Featured image: The movers took the heavy things, friends shouldered much, too. Thanks to all!

Cogitation 48 Sunday 2 December 2018   I messed up my numbering system on 29 September. Oh my. I know there are 52 weeks in the year and I was pretty sure I posted a blog every week so far. Sorry for any confusion this has caused for number-minded readers–or archivists.

This has been a chapter-closing-chapter-opening-page-turning-week for us. We are now at home in independent living at Greencroft Goshen, a continuing care retirement community.

If there’s a metaphor for moving I’d say a move is like a bridge of boxes. Boxes, boxes, boxes, enough boxes to build a house.

We bought our house in November 1976. Now 42 years later we are bent on creating a new home here.

 

Leaving our house behind

On Tuesday, the day we closed on the sale of our house, pastors Carolyn Gardner Hunt and Frances Ringenberg came to the house and led a blessing for our transition.

One of the phrases we read in the litany was this:

“From the time we first turned the key n the lock until today

Through these doors we welcomed our friends and family , , ,

With them, we marked the holidays and the milestones of our lives

They helped make this house our home.”

The prayer included,, “Blessed are  you, Eternal God. We praised you for your creation of John and Marty and your creation of this beloved place where they have lived and walked . . . Go before John and Marty to their new home and on the roads they will walk in Goshen.”

As you might imagine, the week was full. I still have the Friday, November 23 Toronto Star to read. Time with family and friends in Ontario was just so very fine.

 

The seven hour journey home

The pictures I share this week are of our trip home last Sunday, featuring mostly late afternoon travel through Michigan.

Fr

 

Light for life’s journey

From Truro Cathedral, Cornwall, UK, these works from a prayer in lighting a candle: “As I gaze into its reassuring flame I see its single luminosity burning a million suns, its rays of light reaching beyond the stars and its silent message echoing throughout eternity.”

I’m happy for the opportunity to start a new chapter of our lives in a new city, in a good retirement community, where lifelong memories move with us “in this now which lasts forever.” (last phrase from Truro Cathedral card).

Journey well.

-John