Tuesday, April 4

Bridging the Gap
We're moving. And that's a really good thing. I have no doubt that this opportunity is from God. And I am excited about what God will do with and through us in this new place in our lives.

I've been praying for so long that this would happen, and this new job for Mike is certainly an answer to prayer. I'm still praying about a job for me in which God can use the talents and gifts He has given me.

This is a good and lovely thing, this move. But I don't believe that following God's will for our lives is always easy. This move breaks my heart. A casual friend said to me one day that the move would be easier for Mike and the kids because I would make it easy for them. It was such an off-hand comment, but it has felt so true to me. In the end, it is my heart that breaks with this leaving business.

Mike will have ready-made friends in his new department (and he's not much of a friend guy anyway), and Griff & Eliza will make friends quickly. It'll be me missing the comfort of my girlfriends.

And yet, I've moved before. My oldest friend in the world has been my friend since I was in my early teens, and she lives a state away. But we talk almost daily via email. Two of my other close friends are from my college life, now more than a decade past. Email, again, keeps us in touch.

Email, blogging, and flickr keep me in touch with friends I've made while living here. I'm not the first one to move away, and yet, those friendships remain. I love my cell phone and the nationwide minutes. If I'm driving along and think of something someone should know, I just hit the speed dial.

It seems odd that something as cold as technology will contribute so heavily to keeping the warmth and closeness in my relationships. But it will. I'll call Mandy ever day on my cell, and I'll expect to see news of Aleece's baby on her blog, and I'll anticipate those emails from LeeAnn.

Email specials from the airlines will keep me in cheap tickets to see Mika and Tara, and Snapfish will keep the photo postcards flying to family.

And it all sounds so lovely, and I know from experience that it works. But today, still, I'm feeling a little heart-breaky about it all. I just keep reminding myself that God didn't call me to an easy path, but He did call me to listen to Him and to follow Him. And in this moment, I'm sure we're doing that.

[  posted by Chel on Tuesday, April 04, 2006  ]
[   4 comments  ]

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4 Comments:

Michele,
I hope your move goes well -- you'll have to keep us updated via your blog! I also agree that being able to keep in touch with people via email adds an extra layer to friendships we have "in person."

It's hard to get together with people every day, but when you can keep in touch other ways, it makes those special face-to-face conversations even better because you've kept up with the small daily things.

Thanks for sharing with us!

By  Heather Ivester, at 7:51 AM  

Chel - I know moving is a hard thing. I have done one major one in my life and it still breaks my heart sometimes. But as you said, we have the internet (bloggin, Flickr), cell-phones and email to stay in contact with those we cherish. It is much easier in this day and age.
And you are right, God never said that our life would be easier if we follow Him, but He will be there with us at every step we take.
Praying for your move to easy, my dear sister in Christ.

By  eph2810, at 8:18 AM  

hey chel! you are so right when you say sometimes the best things (and choices) in life are usually not the easy path. but i suspect that with this move you will make some awesome and lifelong friends.

thanks for encourgement, I really appreciate your thoughtfulness.

blessings!
lisa

By  Radical One, at 5:52 PM  

Moving can be an adventure - and technology will help.

;-)

By  Anonymous, at 7:59 PM  

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