Moving Day!

One of the seven moves during our 59 years together was in 1957. Half-heartedly I began packing boxes of dishes, books, toys and needs for a baby and three little boys, all born within 4 years. I soon learned to close the boxes, or our little boys unpacked as quickly as I packed. Each of the seven moves provided its share of stress and moments of comic relief.

As we moved to a farm house near Howard, Kansas – my dear husband decided the moving truck would get stuck in the mud, so he backed the pickup to the truck to move the piano into the house. He soon learned that was not a wise transition. The piano survived. During these moves when we were young – we managed the refrigerator, the piano, and the heavy things ourselves.

On another move, I followed the U-Haul truck, with my dear husband driving, through the heavy traffic of Wichita. Two of our children were with Daddy, and I had the oldest and youngest in the car. The car was topped with a regular sized mattress. (Family pictured)

Somehow we managed to drive through several green lights and then it happened. The U-Haul truck made it through the green light, and then the caution light came on. I slammed on the brakes. In the back seat, Anna woke up and began crying. Dan was trying to calm down his little sister. It was then I noted the slide of the mattress and it threatened to slide down to obstruct my view.

In panic, I kept my eye on the truck which was disappearing from view with my dear husband and two sons. Meanwhile, Anna’s voice continued to rise in pitch and intensity….as Dan tried to comfort her. Driving on, determining my options, I searched for a huge U-Haul truck. They are easy to spot, I thought. Finally after driving another 4 blocks in downtown Wichita, I spied the truck. We were once again united and my dear husband adjusted the mattress on top of the car. After 53 years, that feeling of relief is as fresh as it was that day.

Moving to Arkansas was a bit different. We left our three sons in Illinois — they had left home and one was married by then. Anna was ready to attend college. (She once said she didn’t know where her home was – Illinois we had left, Arkansas where her parents then resided or Oklahoma where she attended college.) I resigned my teaching job and we left our church home. Cutting ties in a move was always the most difficult. Leaving the comfortable footprints to go to work, to church, to the grocery store, to the doctor – and then our paths are obliterated by time and distance.

I often thought about Sarah as she followed her husband, Abraham, when God told him to move to another place. What was the conversation like? Sarah, “Where are we going?” Abraham, “I don’t know, God just said to go.” Sarah, “When will we get there?” Abraham, “When we arrive.” “What will we do when we run out of food or water, where is the laundry place, or the doctor?” Abraham, “Woman, God will provide. We must trust God and He will provide.”

To make this trip’s discomfort more real to young people, I always add, “There were no McDonald’s or Walmart’s on the way!” I always hearing a horrified gasp.

Once when driving home at dusk from a day of teaching, the road rose until it seemed to disappear into the sky. For an instant I felt that it led straight into Heaven. What was I doing on this road? Was I lost? Where did it lead? What if I continued on this road and never found home? Now I know I was nearer our Heavenly Home than I ever thought.

What happens when we near the end of our lives? Yes, that becomes an unsettling time for our strength is no longer present. Our routines are uprooted and we ask questions like Sarah did. There are no answers. That is when we hear Abraham’s voice – Trust in the Lord.

When Grosmom Siemens moved into our home in Clinton, what was she feeling and thinking? As a grandchild, I rejoiced – Grosmom was always with us. What did she dream of? When Grandmother Suderman moved into the Parkside Home, she said, “I just hope I can be decent about it.” These words were echoed when Mom could no longer care for herself and moved into our home. I didn’t wonder about it then, but I do now, when my time comes, will I be ‘decent’ about it? Will I trust that God will provide?

Recently – a four year old boy – noting the brown spots on my hands – asked why they were there. Without thinking, I said – “That is what old people get on their hands.”

In all his innocence, he looked up with inquiring blue eyes and commented, “But old people die.” I wondered how I would answer. Suddenly I blurted, “Yes, but then I get to go live with Jesus.” I went home, thinking about our conversation. The words played over and over in my mind and I wrote:

Movin’ On

I’m movin’ on…I’m movin’ on.

One day I’ll hear the Lord call – And I’m movin’ on

Won’t need to rent a ‘u-haul’ Oh, I’m movin’ on.

My spirit flies so free – I’m movin on

It’s just my Lord and me. I’m movin’ on.

To the mansion in heaven

There’s no tears when I’m leavin’ For I’m movin’, movin’ on.

He made me, He loves me, He set me free

When sin’s shackles fell away.

He moved into my heart to stay.

Movin’ on, movin, movin’, movin’ –

Movin’ on.

Philippians 3:14 – I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 3:20 – But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ,

John 14:1-4 – “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God^[a]; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where