Then get orders to move again.  Praying for our military families is so important. 

Then my mind goes to families who go overseas as missionaries and the family they leave behind.  What a sacrifice for all involved there.  But missionaries often feel the sting of leaving when they come home for furlough; they are leaving their ministry they love to come home to the family they love.  Then when they go back to their ministry, they leave the family they love for the ministry they love.  Their hearts must break on both ends. 

Please be in prayer for us as we prepare to move.  We will be selling our home here and are not sure what we are going to do once we get there.  We will probably rent for awhile but finding a home for us may prove difficult.  But God knows.  We would really prefer to rent a home, but don’t want to sign a year lease. 

Pray for us to find a church family where we can serve faithfully.  Sean would love to be able to assist the Pastor and the church family in any way he can.

Pray for the children.  They don’t want to move (none of us do).  But sometimes God moves us to new places, and we don’t understand why, but we need to remain faithful.  Some may fight against bitterness of leaving their friends and activities, but we are continuing to encourage them to do what is right and be thankful we live in a time when they can still keep in contact with their friends here. 

We expect that you will all plan your vacations around us now.  We will be close to all sorts of wonderful historic things.  We will be close to the “mountains” and the ocean.  We are hoping to be able to buy a home that will have a guest area so you can stay with us. 

Thanks for praying for us.

Susan 

Sep. 29, 2009 - hello

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