Once Upon a Time: When our family moved

Once upon a time
our family moved.
Again.
And Again.

Not really the stuff of fairy tales.

And the castle we bought,
is going on the market.
Our hearts are heavy with this loss.

And the princes and princesses that live just around the corner at Auntie's house,
will live in a different land,
that my own prince and princess will not understand
cannot be reached in a short car ride.
Our hearts are heavy with this loss.

I wonder if I am only sleeping,
and the kiss of my true love will wake me,
and all of this will be someone else's story.
It feels that unreal that we are moving.
Again.

Returning to Southern California,
a place we love,
to people we love.
We are grateful we have it and them to return to.
A home.

But our hearts are heavy with the loss of Portland.
Of what we hoped to find and be and do.

I'm sure if you are reading this,
you have more questions than answers.

Welcome to the club.

Here's what we know:

We will continue to serve with WMF,
albeit remotely.
And we will try to walk through what this year has been,
and grieve.
And learn.
And dream again.

Here's something else I know:

I used to think I had to live a big life.
Change the world.
Dream big dreams.
Chase those big dreams.
And if I didn't,
I failed God and His Kingdom.

Maybe it's because I've lost the idealism of my youth,
but what I believe is living a big life now,
is the one spent
loving my husband,
serving my family,
helping my neighbor,
feeding they guy holding a sign on the corner,
listening to a friend,
hugging my boy,
and tickling my girl's back.
It's just doing what is in front of me today.
It's being present.
In a world where busy is the norm
and people have more money than time.
Offering a still place to be and grow and dig deep
is living a big life.

It's about offering space,
to plant a tree.