If you follow me here on this blog, or on Instagram, you know we’re in Virginia. The ship called Uhaul pulled into port and the Beverly Hillbillies set up camp in town. People keep asking me if I’m settled. It’s a fair question, but a difficult one to answer honestly.
I am. Not. Am. Not. Am. Not.
The truth is, I don’t know if I’m settled or not. I still have packed boxes, so that probably means I should answer no, but I feel like I’m home, so yes, I’m settled.
I’m also lost most of the time, because I can’t navigate my way out of the backyard, and I don’t have one of those nifty savings cards for the local grocery store; however, we’ve already had to buy a plunger, so most definitely yes. We are settled.
…as in settling, like the Pilgrims…
It’s quite appropriate since we’re in Virginia, and there’s a (not even lying) Pilgrim church just down the road from us. Although, I don’t think the real pilgrims had a fancy church sign or central air conditioning. Just saying. Your church name is a little deceiving to us literal thinking folks, and by literal, I mean immature and dorky. I’m totally expecting the Mayflower to come pulling into your parking lot Sunday morning.
I certainly feel like we’ve been through the initiation into Virginia. We’ve already had a funeral, our toilet overflowed, and someone hit our truck while I was loading groceries into it.
Welcome to town!
We’ve also been blessed beyond measure by the sweet people in church. They called our first service a Pounding – you know, they pounded the pastor. Sounds like tons of fun, right?
It was one of the nicest welcomes I’ve experienced. Everyone brought a pound of something – sugar, flour, butter, etc., and gave it to us. They started filling our pantry in order to help offset some of our expenses, and it’s been a huge help to our grocery budget.
Isn’t that awesome?
We were also given three dozen double yoked fresh eggs. I think that’s more than a pound, but I was never good at math anyway. Southern hospitality isn’t just made up; it’s real, and we are so thankful for it. We’ve very much been made to feel at home.
This week is VBS (Vacation Bible School), and the theme is Journey Off The Map. I’m teaching 5th & 6th graders, but I have a feeling these will be lessons I’m still learning myself. To me, we’ve just journeyed off our map, and I’m excited to see where this new road leads.
In the meantime, I’m working on being fully settled.
What’s happening in your world? Feel free to leave updates in the comments. I’d love to read them!
If you want to follow along and check out our new house, please follow me on Instagram. 🙂
Lovely was exactly my thought when reading your post. I’m so glad your new church is taking good care of you.
I Had never heard of a pounding until we moved from Virginia to NC! Definitely a blessing.
Also, our church did the same VBS this year, it was a great success, praying the Lord will bless yours as well
I’ve never heard of Pounding but I think its a fabulous idea. A long move always had more costs attached than most people think. We tend to forget about stocking the pantry again. Glad you’re settling.
Sue, it was such a great surprise and blessing. I love the idea! It’s such a great way to bless other people in the church or community or neighborhood.
Oh, my goodness! You just always crack me up!! Part of me is laughing because I’ve SO been there…in the Methodist system, we always move the last week of June, and it inevitably is right around VBS. And, of course, as the Pastor’s Wife, you’re supposed to help with VBS, right? But, you really are just like a deer in the headlights the whole time, with a smile firmly glued on your face. I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve just thought, “Smile and nod. Smile and nod.” 🙂 We’ve been at our current appointment for five years now and there are still boxes I haven’t unpacked. The fact that your church gave you a “pounding” represents a very generous and loving spirit. I’m so glad you’re writing regularly again!! Looking forward to more stories of adventure. 🙂 Blessings!
Sara, Yes, you know exactly how things are!!! And, this church does absolutely have a generous and loving spirit. We are very happy to be here!
What a great welcome to the church. I love that idea of pounding.
We are finishing our third floor. Lots of dust right now with the sheet rockers. And our 3 cats keep busting through the protective plastic and trying to injury themselves amid the construction. #Neverboringhere
House projects always tend to be more work than expected, at least that’s how it’s been for us. Hope your project gets finished quickly and your cats stay safe!
We used to do poundings at our church when I was growing up. Generally it was done for someone in the community who needed a little extra help. It was collected at church, and left anonymously on their doorstep.
It is a very lovely thing to see. 🙂
I was thinking it would be a great thing to do for Christmas, or when someone new moves into the neighborhood. It is a very lovely thing!