Photo source: Standing Stone, by Annette S Thomson, on Flickr
We’ve been in Luxembourg just over a year now. Part of me can’t believe it’s gone by so fast, and then again, Brussels already feels like a lifetime ago.
A year ago we were just figuring everything out: how to take the bus into town, where to go for grocery shopping, how to get by without a good grasp of any of the three official languages.
A year ago I was crying over the delivery of our new washing machine because it felt just impossible. A year ago we were wondering if we’d find a church as welcoming and enthusiastic as our Brussels church. A year ago we were just throwing around the idea of trying to have a baby.
A lot has happened in a year.
There have been holidays and visits and celebrations and deaths and great meals and quiet nights watching sitcoms and happy tears and sad tears and here we are. One year in Luxembourg.
There’s a hymn I love, which has this line:
“Here I raise my Ebenezer, hither by they help I’ve come…”
It’s a reference taken from the Old Testament of the Bible, when the prophet Samuel sets up a stone to mark the victory God had given them that day. He names the stone Ebenezer, which means something like “stone of help”.
Well I feel like raising my own Ebenezer today. Because we didn’t make it here alone. We’ve had so many hands help us along the way. So many people who we didn’t know one year ago who have become dear friends. So many people from previous homes who’ve kept us in their hearts and reached out when we’ve needed their help.
You’ve helped us settle, you’ve helped us learn the ins and outs of this new city. You’ve helped us be brave, you’ve helped us start new things and dream big dreams. You’ve helped us grieve and you’ve helped us keep walking when the road has felt too hard. You’ve helped us celebrate and helped us enjoy so many good days and special moments.
Thank you. And here’s to being able to set up many more stones of help along the road of life…
