Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Making the Transition

If you glance to my sidebar, you will notice that I've changed my profile description.  I removed the Titus 2 verse and have replaced it with a sentence inviting readers to follow along as I chronicle our family's transition, not only into a new home, but also into a new community and a new culture.  I believe chronicling our family's transition is part of obeying Titus 2's command for the older women to mentor the younger. 

The need or desire to move to a new area has never been a necessity like it is now for many families.  Although reports indicate a slight improvement in our nation's economic downturn, I continually hear of families and individuals having to make the tough decision to leave their established communities to obtain employment.  It is my prayer that our family's experiences will be a light of encouragement to others who also find themselves not only in new communities and new cultures but, far away from extended family and friends.

I have many acquaintances whom I know to various degrees.  However, I have only two friends.  In my world friends and acquaintances are not the same.  I hold my friends as dear and close to my heart as I hold my own family.  I can be 100% me with my two friends.  They know me and have seen my good (which is pretty great), bad (which is really bad) and my ugly (imagine the bottom side of mud - yuck!) AND they still choose to like and love me.  They are my loudest cheerleaders and, besides the Lord, my greatest supports during times of trials.  I know that if I need something, these two ladies will be there to help me anyway they possibly can.  I truely love them they way I love my own family.

I am a fairly friendly person who doesn't have too much trouble finding and making acquaintances, but since I have trust issues (yes, I wrote that out loud) it is very difficult for me to make genuine friends.  Right now I am trying to figure out how to live day by day, week by week without the companionship of my friends.  Yes, we have the telephone, e-mail, the postal service and prayer, but being 1,500 miles away from them has forced changes in our relationships.  Most days I am fine.  I have LOTS to keep me busy therefore, I don't have much time to dwell on how many miles actually exist between us.  But, I occasionally find myself desiring to invite them over for a meal, or out to the movies for a chick flick.  My heart breaks when I hear that one has been ill and I'm not there to help lighten her load by cooking supper for her family or running an errand.  Knowing that if they need me to help them, as they've helped me so many times in the past, I'm not there - I'm too far away.  All I can do for them is pray, listen over the telephone or send a note of encouragement.  I can't give them a hug, or hold their hand or cook them a meal.  Yup, cooking meals - that's my thing.

Mr.B and I worked tirelessly and saved to extremity for 15 years to achieve the purchase of our new country home.  During all those years of work and saving, I didn't fully grasp that the Lord could, and eventually would, bless us with our dream 1,500 miles away from "home".  How will this aspect of our transition play out?  Will I recover from leaving my friends?  As time passes will we adjust to the distance between us?  Will I ever have the blessing of cooking supper for them again?

5 comments:

  1. I look forward to watching life unfold for you, my husband moved many times in his work in the childrens younger years and we always just got settled and we would be transferred,just make friends and on to move again...now in the one place for 23 years it had taken time but we are settled,love our little home,I am still not fully able to have true friends here,my true heart friends are from school and we have great distance friendships,email and telephone are wonderful,yes we are far away but our hearts ever entwined as yours will be,you will find someone that has been waiting for you to come into their lives I am sure , I just realised I should not have said i have not found true friendship,i have bit I always hold back that tiny little bit of me,I am not sure why,even if you find one friend in your new life amongst many acquaintances it will be lovely.Blessings to you and your family as your journey begins.xx

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  2. I'm also looking forward to reading about your new life. I really enjoy your blog, I pray you have a very good night.

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  3. Ladies thank you for the lovely comments. I always feel so blessed when y'all take time to respond to my ramblings.
    Mrs.B

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  4. Ok...I am crying now! Thank you. I love you and I miss you so much. All I can think about is how, at times, 20 miles was to far to stop in for a visit. Guess God showed me, huh? God willing (and Mr. A) I will see you this year. I will hold you and look into your eyes and drink in my sister whom I miss so much it hurts!

    You are the most amazing sister! I am so blessed to have you in my life. I thank God for you and yours!

    OXOXOXOX,
    Mrs. A

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  5. Mrs. B. You are missed. I miss our movie marathons (Love Comes Softly, Masterpiece Theatre, etc). I miss your cooking and generosity,(when I was sick last month, I laid in bed thinking,'my friend would have had a meal here by now'). I was whiny without you. I miss our field trips and other times together. I miss so much. All that being said, I am happy for your to have been blessed with your dream house. I can't wait to see it, because I will see you. I love you very much and want you to be happy. I will be praying that your dream house become your dream home, too! - Mrs. P

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Thank you for taking time to read my blog and leave a comment. I try my best to respond to each one. God Bless You, Mrs.B