Looking down the mountain

Today I asked Micaela where she wanted to live after Holden Village. Her response… “under water”! I told her I would consider offering pastoral care to those who live in submarines, but my sanity would be in great danger.  This little conversation about sums up where we are – at another crossroads and any idea or geographical location sounds about as good as the next.

We’ve just passed our one-year anniversary with the village! This means we have (roughly) nine months left on our commitment to the village, just enough time to birth a new chapter of our lives.  At this point I have to find our transient life-style comical – because the other views of it are not so uplifting.  I had really thought that my first call (first pastor job) would be a somewhat long term stay – by my standards anything over two years is pretty long term! I will not complain about my call to the village, which has been nothing short of a miraculous gift that I still have to catch myself most days to even believe I live and work here.  Yet, taking this call meant agreeing to a term call (a predetermined end date) of June 5, 2014. 9 months people, I have 9 months to gear up for another move and transition.

Two recent occurrences have been shaping my outlook to this reality.  Most recently I was in Eugene, Oregon at a camp and attending session taught by an incredible community organizer.  This 87 year old man took me on walks just to hear my story, he made me feel worthwhile…what a gift. At the end of our week together he told me his wish for me was for a rooted, loving community.  The pang in my heart told me it was my wish, too.

And this this past spring I attended a Shane Claiborne event where Shane referenced a booked entitled, “The Wisdom of Stability.”  I ordered it, devoured it and cried.  The book (and Shane) talked about the need for people to stay put to actually effect long-term change in a life, a neighborhood, a world.  I do not think the growing number of moves in my life is inherently bad, in fact there is a lot of life being lived and a lot of growth happening.  Yet, a place to call home, a state to say is mine, for my mail to all go to the same address, for beloved Christmas ornaments to hang in the living room and for relationships to have a chance to be planted, grow and bloom…I think staying in one place might help all these things happen.

I know that no matter if we continue to move every 1.4 years (on average) or if we move just one more time and never again after that – God will go before us and remain present with us.  We have yet to be abandoned by this faithful God, and it we are called to the wisdom of stability – I will be thankful.  But, if we’re called to the foolishness of the travelling circus, I will be thankful.