I forgot to post this letter from a few weeks ago
My dearest Pam,
Orienteering is the name of an activity that I have mentioned over the years that I loved as a Boy Scout. As an Eagle Scout, I’ve spent much time with compass in hand trying to
to hit the mark.
Interestingly, we now orient to the North, but in antiquity people oriented to the East, hence the name- orient.
After a delightful three month stay, your sister has returned home and thus we will begin a reorientation. We must reacquaint ourselves to just the two of us in the house.
Well, I started this letter weeks ago, therefore this is part forward looking as well as partly rearward looking.
As to the former, I’m even more confident now than when I began this letter that we will be fine. Our systems are in place, our resources are secure and I am certain that we can pivot as your needs change.
With respect to the latter, I didn’t realize how much we’d miss the Galloways. Sure, there is always a simpler side to just two under the roof; fewer interactions, less people to poll for what to eat for dinner, but the daily interactions, prayers and fellowship have left a hole.
And any time we are in touch with a longing, it causes me to ask, “where are our anchors?”
You know from our years of sailing that having an anchor (or multiple anchors for different situations) is not sufficient. To be effective an anchor must hold fast.
In this time together, I realize and appreciate some of the anchors in our life.
Hope: our souls are anchored together in our Christian belief of eternal life in Christ.
Trust: our trust is anchored in our belief in God’s providence, of which we have been continual benefactors by his grace.
Courage: in the face of uncertainty, we are anchored by God’s past faithfulness towards us. He has never left, nor has he ever forsaken us.
Uncertainty: in the face of uncertainty, I am both anchored and oriented by our love for one another.
So here you have it, probably the reason this letter has been difficult to write is fueled by the fact that we have two concepts in play: reorienting and anchoring. On the surface these could seem incongruent; one is stationary while the other is moving about. But I n fact, no one anchors for ever!
Anchorages are way points along the journey. So as we process our reoriented journey, my darling, let us enjoy our anchorages. Let us, in the midst of reorienting take stock of these things: hope, trust, courage and uncertainty and the different anchors each affords us.
I love you more than life and though the journey is not always easy, I will always dance in the minefields and sail in the storms with you.
Love,
Brad