After many years and many angst-ridden conversations, we finally did it. My husband and I packed up our home where we had lived for twenty years, where our children had been born and raised and sent off to take the world, and where we had spent almost all of our married lives.
For many years we had been dreaming of a move from the suburbs to the country, to a place where we could b-r-e-a-t-h-e. We really had had our fill of the suburbs/city and hoped to spend our empty-nest years in a place that would feed our souls with bigger skies, endless fields, and tiny towns with funny names. And we found it . . . by God’s grace, we found it.
We had humbly asked God for provision–a place with a few minor amenities. Coming from McMansion-ville, we knew we had probably lost all concept of what really constitutes a “house.” We didn’t need big and impressive . . . We just wanted a simple, sturdy home with a basement, a little bit of land, and a pole barn for a workshop for Tom. And you know what? God delivered. He didn’t have to, but he did. All that we asked–and a little bit more (which seems to be His way, ya know?).
So here we are, nestled in the country. The adventure began on October 29 of last year for Tom, who had to spend the night in a very cold house in order to take arrival of heating oil the next day. I arrived (to a warm house) on Saturday, Halloween. We had two twin mattresses on the floor, a chair, a TV (hookup happened on Saturday–can’t go too long without a TV), and not much else. The first couple of weeks meant a lot of cleaning, for the house had sat for over a year. (Ever have to clean a fridge that has sat closed for a year? You don’t wanna know. Tom did it and I will be forever grateful.)
We moved in all of our furniture the weekend after Thanksgiving–renting a 27-foot Ryder truck that carried all of our belongings from Illinois (we emptied the truck), then all of our belongings from three storage units locally (two more trips with a full truck, which we emptied). Thank goodness for strong college boys–but after filling and emptying that huge truck three times in three days, we were exhausted but happy.
We aren’t exactly sure why we’re here–all we know is that this is where God wants us. Tom compares us to Abraham and Sarah being called away from one place to settle in another, with not much more to go on then a sense of God’s guidance (which, of course should be enough).
So now we’re Hoosiers. Happy Hoosiers. Green acres we are there!
Linda Taylor: Teacher, Editor, Publishing Professional 