29 March 2012

Well, if all goes

according to plan, we'll be closing on the new house two weeks from today.  All the paper work is in, but now it's in the hands of the Title Company.  I am thinking things will be a lot more emotionally "settled" for me once this move is over and done.  I don't think I've ever signed so many forms in my whole life!  But what I cannot for the life of me do is to picture what life will be like in that new space.  It was the same, I suppose, when we came to St. Paul's all those years ago.  But it's been so many that I don't recall a lot of it.  I do remember that the parsonage was (compared to our old home) rather homely on the outside, but very, very comfortable on the inside.  More storage than we could ever have imagined.  The new place is much prettier on the outside again, but the storage does not come close to matching the parsonage - unless you count the attached three car garage.  I can't even imagine what we'll end up doing with a three-car garage.  For now, I'm sure Bekah is planning on putting it to good use.  She's moving back in with us as David is moving out.  Musical children, I suppose.  I will confess that I am ridiculously pleased with a real wood burning fireplace in the living room.  Cindi would have preferred a gas set up, but to me the smell of a wood fire is still the smell of home - my grandparents' home in any case.  And a fenced back yard rather excites me too - after we plug a hole or two - because it means the dog can do its business UNACCOMPANIED.  Yeah!

The dining area is so small though.  That makes me sad.  There was nothing like the dining area in the parsonage.  We'd sit twelve around the table in a pinch.  I'm thinking there's no way that will happen at the new place - and now it will be even more (counting my little grandson!).  I'm sure we'll make do.  Certainly most of the time it will just be Cindi and I, and then the kitchen counter will likely work just fine with two stools.

Odd as it sounds, I'm glad I don't have to listen to the parsonage grow all quiet.  To me it was the place of growing little ones and boisterous teens and their friends.  I hope it may be that yet again for another pastor.  Meanwhile, counting down to two weeks on the house and trying desperately not to let this being my final Holy Week and Easter at my beloved St. Paul's dampen one iota of the joy these days bring us.  "For behold by Your cross JOY HAS COME into all the world!" (Good Friday Liturgy)

4 comments:

Pastor Harvey S. Mozolak said...

Hey Will,

want to add or change the following first quick draft, thought it might be good to have such a prayer:

House Holding Thanks

We thank you, Lord, for this house. Unlike even the animal creatures of your creation, you had no place to lay your head, no den, no nest beyond Mary’s breast and even that meant giving up the almighty power of the heaven to feast on our hunger. But this dwelling has been a home for us and for our family and friends. Here you have dwelt with us when we rested and when we rose to serve you and enjoy the life you have given through the family. Here our children have grown (and left for their own homes and new families), in this place we have grown older, worked in a garden, crafted on a workbench, baked in the oven, read in an recliner and held each other in pain and joys. We thank you, Lord, for your dwelling with us here and ask you to go with us into the new home in which we will continue to live as your children with our brother Christ Jesus. Amen.

Harvey Mozolak

Anonymous said...

When we were closing on our house in Brookfield, WI in 1976, surrounded by lawyers and representatives of various organizations related to this transaction, and we were required to sign a stack of documents, our lawyer, whose name I will never forget, Tom Sawyer, said this, “You would have to be crazy to sign all of these papers. The problem is that unless you do, you will not get this house.”

The other thing that comes to mind is that growing up in a Russian Orthodox family and, because of circumstances, often changing our residence, I learned to love the custom of “The Blessing of the House.” It is so sad that this is very rarely practiced among us today. I am not sure that there is even a standard form among Lutherans for this service. Whenever I have moved into a new place without such a service since then, I felt the emptiness.

Peace and Joy, especially now!
George A. Marquart

Dennis Pfleiger said...

George,

The Lutheran Service Book - Pastoral Companion has a service in it for the Blessing of a House.

It is true that it is still rare, but nice to know that a service is there to be utilized.

Dennis

William Weedon said...

Thanks all.

Yes we have an order for house blessings. In fact, still have a home to bless before I finish up here, not counting our place.

http://weedon.blogspot.com/2008/12/epiphany-house-blessings.html