We are moved into the house in Haines.  It was pretty crazy there for a while with boxes up to the eyeballs.  But I am still thanking the Lord that we had a clear day last Saturday for the garage sale.  We sold lots of duplicates...beds, coffee pot, iron, etc.

Why did we have so many duplicates?  We are consolidating houses because this past summer was our last at camp.  Yep, a new phase in our lives.  I am still very sad about leaving camp.  No one could ask for a better "backyard" for the kids.  We had very dear friends on staff with us.  This summer we saw almost 950 kids come to camp, many of which accepted Christ as their Savior.  The kids were beginning to develop horsemanship skills.  The list goes on and on.

Yet I look forward with great joy to the future.  My husband will take our retiring pastor's place at the new year.  That means we will not be eating in a rather noisy dining hall with over 100 other people for most meals but rather we will eat at a table with only our family (and guests).  We will not have to use a marine radio phone or a cell phone, neither of which is very reliable, but rather we will be able to pick up the phone any time to call someone.  We will not have to wait for low tide to drive on tidal flats to get to a road and then drive on the road for 30+ miles to get to a gas station or store of any kind but rather we can walk to the store.  The list goes on and on.

Every spring and fall for the past 9 years we have tasted the bittersweet flavor of leaving one place and moving to the other.  Besides our move from Craig (our previous winter home), none has been more strongly flavored than this one.  The tears remain just under the surface, the joy remains in our hearts...God remains constant through it all.  All praise be to Him.