Clouds and Moving

I’m finding out that rain storms are not uncommon in the mountains of Cullowhee, N.C. They usually come in the afternoon and last an hour or so. On my third day here, I took a walk after the rain had stopped. That’s when I looked up and noticed a little cloud nested between the mountains. Somehow, it gave me a deep feeling of comfort and reassurance.

The past few weeks of moving from New York to North Carolina have been an intense time of stress. The physical exertion of packing and unpacking the Uhaul was taxing. My husband and I quickly realized we were not in our 20’s any more. Top that with the endless list of things to do like changing our mailing address, calling the gas company, calling the electric company, closing bank accounts, transferring medical records, and on and on. We were both physically and mentally exhausted.

After a twelve hour drive, we finally arrived at our destination, pretty much spent. The apartment seemed way too small for all our stuff. The carpet guy was still laying carpet in our bedrooms and we had to wait for him to finish as we sat in the middle of a vast number of cardboard boxes. He didn’t finish until late evening and we barely put up our bed before falling into it, semi- conscious.

And our transition didn’t end with the arrival in Cullowhee. We had rented an apartment as a home base from which we could search the area for a place to live permanently. We had struck out into the unknown and didn’t know exactly where we would end up.

So, when I looked up at the sky and saw that cloud nestled between the mountains, my throat tightened and my eyes filled. For a moment, I felt exactly like that little cloud safely nestled in my Father’s arms. It spoke volumes to my heart.

The way ahead is still unknown with unforeseen twists and bumps, I’m sure. But somehow, the future will work out and things will fall into place. In the meantime, I’ll rest in the arms of a God I can trust.