Getting Settled

Terry (and all the pals):

Thanks so much for rallying the Pilgrim Pals to pray! It means so much! It was great to encourage one another on the phone last night. Thanks for blessing so many of the Pals.

Last night was the first time I've worked at Christian Horizons since we moved. I spent the evening moving desks and computers with a good friend from the church. I called Terry while I was waiting for John.

By the time I got to work I was exhausted and was sure glad to climb into bed. It's nice getting paid to sleep isn't it!

Today I'm feeling a little better. There is so much to do. The grass is getting real long and I don't have the riding mower here yet.

Thanks so much for your prayerful concern, dear friends! Without your support this transition would be much more difficult than it's been.

God is faithful! I pray that I won't forget it! Felisol always sends my words back to me and I appreciate that so much. I need to heed my own advice.

Blessings!

~ David, the Pilgrim

We Are Praying for You Pilgrim David

Dear Pilgrims........I received a phone call from David a while ago and have just now come to tell you that he is in a very sad state. He sounded so tired and discouraged. This week and last have been very hard on him and Carol.

They have got so much stuff to unpack. When they have gotten everything out of the old house, then David said he would be cutting the grass there and Carol would be cleaning so the house will be spotless for the new owners.

David did not want me to mention this but he is having financial problems too. We must really pray that the Lord will see him and Carol through this.

David has always been around for all of us and we all so appreciate him.

I just hope that everything will get settled soon and that we will have Pilgrim David back in a happier state.....

PS Please remember Little Pilgrim Pal and Little Montreal Girl in the great sadness that they are going through.

Our pilgrims pals need our prayers..we all surely do!

KEEP PRAYING...PLEASE

What a weekend! The stress has been almost unbearable! Most of our things are in the new house but they're scattered all over the place. We can't seem to find anything. Even though we've had three garage sales we still have too much "stuff".

We're discouraged and we've found ourselves wondering whether we made the right move or not. I'm sure that it's Satan trying to bring us down but we need God's supernatural strength during these trying days.

I thank God, in Jesus' name, for each of the Pals who pray so faithfully.

PLEASE KEEP PRAYING!

God's Way IS Perfect!

THANK YOU, PALS

A heartfelt THANK YOU for your prayer support today. They are working! It's only noon and I'm exhausted. God will give added strength. (Isaiah 40:29) Friends from the church are helping today. I'll keep you posted but wanted to extend my thanks! Much love in Christ,

~ David, the Pilgrim

FOR PILGRIM FATHER DAVID

Dearest,
even fathers get tired and need some rest.
Good then to know that the arms of the Almighty are always there to comfort and strengthen you.
From Felisol

Welcome Back Lauren Mary

Well, pals, this is my first post from our new place. I'm waiting for Carol to arrive with the boys' beds (in the van). We're going to sleep here tonight! Whew!

It was so good to see the previous post from Lauren Mary. It's been so long since we've heard from her. Let's pray concertedly for her as she seeks the Lord's peace regarding her summer. I'm sure we can all identify with her situation.

Thanks for your prayers today dear friends!

~ David, the Pilgrim

Leaving home is hard to do

Hello Pals-

Our Pal David has been on my mind lately. Every time I read an update on his moving plans, my heart goes out to him and his family. David, all the Pals have you and Carol in our prayers.

I too have been struggling with leaving a familiar place. As some of you know, I've been offered an amazing opportunity to spend the summer in the Muskokas. Now, as the parent of one of my swimmers said "oh honey, a summer up in cottage country? I think that's a no-brainer decision!". Part of me keeps saying "Lauren, you're still young. Your twenties is the time to do things like take off for a summer. You have nothing holding you back!". The swim season ended this week, so I don't have any commitments until September. So what's the problem? I hate change- I flourish under a schedule and a routine, so moving is really stressing me out. Every summer I do the same thing: work at the youth center and at the barn. I've been working at the barn painting (I'm the resident painter- no fence or jump is safe from my paintbrush!) and I cried saying goodbye to all my friends, and sobbed the whole drive home after my last day. I can't imagine a summer not spent at the barn, at home, hanging out with my friends, etc. All I keep thinking about it is how everything is changing. I've been really thinking and relating to what David has been writing about lately. I pray that everything with work out for all of us.

Also, another pray request: my friend Morgan's father had a heart attack this week, so I would really appreciate it if you could all keep Morgan and her family in your prayers.

God is our refuge and strength, an ever present help in trouble.
Psalms 46:1

Thank you!

*lauren-mary

For The Pilgrim

Movin' On Up

Dear Pals: While waiting for them to take our old fridge away I walked out to the road to get our mail (the last day we will receive mail at this address). How fitting that the following article appears in today's edition of The Millbrook Times, a small, local newspaper.

“Well we're movin’ on up, to the east side.” Viewers of the television series The Jeffersons heard these lyrics each week as the popular show was introduced.

Like the Jeffersons, we’re movin’ on up to the east side. June is moving month and we’re bidding farewell to the beautiful Millbrook/Cavan area and re-locating to the east side of Peterborough.

Moving month? Seems like we’ve been packing for six months or more. Our house sold last December and the search for another home began in earnest. By the end of February or early March the offer on our “new to us” home was accepted and we began packing. Every room is piled high with boxes. In decorating terms, the “look” is transitional.

After garage sales on three consecutive Saturdays and donations of toys and clothing to numerous charities we’re still buried in “stuff”. My library of 4,000 volumes has almost been cut in half and we don’t know where we’re going to put the ones I’ve kept.

We recently emptied the two storage units we had rented. My friend and I loaded up the rental truck twice and deposited the contents in mom’s garage. After an evening of sluggin’ we were so stiff we could hardly move.

Moving! It ranks right up there with root canals and cold brussel spouts. Not a fun experience, especially for two pack rats. Fourteen years ago when we moved to Cavan from Toronto we thought we’d never relocate again. But here we go. At least we’ve had six months to prepare for it…or dread it.

One day we will make our final move. For those who have made preparations for the final journey they’ll be moving on up again. This time it will be like the lyrics of an old gospel song. “Movin’, movin’, movin’ up to Gloryland.”

For the redeemed child of God heaven will be our destination. How do we prepare? Not by packing boxes but by entrusting our lives to a faithful God who has given us eternal life through His Son. Another gospel song states, “My bags are all packed and I’m ready to go!”

How about you? Are you ready?

“I am going to prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me.” – John 14:3 (NIV)

Note: This article appeared in the Millbrook Times on Friday, June 6th, our actual moving day.