I didn't want to move to California. That is kind of an understatement, I basically throw an adult hissy fit about moving to California. I am from Washington State, everything I had ever seen or heard about the Golden State left me feeling disgusted with the state and wondering why anyone in their right mind would want to live there. Harsh, I know. I moved to Truckee 5 years ago (kicking and screaming). But when we drove over Donner Pass (insert Donner Party joke here) I was in love. I was in love with the mountains, trees, river, and lakes. I didn't ever want to leave.
But then the nature aspect wore off and I was left wanting more. I wanted community. I wanted people to share this beautiful place with. We had been attending Tahoe Forest Church but didn't go regularly because of our work schedules. One Saturday night we were able to attend and as we were leaving the Youth Pastor's wife came running (literally) through the church to invite us over for dinner. We were hooked. We started making friends and volunteering at youth group and then into other ministries at the church. Friendships didn't happen over night but they continued over time. C. S. Lewis is quoted to have said "Friendship is born at that moment when one man says to another:'"What! You too? I thought that no one but myself..."' and that is quiet literally how I started making friends. I would meet people who loved all the nerdy books that I loved. People who weren't the biggest fans of snow. People who loved dogs as much as I do. The list could go on and on and on and on (now I hope you have The Song That Never Ends stuck in your head) But I also made friends who challenged me beyond measure. Both in faith and physical activities. Friends who would pull me aside and tell me to pull my head out and realize what matters in life. Friends who would remind me in the kindest way possible THIS IS NOT FOR FUN THIS IS A RACE! SPRINT! (you know who you are...) We built relationships through the heart ache we experienced. Through the loss of friends to the loss of pets. Our community went through a tough spot where we were losing our teens, young adults, and adults because of suicide and it broke us. It broke our youth. We came together to be a support to them and each other.
Levi and I weren't even married a year when we moved to Tahoe and we had no idea what we were doing. Marriage was different then we thought. We had so many couples to watch and witness how marriage looks. We know that every marriage is different as every person is different but we could watch how people treated each other and had wonderful examples. You may not know it but watching you helped our marriage. Thank you. We had you there when we were lost and looking for advice. It was given with no judgement.
The youth group. Wow, so many thoughts and emotions for those teens. Countless hours were spent building relationships with them and their parents. Late night conversations in our living room over dinner or just sitting there watching the dogs wrestle. Or watching a certain youth student put a shock collar to his neck while a certain youth leader pushed the button. Getting in arguments about biblical and worldly topics because thats what it is about. Figuring life out...together. Going on mission trips or trips to DQ. It didn't matter as long as we went together. Having students just randomly show up at your door because they got out of school early and were bored. It was like having 20 little brothers and sisters. THE BEST! But then those little brother and sisters grew up and went to college and became our friends and peers. What an incredible thing to witness. To be apart of. Thank you to the parents who trusted us with their kids. We wouldn't change any of our experiences with them.
I feel there is so much to be said about the people of Tahoe Forest Church but I don't have the words. We were far away from family and you became our family. I am not kidding. When we drove away last week my heart felt the exact same way it did when I drove away from my own family 5+ years ago...crushed. I still am crushed. I still wonder what God has in store. Why He called us away from Tahoe. I started to look forward to church on the weekends because I knew I would be with people that I could talk to more openly. Then those people started being apart of my every day life. I would meet up with them for coffee, lunch, dinner, ect. We spent holidays with you because we couldn't go home. We became a family. Or in Levi's words we were Framily. It was so hard to leave you. It still is. Not to get all mushy but it is one of the harder decisions we have made in the course of our marriage. We wanted to thank you for all the memories, to thank you for bringing us in as your own. We have more parents and siblings then we know what to do with! But we wouldn't trade it for the world. The heart ache is still present but that just means we loved. And there is no greater thing then to love and to be loved by people who don't have to love you. But they do because that is what Christ has called us to. I must be on a C.S. Lewis kick because I have another quote...
"Friendship is unnecessary, like philosophy, like art...it has no survival value; rather it's one of those things that give value to survival."
I fell in love with Tahoe because of the beauty but I stayed because of the beauty I found in the people of Tahoe Forest Church.
Levi and I weren't even married a year when we moved to Tahoe and we had no idea what we were doing. Marriage was different then we thought. We had so many couples to watch and witness how marriage looks. We know that every marriage is different as every person is different but we could watch how people treated each other and had wonderful examples. You may not know it but watching you helped our marriage. Thank you. We had you there when we were lost and looking for advice. It was given with no judgement.
The youth group. Wow, so many thoughts and emotions for those teens. Countless hours were spent building relationships with them and their parents. Late night conversations in our living room over dinner or just sitting there watching the dogs wrestle. Or watching a certain youth student put a shock collar to his neck while a certain youth leader pushed the button. Getting in arguments about biblical and worldly topics because thats what it is about. Figuring life out...together. Going on mission trips or trips to DQ. It didn't matter as long as we went together. Having students just randomly show up at your door because they got out of school early and were bored. It was like having 20 little brothers and sisters. THE BEST! But then those little brother and sisters grew up and went to college and became our friends and peers. What an incredible thing to witness. To be apart of. Thank you to the parents who trusted us with their kids. We wouldn't change any of our experiences with them.
I feel there is so much to be said about the people of Tahoe Forest Church but I don't have the words. We were far away from family and you became our family. I am not kidding. When we drove away last week my heart felt the exact same way it did when I drove away from my own family 5+ years ago...crushed. I still am crushed. I still wonder what God has in store. Why He called us away from Tahoe. I started to look forward to church on the weekends because I knew I would be with people that I could talk to more openly. Then those people started being apart of my every day life. I would meet up with them for coffee, lunch, dinner, ect. We spent holidays with you because we couldn't go home. We became a family. Or in Levi's words we were Framily. It was so hard to leave you. It still is. Not to get all mushy but it is one of the harder decisions we have made in the course of our marriage. We wanted to thank you for all the memories, to thank you for bringing us in as your own. We have more parents and siblings then we know what to do with! But we wouldn't trade it for the world. The heart ache is still present but that just means we loved. And there is no greater thing then to love and to be loved by people who don't have to love you. But they do because that is what Christ has called us to. I must be on a C.S. Lewis kick because I have another quote...
"Friendship is unnecessary, like philosophy, like art...it has no survival value; rather it's one of those things that give value to survival."
I fell in love with Tahoe because of the beauty but I stayed because of the beauty I found in the people of Tahoe Forest Church.
Love you more!💜
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