The truck and trailer are packed (to the GILLS... shoulda bought stock in U-Haul), the family van is prepped. T minus 30 minutes and counting. In three days and 1500 miles we'll be at the "next chapter".
(My five year-old, Little Miss Puff, finding nothing else in the house to sit on, has just plopped herself on my back as I lay here in my room and type this post on my phone. Now, she's singing a snowy Christmas song, with a big finish. Now she's using the staples still stuck in the baseboard as a makeshift Kalimba.)
We have been - and continue to be - blessed beyond words by the amazing way our family-in-Christ have rallied around us. Were it not for them, the sheer magnitude of this endeavor would have undone us, weeks ago. Thank you, Lord, for the many ways You take care of us.
Friends, please continue to pray us to the Northwest.
So much craziness now, with 4 days left until Lift-Off! We've been seeking God's peace and grace among all the tasks. He remains the "Hub", even as our life's "wheel" seems to be spinning faster!
Had a nice talk tonight with a friend ("CP") whose family will be moving to the same area, around the same time. We are so grateful to God for the miraculous way he brings people together from all over! Praise Him for "instant community".
(Read this post from the "Life at Providence Lodge" blog: Caspian)
During our first trip to our new home state, we met a couple in Eureka who had a pair of these big beauties, and we were impressed by how lovable -- yet formidable -- these mountain-bred dogs are.
"So FATHER, we do ask You to grant us land enough to live from, and a sturdy canine or two to guard our home and children."
If you will join with us in prayer for fertile land in NW Montana, please leave a comment on this post. Thank you all for your dear fellowship in Christ.
Reserved the moving truck? Check.
Packed more boxes? Check.
Changed poopy diapers with a smile? Check... times 3!
Destroy the fabled Calvi Playhouse? Check.
Go on a date with the Mrs. to Yellow Deli? Check.
"...WHOA, HOLD THE PHONE. Back up just a bit.
You did what to the playhouse?"
Well, I didn't actually destroy it. Here's how it went.
We decided yesterday that, while the idea sounded great at first, there was no way we could take the playhouse with us to our new home 1,300 miles away. So I Craigslisted it under the "FREE STUFF" section...
I got over 20 calls in less than 1 hour. My phone was ringing off the hook! So, I briefly tried to test the "bites" and see if I could persuade any of the calls to pay some cash for it. You know, auction it to the highest bidder? Well, that didn't take. No one wanted to spend the time and energy disassembling and hauling off a 2,000-pound playhouse, and have to pay for it, too. So, back to "free" it went.
Now, when I built this thing, I had my 5 children's safety in mind above all else. So I double-screwed every joint (pretty much). Little did I know how hard that would make it to take apart! (My new "Craigs-friends" Franky & Johnny (NTRN's) would later say that the house was built like a tank.)
I spent a lot of time, money, love and attention on that little shack. And now, she's gone in 5 hours. I think I underestimated how much this "donation" would take the wind out of my sails. Still, in all of this, I have learned how to build, how to tear down; how to create and how to let go of the creation.
And that was just from a little 6'x8' shack. I can't imagine how challenging it will be to "let go" of any of my children as they carve out their own futures and families. I mean, it's hard enough leaving my church, my home state, my income and my career. :-)
So, I'm reading the Living Freedom blog from Claire Wolfe (of Backwoods Home Magazine fame), and who should I see - incognito - but my cool cousin "Gerri"? How fun.
Why are you leaving Southern California?
We have lived in SoCal all of our lives (except for Ric's 2-year tour with the U.S. Army in Fort Stewart, GA), and since we were married, we have always dreamed of a more rural existence among wide-open spaces ("WOS"). It just so happens that most of our dearest, most trustworthy friends are "transplants" from other U.S. regions, who have given us a glimpse into other lifestyles and viewpoints.
We have seen, firsthand and for decades, how this densely-populated area has become heavily-dependent on convenience, consumerism and spurious entertainment. We believe this "colonized" mindset infiltrates all facets of life here, including matters and practices of faith. In short, it sort of resembles a modern "Tower of Babel". So, in order to pursue an environment that has the propensity toward greater peace and sustainability, we believe it's in our best interest to relocate, that we may begin "A Different Legacy".
Why Montana?
Short question, long answer(s). Ready?
Our country was founded as a Republic, not a Democracy (see the John Birch Society's "Overview of America"... go ahead and view all 29 minutes of this extraordinary video). However, our legislators here in the Golden State seem to have forgotten that. Or maybe they were never taught that, having been largely educated in the public/government school system. Well, the truth of the matter, I regrettably inform you, is that they want the people to remain ignorant of their history, that they may annihilate our Republic from the inside out, creating something exactly opposite in its place. (This is a recurring cycle in history, that most people are too complacent to recognize, let alone act on.) The United States' founding documents, most notably the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution were written, I surmise, to empower her citizens against the tyranny of an all-encompassing and invasive government — whether from distant shores, or right in our midst. My research and recent experience has led me to believe that Montana is among the more Constitutionally-governed states... while California government continues in a trend toward the opposite, invading every conceivable sphere of our existence. One can hardly buy a light bulb or flush a toilet without this state's government — and even the federal government — dictating how.
Average number of firearms per household? Twenty-Seven! Mm, Mm-mmm! (This document lists a lot of reasons to live there.)
"I'm... dreaming of a.... _________ ___________" (Yes, yes, I'm aware that the novelty of snow will wear off faster than I can say "below zero". Still, this will be the first time in 15 years that I will be listening to Christmas music for purely non-professional reasons!)
The more harsh the climate, the more "filtered" the population.
Buying land is actually an attainable goal.
Together as a family, we want to take on the challenge of a more God-reliant, agrarian lifestyle. We believe that as national and international events continue to unfold, greater skill in self-sustenance will be absolutely vital. If/when "Grid" systems fail due to natural or artificial causes, we would like to be able to experience very little interruption of our normal standard of living. So, becoming less reliant on large-scale systems of convenience can equate to becoming more reliant on Christ and His work in and through us. That is our hope, in Him.
I could go on and on, but the real bottom line is that we Calvi's are united in our belief that the Spirit of the Lord — for some as-yet undisclosed reason(s) — is calling us there. And where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. (2 Corinthians 3:12, 17 / John 3:8)
"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go." — Joshua 1:9 (emphasis mine)
I want to tell you a story, one that started eight years ago.
I was sitting in my new office at Daybreak Church, which (at the time) shared a door with the main sanctuary, which I had propped open. I was working at my desk, and the sanctuary was unlit. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw someone walk to the front row of chairs, and kneel down quietly to pray, probably counting on being unseen. When I looked over at him, I realized he was a military (Navy) guy, in fatigues. When he was done praying, I introduced myself to him, and we started a friendly dialogue that has only deepened and broadened these last eight years. Today, I count him as a brother-from-another-mother, one of my closest friends, whom I would trust not only with my life, but with my family's lives as well. He is significantly larger than me in stature (a nice feature to have in a friend, but not so much in enemies), and yet his meekness and humility have always exemplified Christ in a very real way. Through all the trials we have helped each other bear, through all the victories, he has become one of what we call "the 2a.m. phone call club". I don't have to explain that one.
So it was a fitting and divine appointment that, recently on one of my last days in the main sanctuary of our church, I should unexpectedly find him once again, in uniform, come to lay his burdens before the Lord in prayer. My friend — and you know who you are — you truly are "God's Man". I hope to find that the Lord brings your family, also, to the Flathead Valley soon. You have my deepest respect and gratitude for your permanent friendship.
Yesterday was my last Sunday leading worship for the foreseeable future. But now that I think about it, all of the future is unforeseeable, right? Who knows what I'll be doing with my time, even a month from now? I think a little "new home vacation" might be in order. We'll need a little "pause" to enjoy this change with our kids... in "God's Country". :-)
All my brothers and sisters in Christ here have been so encouraging and generous these last few weeks — as usual, of course, but it seems concentrated, lately. (It feels like I've put on at least 5 pounds from all the "farewell lunches" I've been invited to!) Everything seems so surreal right now. Right now I'm fighting off a headache, from lack of sleep, but I'm sure that some unexpressed emotion or stress has something to do with it. We trust God for the outcome of all of this, but the "legwork" required is quite dizzying. Even so, the little miracles he provides are evidence of His concern for even the smallest details. Like this:
Today, I sent off a rental application to a property management group in Kalispell, and what should come across my desk today, but an anonymous greeting card with the exact amount of the rental application fee enclosed! Wow!
Please pray for us as we look for the joy and excitement amidst all the busy-ness of uprooting and replanting our lives.
How many of you remember this slogan of those "pioneers of the wine cooler"?
"Thank you for your support, and keep those cards and letters coming." :-)
I'd like to piggy-back off of that sentiment by asking those of you who in the blogosphere to leave comments on these posts, whenever you feel like it. It's good to know who's out there!
"The king is not saved by his great army; a warrior is not delivered by his great strength. The war horse is a false hope for salvation, and by its great might it cannot rescue."
http://bible.us/Ps33.16.ESV
I've always said how much I hate moving. You know what I mean — all the junk-purging, box-labeling, dust-bunny killing, muscle-wrenching, BenGay-smelling madness. It's enough to convince even the most nomadic wanderer to plunk down roots FOREVER!
(OK, I went away there for a while, but I'm back now...)
Anyway, all that angst aside, it is gloriously invigorating to imagine our family in a completely different life. And perhaps this "imagining" is a clue to my greatest struggle during this season of my life. You see, by design and default, I am what I call a "realist". (My DW jokingly refers to my "pessimism" as the providential opposite of her optimism.) Not only do I see the glass as half-empty quite often, I often take it to the extreme (another of my wife's wise assessments :-) by brooding over such other related topics:
How in the world am I going to procure the H2O necessary to fill that glass enough to hydrate my entire family?
How can I make sure that the water in that glass is a refreshing 60°F in the summer, and how can I be sure that I don't freeze my glass off in the Montana Winter?
What if I can't find employment or a source of revenue sufficient enough to afford the glass rental?
When will I be able to afford a down payment on my own little 10-acre glass?
My only hope, my only anchor is my Sovereign, King Jesus. As I look back over the course of my life — and my family's — I know he's had me covered, all along. So, I have no reason to entertain and nurture the fear that He will all-of-a-sudden just up and desert me. He does love me, after all, and even good old Apostle Peter says I can throw all my cares on Him, 'cuz He cares for me! (1 Peter 5:6-11)
So today, I'm going to take one step at a time. I'm going to do what I can do, and leave the rest (and there is a lot more, let me tell you) to God. I'm going to IMAGINE the BEST. I hear Him speaking to my heart, "Go ahead and move forward, I'll never leave you, I'll never forsake you. Be strong and courageous...
...and go ahead and jump in the glass, the water's fine."
And in the words of the Reverend James Cleveland: "I... don't... feel no-ways tired! I've come too far from where I've started from Nobody told me the road would be easy, But I don't believe He brought me this far to just leave me!"
I've entered into a dialogue with someone on the inside. Someone who, for the last 7 years, has been living the life we're aiming for.
Let me tell you -- from what I'm hearing, we're in for a rough ride.
From a human standpoint, we are conspicuously lacking in skills, money and experience. Every time I receive a correspondence from my new friend (and he is undoubtedly a friend, as evidenced by his generosity, concern and candor!), I find myself wanting to... I don't know — cry, maybe.
But here's the thing: I believe it would be both foolish and unconscionable to revert to the "familiar" existence I've known thus far. Indeed, it seems the Lord has providentially prevented us from doing so. So my family finds ourselves at a crisis of faith...
Move forward into the unknown, armed with nothing but faith — or stay with what is comfortable and familiar. Never before has it become so necessary for us to take Jesus at His word in Matthew 6:25-34.
Please, friends, pray for us. "Lord, we believe -- help our unbelief."
