Birdhouses and Wineglasses

Almost 4 years ago we decided to make a cross-country move to the west coast.  Because we did not have knowledge of the area, we decided to rent until we found just the perfect neighborhood, school, etc. for our family.  Turns out, the home we rented was just perfect.  Terrific school nearby and we made great friends.  I had big plans of buying the house one day from our landlady and truly making it our “settling place,” so we stayed there.  Well, in January we learned that she sold the house and we needed to move.  And so, as of last week, we moved into our new home.  And it is better than I could have hoped for.

Chapter 42 of the biblical book of Isaiah gives a beautiful declaration of the awesomeness of God.  In verse 9 Isaiah writes (on behalf of God), “Behold, the former things have come to pass, Now I declare new things; Before they spring forth I declare them to you.”

I saw this Isaiah verse fulfilled in an amazing way in the circumstances of our move.  As I said, on January 29th we had no intention of moving – yet on January 30th that changed.  Yet, back in November, God began preparing our son Cooper for the inevitable move.  Walking home from school one day Cooper said, “Mom, I don’t want to live in blue house anymore.”  He wasn’t upset or agitated, he said it in a matter-of-fact tone.  I asked why and he just said, “No more blue house.”

Every few days he would comment on not living in the blue house anymore.  He also started saying, “I live up.”  He would indicate that he wanted to live up, like on a hill.  Colin and I didn’t push this too much – but definitely we were curious about it.  When we knew we would be moving I realized that Cooper was already prepared for this major change.  He was ready for it.   The first time he came into the new house he declared, “I am home.”  Oh, and it is at the top of a hill.

Late in February, I found a note in Cooper’s backpack.  It was from his intra-school pen pal.  (The kids have pen pals that go to other schools in the school district.)  I’ll give you one guess where Cooper’s pen pal goes to school.  Yup, out of the 30+ schools in the district, the boy he has been pen pals with this year will be in his class in his new school.  What a blessing to have a tangible letter from a real boy that we can introduce him to, to give him some comfort.

I do not doubt that God prepared Cooper’s heart and mind to be ready for a house and school change.  He loves us so much, He prepares us for what is to come.  I unpacked one of my last boxes yesterday.  In big black marker on the outside I wrote Birdhouses and Wineglasses.  Initially I wondered, “What was I thinking?  Why would I put those things together?”  When I opened it, I remembered.  The 3 birdhouses angled perfectly to protect my most fragile glasses  – they created the perfect spots to slide my wineglasses into and voila!  Nothing was damaged.

Moving, change, and transition might feel as random and chaotic as putting birdhouses and wineglasses in the same box.  God has the foresight and sovereignty over it all to fit it together perfectly.

Peace.