There is quiet celebration in the Carrington household this summer. Our house-moves over recent years fell strangely into a 3-year rhythm. This month we mark our 3rd anniversary of moving here – and we’ve no intention of going anywhere else. We are delighted at this more settled prospect. For you this may be for-better-or-for-worse!
In some walks of life, regular moves are of course the norm. In my former training life at the Met Office, we liaised with the Navy’s meteorological training centre in Plymouth; a strong relationship with my opposite number would be building, only for them to be posted elsewhere. Spouses and children of military families can miss out on settled community life. Yet regular postings can help maintain sharpness and fresh perspective in military service.
The Old Testament story of the People of Israel tells of a destination: the Promised Land. In a brutal
world of tribes warring over territory, God’s people would have somewhere that was home. They would be settled – able to put down roots and plant crops, raise their children and build community. God saw that this was good. Yet their early formative years were the complete opposite: wandering in the wilderness with no home or security, no comfort or certainty. Life can bring us settled and unsettled times. Both can be fruitful.
Two days ago (as I write this) I watched the stately River Thames flowing gently beneath me as I stood on Goring bridge. One of my favourite sights, the Thames was near the top of my list of what I missed most when we relocated from Berkshire to Devon. A river – the Thames simply an exemplar – offers steadiness, stability, settledness. Yet it also flows somewhere beyond our sight, as yet undiscovered even by the water we’re watching. The water seems comfortable having the home that is its channel whilst also knowing it belongs in a bigger sphere.
‘Lord, you have been our dwelling-place in all generations,’ wrote the Psalmist (Ps 90). These words circled my head during a break of which the Thames moment was a part. Wherever our dwelling place, our ultimate place of belonging is in a bigger sphere. This spiritual home travels with us. It gives security whatever our movements.
It is with thankfulness, nevertheless, that I am enjoying the prospect of a more geographically settled life. I love our villages, our area and our home. And most of all, of course, the people. Word of St Paul feel personal and real: ‘I thank my God every time I remember you, constantly praying with joy.’
