Settling In... a bit

I can't believe two months have already passed since we rolled into Colorado and started to unpack things in the house we rent.

Anyone who has moved knows certain things need to happen in order to start to feel "settled." Yet this list differs for every person who moves; for some it means meeting neighbors, for others it means finding the nearest grocery store, and for some it means getting the home internet connection working. Some people need to know the fastest route to the ER; some people want to find the best trails to walk / bike; some want to find the best Mexican restaurant; and sometimes, the same person wants all three of those things :)

Whether you have moved frequently or only once, I wonder what makes you feel 'settled' ? Is it a morning routine or a weekly meal or knowing where to buy a specific grocery item? Is it something more intangible like an actual 'feeling' you can't always describe or generate on its own, yet you know when you encounter it - when you 'feel' it...

A month or so ago we unpacked kitchen items that have allowed us to prepare familiar meals.

A couple of weeks ago we finished hanging up some photos, art pieces, and some of our crosses around the house.

We (finally) sent out the "We've Moved" postcards to people.

We have had various people over the house a few different times for meals.

Family meals, familiar things to help us remember our stories, telling others, and offering hospitality are some of the things that help us feel a bit more settled, especially after this past year of anticipation and waiting.

I love listening to our kids laugh and play while they build LEGO or color or make forts together. I enjoy our family movie nights with homemade pizza and stove-top popcorn.

However, something else intangible dances around the edges - I wonder if this is why I have take so long to write this post or resume blogging, in general. I want to write with certainty, assurances, answers, known quantities, and processed, fully understood feelings, yet I have rarely experienced any of those things in the past two months.

What I have experienced is this: we moved to Colorado two months ago with limited household items, no furniture, and little idea about school for our kids. Since then, a local church connected us with people who shared excess furniture; our landlord graciously left some furniture; some neighbors let us use their ladders and tools; some neighbors provided meals; and new schools have welcomed our kids. God has provided in many unexpected ways.

While I always thought "settling in" had to do mostly with what "I" needed to do to get rooted, I am learning that maybe "settling in" has more to do with being open to how the surroundings want to accept me/us.

It makes me think of my spiritual journey; how, at times, I put so much effort in trying to search for God's meaning, purpose, direction in situations as if those things are 'out there', and maybe I need to stop, breathe, realize where God is already inviting me to experience love, hope, beauty, and truth around me.

I give thanks that we can watch the sunset from our back porch. I need to do this more, while breathing and being: while settling.