It is with a heavy heart that I need to let our friends in Indy know that we will be moving back to Georgia. Even though this move will be painful, Trish and I realize we are stepping out in the right direction. This has all happened very quickly. It’s been a whirlwind, but God has opened doors affirming His plan for this next season of life. About a week and a half ago, Trish’s brother and sister-in-law asked if we would be interested in buying their house located in a suburb outside of Atlanta (Smryna). This offer put into motion a series of life-changing decisions.
In the back of our minds, we always planned to move back home when our youngest son (Lawson) graduated from high school. He’s entering his freshman year. Our oldest (Campbell) will be a senior, and Landon, our middle son, will be a sophomore.
My aging parents are dealing with significant health issues, and they (and my sisters) need our help. It looks as though my father may possibly move in with us. Both sides of our family will be relatively close, and we are ecstatic about that.
We were surprised when we communicated the possibility of this move to the boys, and they were all in agreement. So within a week and a half, the following events have taken place. The company I work with in Indy has agreed to let me stay employed by working remotely in Georgia. Trish has secured a position teaching middle school math (5 minutes from our house), she starts on July 21st. We got the house ready to go on the market this past weekend. It officially went on today, but we had an offer on Monday night, and things look very promising.
We are very sad to be leaving this amazing city and the community we’ve experienced in Indy. As Trish has said, we have been known and loved here. We will deeply miss the genuine and authentic people that have held us up, encouraged us, cautioned us, celebrated with us, and pointed us to Christ.
As I reflect upon our time here, I will forever be marked by the gifted and loving singers called the "Choral Artisans!" It all started with a conversation with Joanna Taft of the Harrison Center about the possibility of partnering with them and establishing a new community chorus for Indy. Making music with this community chorus over the last four years has been transformational! Being part of this choral community propelled me to launch the Resonance Initiative, and the SongShape Chorus (a group of singers for those dealing with dementia and their care-givers). The opportunity to collaborate with Marlene Scharbrough (one of the best accompanists I’ve had the pleasure to work with) has been such a gift! I’m grateful for her friendship and a servant’s heart. What a thrill to partner with Brooks and Bourke Theatre Company for performances of the Hunchback of Notre Dame last spring! The Giving Voice Network (in Minneapolis) gave me the vision to create a chorus for those dealing with dementia and their care-partners here in Indy. Eyleen Braaten has been an invaluable resource in establishing this vital work. However, SongShape would never have launched so successfully if it wasn’t for the investment and help from CICOA Aging and In-Home Solutions (Dustin Ziegler and Mindi Winnie), Sound Minds (Dr. Tim Brimmer & Doug Everidge), PrimeLife Enrichment Center (Linda Handy), Great American Songbook Foundation (Chris Lewis and Renee La Schiazza), Joy’s House (Corinna Thompson and Laura Johnson), KayBee.Us (Jean Ross) and music therapist Allegra Hein. The SongShape Chorus launched last fall, and that group stole my heart. It has been so sad to not make music with them this fall. We had two rehearsals before the pandemic started, and then things were placed on hold. Who would have thought that people singing together at the same location would be such a dangerous experience? It’s still been challenging to get my mind and heart around the loss of people being able to sing together face-to-face. I desire to continue the work of the Resonance Initiative and SongShape by establishing various choral communities in our new home.
We move to Atlanta the weekend of July 17-19th and will good-bye to life in Indy. A new beginning beckons us back to the city of my childhood. I’m reminded of the words by poet John O’Donohue, “Sometimes beginnings can catch us unawares. Often when something is ending we discover within it the spore of new beginning, and a whole new train of possibility is in motion before we even realize it. When the heart is ready for a fresh beginning, unforeseen things can emerge. And in a sense, this is exactly what a beginning does. It is an opening for surprises. Surrounding the intention and the act of beginning, there are always exciting possibilities. This inevitably excites artists. So much can actually happen between the moment the brush is taken in the hand, and the moment it touches the canvas. Such beginnings have their own mind, and they invite and unveil new gifts and arrivals in one’s life. Beginnings are new horizons that want to be seen; they are regressions or repetitions. Somehow they win clearance and become fiercely free of the grip of the past. Awaken your spirit to adventure; hold nothing back, learn to find ease in risk.”
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