May He Bring us All Home Rejoicing

It’s one thing to spend a year talking about and preparing for a giant step, like picking up your whole family and moving to Thailand to see through the self sustaining orphan care model that you are designing. It’s another thing to announce the same thing to the world at large.

There’s something about taking the word “maybe” out of the sentence, “We’re going to Thailand next spring.” that makes the whole thing finally settle in that place in my brain that wonders why I’m dreaming up an art project for the wall near the front door and saving that fabric for curtains when we’re leaving in 6 months. Six months! That’s coming up fast!

I need to deep clean the oven so it’s easier on move out day.

I tell myself that I can finish painting the bunk beds I sanded down for the girls room because I’ll be able to ask a bit more when I sell them, along with everything else, when the time comes to leave. I wonder if anyone will even want to buy our run down, old, everything breaking on it van.

The Girl has a friend who put a bug in her ear about horse camp next summer and I have to tell her it’s not likely to happen. She’s probably not going to be around by summer time.

But what has surprised me most of all, and shouldn’t have, is the looks on the faces of dear friends when they hear our plans. Because those looks are hardly ever joyous. Not at first. It’s more of a crestfallen, “Wait, you’re leaving?”

This is followed by a firm effort to buck up and be positive about the whole thing. I can’t say how loved that makes me feel. Or how suddenly sad it makes me to start saying goodbyes.

But you know, I think I will finish that art project. I was going to put the benediction at the end of the morning prayers from Common Prayer – A Liturgy for Ordinary Radicals that we have used off and on for quite some time now during our prayer time, because I wanted it to be something my family and friends see, every time they leave our house.

May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you : wherever he may send you;
may he guide you through the wilderness : protect you through the storm;
may he bring you home rejoicing : at the wonders he has shown you;
may he bring you home rejoicing : once again into our doors.

I want it to be the sending benediction for our family as well, in the time apart from friends and loved ones, that we will return rejoicing once again.