What I Had For Breakfast
I try hard not to talk here about what I had for breakfast. It would be easy to make this all about me and drown you in the mundane issues of my life.
On the other hand, if I never told you anything personal I would only be a disembodied voice wafting around the internet. It’s hard to connect with that. So, in that spirit . . .
Moving
We are leaving the mountains.
*Sigh*
The original plan was to come to the mountains, work via the internet, live simply, blog and write a book. Our youngest son was firmly in college and we were approaching empty-nester-hood so we had the freedom for the first time in a long time.
I wrote my first draft, threw it out, then wrote my second and threw it out. I wrote the outline for my third attempt and this one stuck. I’d written a third of the draft and was as happy as a writer can probably be with his own work.
While it wasn’t perfect, the plan was working, with a few bumps.
Plans Change
Then we got the call that my Mom was in the hospital. Long story short, she moved in with us and I became her care giver. Before I knew it two years had zipped by.
With resources running low I knew it was time to change plans when . . .
Family
My daughter called to let us know she was having a baby. As time went by, things were looking very good for mommy and baby. The two hours to Nashville began to seem very far away. Hmm . . .
Work
Then a friend emailed a job posting that was too good to pass up, a steady gig with time left over to write. More on this later.
I made the call and a week later I was in Nashville for a trial run. Two weeks later I was back again. You see where this is going.
Change Everything
For the past month I’ve been commuting two hours each way and making arrangements. I wake up each morning and wonder why I’m doing this but at the bottom of my first cup of coffee I always find the reason.
Morning brain hates change but coffee brain says ain’t no thang. Coffee brain talks that way. By cup number two at the Starbucks in Manchester, coffee brain thinks he’s Superman.
When I think of having to pick up every thing we own twice, I need coffee brain.
Act, Don’t Think
So this week it’s time to make things happen. The decisions are made. Re-thinking them is only backing up. There’s nothing slower than doubt.
Faith, however, moves mountains. I’m pretty sure it works on sofas, too. It also saves me from morning brain.
When I get tired and overwhelmed I just remember the decision process. We prayed. We talked to friends. We ran the numbers and possible scenarios. We felt peace about it.
Everything will Be Alright
You can’t know the future or plan for every contingency. Plans only last until they hit reality anyway. Whether plans bend or break is beyond our control. But they’re only plans. We can always make new ones.
In the end there are two things I’m sure of:
- The worst thing I can do with my life is nothing.
- God has it under control.
Whether success or failure, joy or pain, now or later, faith tells me it’ll be okay in the end.
And the mountains will always be there.
So, we’re off . . .
They’ll always be there, Dennis. And, selfishly, we are happy to have you back (kinda) close to us! Congrats on the new job; look forward to seeing you!
I can’t wait to see you guys either. I’ll just have to turn the rear view mirror away when I leave. Onward!
I think we are due some coffee time.
Agreed! Preferably not in Manchester.
Your faith and obedience are an inspiration to me! Your faithfulness to care for others is a wonderful example to me! Your willingness to write about your struggles and the way you deal with them is an encouragement to me! Thanks for being a vessel and a conduit of God’s love to me and to so many others!