How Many Moves Do I have Left?

As we house-hunted in Mason City for our 14^th move in married life, I wanted the right floor plan.  In previous moves I haven’t felt all that picky thinking that there is always a next house.   This time I was looking for a master bedroom and bath and laundry on the first floor.  Regrettably it didn’t happen.  We ended up with a home much like the home we will move out of in Storm Lake….with bedrooms on the second floor and laundry in the lower level!  On the upside….I need to stay fit and up and down stairs daily will help!

With this move comes territory I haven’t negotiated.  We move without jobs and hence that way to meet people.  We move without children and hence that way to meet people.  We move without a welcoming parish and hence that way to meet people.  As we move to Mason City there are 6 ELCA churches in Mason City and Clear Lake and I’ve never chosen a church to join.  I know I’m not alone many others have negotiated the same things.

And so I wonder how many moves do I have left?

Nature v Nurture

 

When we began the parenting process I had heard of or learned in school of nature vs. nurture.  And in my finite wisdom at that age I believed that yes the child inherits parental genes but surely nurture would take over and the love and care, material and spiritual needs, actions and reactions in the parenting dance would supersede nature.  Even when we adopted I would probably put nurture at way over the halfway mark maybe in three-quarter range.

And then of course came teen years when their job was too push boundaries and ours was to expand the boundary but still instill values and keep them safe….and I asked “where did this come from?”  Suddenly nature surely was way ahead!

And into their adulthood and the need to still protect  but the boundaries were theirs not ours and our pride in these children now adults is often overwhelming.  Where did it come from?

Recently I read the book Not Far From the Tree by Andrew Solomon.  He writes,

“When I was born, the common view was that nurture decided almost everything.  In the decades that followed, the emphasis shifted about the intricate ways that nature and nurture propel each other.  I was intellectually persuaded by this nuanced integration, but the experience of having my own children has made me wonder if a third element is involved, some unknowable inflection of spirit or divinity.”

His words resonated with me….perhaps in addition to nature and nurture there is this third component.  That works ….nature + nurture +  divinity.

Change

In preparation for Mike completing his term as bishop we readied our home for sale fully expecting it to take 6 months to sell in the Storm Lake real estate market.  It was listed April 2 and by April 6^th it was sold!  (assuming inspection and appraisal and loan approval all happen!)   We had made the decision to relocate to Mason City…outside Western Iowa Synod, within a couple of hours of 3 of our 4 adult children and a couple of hours from Storm Lake where Mom and Dad live.  Mike’s brother and family live in Mason City.

The Western Iowa Synod met in Assembly the last weekend in April to elect the next bishop and to honor Mike.  Presiding Bishop Mark Hanson and his wife Ione attended along with the first bishop of the ELCA Herbert Chilstrom, and Bishop Emeritus of WIS, Curt Miller and his wife Sharyl.  Bp Hanson paid tribute to Mike and his twelve years at bishop of Western Iowa Synod. The spouses of rostered leaders also presented a gift to me…a certificate at a gift shop! 

As a part of the Assembly congregations had been challenged to raise $30,000 for clean water in the Southern Diocese in Tanzania.  After Friday’s offering there were behind the scene hints that it would be a surprise.  On Sunday morning after worship Mike announced that the offerings were $82,000!  Dakota Road played, the assembly rose to their feet ululating, and a serpentine dance line formed! 

On Saturday night Mike was honored at a banquet as part of the assembly celebrating companionship.  Dakota Road played and one of the interns paid tribute to Mike on behalf of clergy narrating how he started in the Lay School of Ministry, then seminary and now is interning.  The companion synod committee then honored Mike for his work with the synod and the Southern Diocese of Tanzania.  Our children presented a PowerPoint celebrating their dad.  It was a very special night. 

As a part of raising money for wells I donated a quilt with the blocks made from fabric I’d gotten in Tanzania.  Thanks to a generous donor the quilt raised $1000.

And another exclamation point - that Monday we were up and over to Mason City for our second house hunting trip and bought a home!

….and so another chapter in my life…