From a Reader: "Why Columbia Falls?"

Aerial view of Columbia Falls in Summer

On my last post I received a comment from a reader, whose question may reflect many of your own: 

"Great post Ric! My heart has been leaning towards the life you describe for many years now; however, my wife is a bit more attached to the conveniences and created comforts of the big city suburb lifestyle. I am curious, what influenced your decision to select Columbia Falls, MT? There are so many different places in the US that offer what you have found in Columbia Falls and it would be interesting, and educational for me, to learn how you selected it. Thanks."   -- D. from California.

Our landing in "C-Falls" (as they call it around here) was a mixed bag of decision and God's providence.  Here's the short story:

After deciding that we wanted to leave California (early 2011), we compared states that were friendly to the 2nd Amendment (as a litmus test for freedom in each state's culture) with states that were friendly to Home Education (another passion of ours).  Of these overlapping states, Idaho and Montana most appealed to us: lots of precipitaion, definitive seasons, fertile land, plenty of varieties of wildlife, etc).  Concurrently, we had heard of both the concept of the American Redoubt and pastor Chuck Baldwin's move to the Flathead Valley, and were interested in how our "story" overlapped with theirs in many ways.  So my Bride and I took a "recon" trip to the Flathead, and really liked it.  A little while later, some friends of ours who had decided to move there too, found a house to rent, while we had not, yet.  We ended up living in a tent in their backyard for 3 months (July - October), while I looked for work (and found my current employer) and we looked for a place to buy or build.  Nothing turned up on the real estate front.  Finally, as it was beginning to get too cold to sleep outside, we knew we had to knuckle down and rent.  Some folks we had begun attending a home church with had a rental duplex unit open up in Columbia Falls (providential!).  It was a 25 minute drive to my work, and the price was right, so we jumped in and unpacked (most of) our stuff from storage.  Here's more of the Providencial part: Public Transportation in the Flathead could bring me pretty much from our new home to my work for about $2/day.  I started using that option, in order to free up our only vehicle for my wife and children to use.  Also, I was able to (necessarily) find a 2nd job in Martin City, 12 minutes from C-Falls.  Furthermore, we bought a 1.5 acre piece of land from my Uncle, who'd just moved to Whitefish (20 minutes NW of C-Falls), whereupon we would eventually build our own home.  Finally, we have landed into a wonderfully encouraging church family, who loves the Word of God and the fellowship of the believers as much as we do: Berean Bible Church, Kalispell.

So, we came up here by faith, with some planning, but the Lord has certainly ordered our steps!  I hope this answers your question, my friend.  Remember Joshua 1:9 --

"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go."

The Price Tag

"We get what we want, but there's always a price."

Our move to the wide-open spaces of Montana, from the populous (and expensive) confines of Southern California has been one of the best life-decisions my dear wife and I have made (by God's grace) in our 21 years of marriage.  (I feel fairly confident to speak on her behalf in this matter :-)  Here are some of the other choices that have benefited us greatly, or allowed us to simplify our lifestyle in an effort to pursue contentment with godliness (1 Timothy 6:6-11):

• Owning one car, and using public transportation when necessary.
• Becoming a one-income-earner family, allowing us to consistently supervise our children's growth and development in accordance with our faith, without relying on (i.e. paying) someone else to do so.
• Home-educating our children, using readily available and straightforward materials, drawing out our children's God-given aptitudes and interests, in accordance with the Scriptures.
• Avoiding involvement in "organized team sports", in order to minimize unnecessary drains on our family's time, attention and finances.
• Preparing most of our food at home, in order to facilitate nightly dinners together, be more healthy and save a lot of money.

Like Abraham in the Scriptures, we left all that was familiar to us and, by faith, moved to a land that was "foreign" to us.  Now, we live in one of the most beautiful places on Earth, and while our means are still humble, God has blessed us with so many incredible relationships and opportunities, including the ongoing effort to purchase and build a house on our own acre-and-a-half of fertile, wooded land.  We are so very grateful to Him for His provision.

Still, this undertaking has come with a price or two.  We are now much further (2-days' drive) from some dear family members, whom we miss very much.  I had to leave the comfortable and familiar venue of "full-time paid church staff work" (notice how I avoided the term "ministry" -- that's a blog post for another day).  Instead, I had to practically change careers, spending at least 2 years before I began to feel confident and adept at this new line of work (2-way radio and internet installation, and radio tower groundwork).  And ultimately, having my earnings reduced by at least 50%.

All that notwithstanding, I wouldn't change a thing.  And now, we have a beautiful new "Made in Montana" addition to our family, firmly "anchoring" us to our residence here, as it were:

Meet "Elliana Mercy Calvi"

So, for those of you contemplating leaving the bustling metropolises of SoCal (or any other densely populated area) for the rural life in wide-open spaces, I would first caution you to be aware that there is a price to pay.  You'll have to trade one lifestyle for another.  It may cost you your "nest egg".  (As the joke goes, "How do you make a million dollars in Montana?  Bring 2 million." :-)  You may have to leave the comfort of your extended family... but who knows?  Some of them may follow you there.  In any case, any major life choice is inevitably followed by a lengthy period of adjustment, as you know.  But for those of us who live by faith in our Creator and Redeemer - King Jesus - our hope and trust in Him is never misplaced.  He provides everything we need!

"As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life."

1 Timothy 6:17-19

So go ahead and grab hold of the rural dream.  With Christ, all things are possible.  Desire Him above all else, and He will work all things together for your good (Romans 8:28).

As always, I welcome your comments.  Have a fruitful day.

--Ric

Moving Forward!

(Our Future Driveway.)

Good day, dear friends and family!  Many apologies for the lapse in time since my last post.  So much has been happening, that I have been admittedly intimidated by how much writing I've needed to do, just to bring you up to speed with what's new with our dreams and goals.  Let me start with a little background...

Since my dear bride and I were married, we have dreamed of having a home in an area full of what we like to call "Wide Open Spaces".  However, in the many years that we lived in Southern California (for a multitude of reasons that could be summed up, in hindsight, as Providence), that dream was never realized.
Then we moved to NW Montana.  And we started to get our bearings.  I found work (I now have employment in Kalispell and Martin City), and our family found encouraging relationships with genuine Christ-followers here, people of all different kinds, with wonderful histories.  During that time, my parents and my Uncle Dave had followed suit in relocating to the Flathead Valley.  After he had purchased 10+ acres of "raw land" just west of Whitefish, Uncle Dave invited us to consider purchasing a portion of his land (given some pretty amazing & unbeatable terms), and to build our future home there, adjacent to the one he was planning to build.  After seeing this beautifully-wooded place and dreaming a lot, we agreed to "partner" with Uncle Dave, who was repeatedly proving to be an instrument of God's grace and provision.

Now, he was waiting for his home in Oregon to sell, before he could "pave the way" in developing that land for use in construction (bringing in an electric line, digging a well, septic, etc) and beginning to build his "mountain house".  So, we waited too.  For over a year.
Then, suddenly, Uncle's house went into escrow!  So, for the last couple of weeks, my Bride and I have been putting our heads together -- and praying a LOT -- over plans to build our home in the woods.  We have staked out the dimensions of what will become our South-facing house...

 

(This is pretty much the exact spot where our home will be built.)

...and have found an amazing local draftsman/engineer/designer who is consulting with us over the continual floor plan revisions and "tweaking" necessary before we build.  He never complains about our barrage of questions and changes; and, he never charges us a penny.  "Who is this guy?", you ask.  Well, we like to call him:
"Uncle Dave".  That's right.

(Uncle Dave, on the left, with us -- visiting an Off-grid friend in Eureka last year.)

And now -- drum roll, please --  Uncle Dave's escrow on his former Oregon home closes tomorrow!  Praise God from Whom all blessings flow!  We are planning to celebrate his "ground-breaking" this Saturday morning.  Of course, our home will probably not begin construction until next Spring, but lots of our prep-work (Septic system, electrical decisions, excavation, etc) will be going on this Summer and into Autumn.

Please continue to pray for us.  Here's what we need prayer for:

• God's divine protection, provision and direction.  (John 15:1-17; Philippians 4:4-13; Proverbs 3:5-6; Psalm 37:4)
• Friends to help us with the labor, when construction begins
• Cooperation from Ric's employers as we work out a harmony of schedules that will accommodate our home-building
• That we will keep Christ at the center of all we do.  (Psalm 24)

Keep this blog bookmarked in your browser, so we can keep you up-to-date on our progress.  May the Lord bless your efforts to serve Him.

--Ric

 

(Clockwise from Left: Chloe, Jenna, Ric, Emily, Caleb, Cassandra and Sophia)

To the "Outback"... and back.

Today, we boldly drove where no minivan has gone before!

We drove out to what I will hereafter refer to as the "Montana Outback":  Elmo, MT!  Checked out a 40 acre parcel that was... I don't even know how to describe it!  Remote.  Scarry.  That's it.

Anyway, having survived that ordeal without a flat tire (wonder of wonders / miracle of miracles), we had some crazy/slap-happy time in the car, courtesy of the Partridge Family, driving back over the same buuuuummpy gravel roads we braved earlier.  As we left the area, we came to 2 conclusions:

1. The desire we would ultimately have for a piece of property was inversely proportionate to the density of detail in the directions on how to arrive there; and
2. We believe the Lord has been leading us to a particular area in NW MT... So let's stay there!!

 So, almost immediately after we decided to live by conclusion #2, a quaint little spot popped up on Craigslist, so we went to check it out.  It was smack in the middle of our desired area, and after having viewed it briefly, every member of the family (including Little Nugget-Baby) gave it a resounding thumbs-up, and our eyes glazed over with dreams of the future.  Yet, we are really trying to not get emotionally attached to this one.  (Yeah, right.)

Keep praying for wisdom, and we'll keep you posted.

Sunday, Sunday, Sunday!

 Well, we have been in Kalispell for 1 week, as of today.  Looking around at the wonder of this countryside, and being saturated with the vibe and ethos of the local culture, I can't help but keep saying to myself, “Why didn't you do this sooner??”

The answer to that must be “It's all in the Lord's timing.”  It's best for me to just leave it at that.

Sometimes, in the middle of the night (after I've escorted one or two of the children to the bathroom), I feel compelled to focus my attention on the truth of God's word, lest I dive into a tailspin of “what if's”.  Like, “What if I can't produce an income?”, or “What if we can't find the land/living arrangements we so desire?”, and a hundred other such gremlins.  It has become an almost nightly ritual of prayer and resisting an aggressive spirit of worry and doubt.  But the Spirit of the Lord comes to my rescue, in the recesses of my mind, and I'm able to go back to sleep, as I dwell on this:

“The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.  He makes me lie down in green pastures.  He leads me beside still waters.  He restores my soul.”  (Psalm 23:1-3a)

We have been intensely sharing time and space with our friends, the Tams (not their real names) since they arrived at the home they purchased from the Nez family, a couple of days after we showed up there.  The last four days have made us look like a couple pioneer families homesteading together.  I mean, no cell service, no landline phone, no paved driveway, no traffic noise, one bathroom for 13 people... For Pete's sake, even our internet service has been down for the last 48 hours!  By today's standards, most would consider this positively medieval.  For us and the Tams?  It's the whole reason we moved here.  This is how deep relationships are truly formed and solidified.  We talk together.  We cook together.  We explore together.  The kids spend so much time on the land and the trampoline that we wonder if they'll ever break for meals (they always do :-).  It feels more like Acts 2:44 than anything I've experienced in a long time.  I don't know how much longer we'll be imposing on the Tams by   “crashing their pad” and camping on their lawn.  (I do know they would lovingly deny that we are an imposition, I'm sure.)  Winter is coming, and by All Saints Day the ground will have frozen and the snow will be abundant, so I've been told.  So my humanity screams “get into a house of your own in the next 60 days, or you'll freeze or go crazy”  and “Get a job or you'll starve” or “Get a 4x4 or you'll crash on the black ice!”  See what I mean?  Just different forms of the “what if's”.  They're sanity-killers.  I mean, I either live like God will make good on His promises to care for me, or I won't.  I do believe that He loves me, and I'm choosing to prayerfully live one day at a time, and to not swallow concern beyond today.  Jesus ordered me not to.  It matters not that we are currently “houseless”: we are being well-cared-for, and we are a grateful family.

So, this Sunday will mark the first time we've had to go church-hunting in about 18 years.  It's a weird feeling.  I have the freedom to stay or go.  I don't have to attend because I'm on the staff, as I have been for the last 15 years.  We're praying that we find a fellowship that both encourages and admonishes, equally so.  Praying for a families we can minister to and be ministered by... praying for new and Christ-honoring friendships for our children.  If you've read this far, please take a moment and pray for us, that the process is a short one.

"Family in a Suitcase"

This is the third fourth time I've started this post, and every time, it's been a challenge to hold back from vomiting my fears and apprehensions about the future.  I will hold them back, and not give them voice, because

1. I don't think it would do anyone any good to broadcast them
2. I'm tired, and I know I get persnickity and curmudgeonly when I'm tired.
3. (most importantly) I believe Scripture teaches that complaining, fretting or anxious-ing (yes, I made that up) does not honor the Lord, and only starts a vicious cycle.

I'm always telling my kids about self-talk: "Be careful what you say about yourself — your heart is listening."  I guess it's time to drink my own medicine.

So instead, I'm going on a "gratitude binge."  I'm going to thank God for the following:

• I have my health, as does my family
• I didn't run out of gas before the little 2-pump station in Melrose, MT
• We have lots of friends and family members who are praying for us, and checking in on us
• We've logged over 1,100 miles of safe driving
• I (Ric) have a little family who loves me, values me highly, and follows me as I follow Christ
• I had a loaded firearm in my truck cab today, and it was legal and normal
• Last night's Ben & Jerry's Mint Chocolate Cookie was out of this world!
• Cassie is talking up a storm
• Sophia is swimming on her own, no floaties!
• The kids are enjoying Montana as much as we parents do.  I can see their dreams inflating often, and we talk about them regularly

Tomorrow, Deo volente, we arrive in Kalispell.

First Stop

We made it, safe and sound, to our first stop in Utah... at 4am (MST)!  Made a 30-point turn (coined by my dear wife) in order to park the rig.

Keep praying for our safety.

The longest journey begins with...

...the first step.

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.

A moment of silence, please

You know, it was generally a good day.

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.  :-)

FAQ #1

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?

1. 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.
2. Montana has huckleberries!  'Nuff said.
3. Natural resources and plenty of water?  Got 'em!
4. No state sales tax.
5. Average number of firearms per household?  Twenty-Seven!  Mm, Mm-mmm!  (This document lists a lot of reasons to live there.)
6. "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!)
7. The more harsh the climate, the more "filtered" the population.
8. Buying land is actually an attainable goal.
9. 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)

Thomas Aquinas

“To one who has faith, no explanation is necessary. To one without faith, no explanation is possible.”

Sunday, Sunday, Sunday!

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.

Moving Day looms large in the near future

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!"

The cat slowly emerges from the bag...

Tomorrow night, I will sit down with the majority of my "posse" (the worship team) and lovingly let them know of my pending relocation.  From the response of those few whom I've already informed, I gather that this will be an emotion-filled season.