family

How could a place that met none of our expectations turn out to be Good?

No ballet classes for the girls.  No homeschool co-op for fifty miles.  One grocery store, and no restaurants that I recognized.  None of the keep-us-busy activities that we were used to.  No family, even, and no friends – at first. {But He fixed the friends part — you can read all about it here.}

“God, why did you bring us here?” I grumbled inside, while putting on a brave face (I hoped) for my family.  The move had seemed like a good thing.  We had prayed for a steady job for my husband, and God had given it.  Granted, the gift moved us 1500 miles from home, but He had given it.  While I planned and packed and gave our notice to the landlord and prepared the kids for the changes to come, I felt brave.  But when we crossed that Nebraska state line, that line that means there’s no turning back – and all we could see was snow for miles in every direction, I wondered: What did we get ourselves into?

The first few weeks were a blur of survival, of culture shock, of adjustment to the weather.  But when the shock wore off, I realized: this is our home now, and we might as well learn to enjoy it.  Necessity being the mother of invention, she held our hand and walked with us as we learned to make our own fun.

We discovered the simple pleasure of walking to the library, spending hours under the big windows, and choosing new books and movies to bring home.

We found adventure when the snow piled high in the church parking lot; there was no one to plow, church was cancelled; and the only out-of-the-house option was to take the kids sledding on the hill behind our house.

Our bonds grew deeper when all we had was a warm kitchen, homemade goodies, a new puzzle, and each other.

My husband asked me recently, “When do you think you’ll write about Nebraska?”  This little series of posts is my way of answering that question.

Because now we are here… back on the West Coast.  Where there are so many local hot spots, they’ll make you dizzy.  So many good choices for local homeschool co-ops, it’d take you years to sample each one.  Choosing which activities to be a part of is an exercise of pro-con lists and prayer.

Here, in the beautiful Pacific Northwest, if you want simplicity – you’re going to have to fight for it.

And I’m thankful.  I’m thankful, now, that we’re here, and for the friendships God has given us. I’m thankful, too, for those two years we spent in Nebraska.  Because now, the simple life isn’t just an idea; it is part of the fabric of my being.  It is part of our family culture.  We know that an evening at home, around a fire and playing instruments, is just as valuable as an evening out.  We know that homemade potato soup tastes better than anything a restaurant could serve.  We know how to make our own fun when we’re home sick or just home. Nebraska taught us how to enjoy the simple life; and you know what it taught us about all that extra stuff? It’s really just stuff.

Because when you strip all those activities away, when you don’t have any of them, you still have what you always needed. Each other, and Jesus.

I know that — just like He planted us in that snowy valley five years ago — He’s planted us here, too. So we’ll enjoy the opportunities we have on the West Coast. We’ll rock that busy schedule, in certain seasons. But we’ll also fight for things like Sabbath rest, family dinners at home, making time to read and play together. When we’re home together, we remember: the little moments were always the big moments.

Nebraska was a good life.  And it was a simple life.

Do you pursue a simple life for your family? What tips and tricks have you learned along the way? I’d love to hear — feel free to connect in the comments below!

Blessings,

Laura