Story Cottage.
My friend Ginny said this on Monday night. It's a quote by Robert Benson. "A journey across holy ground must not be rushed." Story Cottage is holy ground for the Kelly Grove. We have "not rushed" for 16 years at Story Cottage.
In 2003, we were transitioning from Watkinsville, GA near Athens back to Knoxville as I would be the high school pastor at Cedar Springs Church. Lea met our friend and realtor at the time Ross Badgett to start looking at houses. As they headed towards house after house, Ross told Lea, it just now has a contract on it. Literally house after house. As Lea left to head to Knoxville to house hunt, I pretty much had one criteria. A backyard big enough to throw football patterns to the boys. Trey was 2. Trent was 8. Taylor was 10. Lea and Ross arrived at 1412 Farrington Dr. It was powder blue with carolina blue shudders. Yikes. She honestly really wasn't drawn to the house very much. And then she walked onto the back deck and looked out over the backyard and called me. "You need to get here. I think this is the one." For 16 years it has been the one. The guts of our family growing up has happened at Story Cottage. It has been the holy ground that we haven't rushed over. And it has flown by.
These are transition days for the Kelly Grove. This and next month are the months that our family remembers the 3 week stretch a year ago that Taylor and Ashley and Trent and Meg spoke vows to each other. Forty six school days from now, Trey will graduate from high school. He recently committed to Covenant College on Lookout Mountain and will play soccer there. God is now calling the remaining home team from Story Cottage in Knoxville to Signal Mountain, TN where I have accepted the position of Family and Youth pastor at Signal Mountain Bible Church. I am humbled as we leave the quiet, extravagant learning with the hearts of the Korean Church of Knoxville, Cedar Springs and Paideia Academy and head to the quiet and humble hearts of Signal Mountain Bible Church. Yesterday was my 51st birthday. I sat at story table last night with Lea and Trey as they loved me and celebrated me while I struggled with a cough and cold. They both spoke words of blessing over me. They both spoke words of vision over me. They both spoke words of friendship over me. This is what I am aware of. Over the last 16 years of holy journey at Story Cottage, the Kelly Grove has become friends with each other. Husband and wife becoming friends. Sons and parents becoming friends. Brothers becoming friends. Sons and wives becoming friends. Parents, brother and new daughters becoming friends. All becoming friends with Grannie. Encountering communal friendship with a myriad of hearts over those 16 years, each so specific. And of course, friendship with Lacy the good, girl dog and her predecessor Opie. Story beyond measure. Friendship with Story God.
We will depart Story Cottage several months from now. These words today are words of grieving. These words today are words of gratitude. God is a God of places. He values place. Places like Story Cottage. His presence dwells in hearts. His presence affects places. The presence of God at Story Cottage has affected me. Deeply. I am quieted by His love.
As the story is concluding and continuing in these closing days at Story Cottage, we keep not rushing and seeing His holy hand. God has led new friends to Story Cottage in the last 3 weeks. We had never met them until 20 some days ago. They are going to buy Story Cottage. They want to buy Story Cottage. I believe they can see it. Husband, wife, young daughter and maybe future children are coming to keep not rushing at Story Cottage. They don't have to call Story Cottage, Story Cottage. But whatever 1412 Farrington Dr. will be for them and to them, they love Jesus and what God has done to bring them to buy her is beautiful and extravagant.
And so, Ross Badgett showed Lea 1412 Farrington Dr. that day 16 years ago. It is only fitting that his wife Caroline, now a realtor, is guiding Lea and I and our new friends through the process of transitioning Story Cottage to their growing family.
So sweet to see the fingerprints of God all over a place, all over a story.
My grieving heart says thank you Jesus. The grieving proves the grandeur. It matters, therefore it aches to change.
Kelly Grove. I love you. I don't want to forget the richness....WITH. YOU. THERE. at Story Cottage.
Story friends. I thank God for you. I don't want to forget the richness.....WITH. YOU. THERE. at Story Cottage.
New family. I thank God for you. I don't want to forget this fresh richness. WITH. YOU. THERE. at Story Cottage.
Story God. Thank you for Story Cottage.
Thank you.
There's more.