Sunday, April 27, 2014

Fare thee well


Today is Adrian’s last day of work here.  Tomorrow we leave and start our 3000 km journey to our new home.

I don’t want to go, but I know we have to.  We are called to move.  While we deliberated the call, it was easy to see how God was calling us onward, yet when we said yes, it suddenly became a much bigger deal.

Though I have moved 9 times in my life (4 of which were large, either across Canada or to Australia), I find this place harder to leave.  It has become my home.  Maybe it’s because we started our marriage here, or because our three sons were born here.  Maybe it’s the stage of life.  Maybe it’s the beauty of this place or the people who live here.  Maybe it’s the memories that crowded the empty house we cleaned yesterday.

All I know is that it is time to say goodbye, or rather “farewell”.

Fare well, my beautiful town with your lovely, pristine beaches. Fare well, first house of our marriage – the place where our children grew, where I painted a tree on the wall, where we played and danced and sang, cooked and cleaned and worked.  Fare well to the place that was sometimes unbearable for me – the distance away from nearly everything like when I couldn’t even contemplate going to my grandmother’s funeral.  Fare well to silly poetic thoughts of the glorious and terrifying ocean.  Fare well to friends met and made by all of us.  Fare well to two lovely congregations who have cared for us and challenged us.  Fare well to some of the best coffee.  Fare well to shops where the keepers know me (and the children) by sight and ask after them if they are not with me.  Fare well to windy days and middle of the night towel banks by the front windows in rough rain. 

Fare well to long drives north and west.  Roads known so well, filled with conversations and silly things.  Fare well to walks in the bush and on the beach, around the neighbourhood and over rocks.  Fare well familiar sights and smells.   Farewell lovely people whom I will miss.  Fare well habits and schedules, birds and trees.

Fare well to dreams unfinished, hopes unrealized and plans undone.

I love you, my little house of dreams; goodbye. May God bless this place and these wonderful congregations that made this place home.  We pray God will bless you with a faithful pastor.


Hello to the future, to not knowing what’s around the corner but going boldly where God has called us.  With our home in our hearts (and future vacation plans) we go forward to new dreams, new hopes, new plans. 

Farewell.

4 comments:

  1. Bec--your post made me tear up! I love you--safe journey! God be with you all!
    Ev

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  2. *HUGS*
    I can only imagine the tsunami of feelings we should have when this day comes for us here at some time in the future, my dear sister.

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  3. As I read, I cry because I know your pain first hand, I've been there 6 times in my marriage and it never is without bittersweet feelings. Trust God as you go and know He will hold you through the tears and bless you as He has done thus far. You are in our thoughts and ever in our prayers.
    Love ,
    Mom and Dad

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  4. Dear Bec
    I know how hard it is to move from people you have grown and worked with, though not nearly to the extent of your move...Your clarity in how you state things here brought and continues to bring tears to my eyes, as I too will miss your first home in Australia. Continue to write (both here and elsewhere) as you have time and energy. Praying all goes well in your settling in. Love you loads! Farewell familiar puddle jumping spots! ;)

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