A CITIZEN AT LAST

My husband and I have MOVED, TRANSITIONED, RELOCATED and been “transplanted” numerous times.  For those of you who have followed our friendship close up, you’ve often shared about the why’s and the need for purchasing new address books to keep up with us. 

I laugh as I write this; but being transplanted is not just an adjustment physically.  It’s more than loading and unloading boxes. It’s leaving behind everything familiar in order to face the unknown.  It’s a kaleidoscope of emotions!  If you’ve moved a lot, you know first hand that the uprooting of our personal roots doesn’t feel comfy! 

It’s like moving a long-term garden bush in your yard to a new location.  A few days after the “upheaval,” it looks sick and sad, like the leaves are depressed and wilting.  That’s a fine-tuned description of what people may feel and look like weeks after a transplant of their home.  It’s not always a pretty picture, but it’s a reality.   The plant is to beautify your yard for you and others to enjoy.   

We moved one and a half years ago from Arizona to Surrey, British Columbia.  If you’d have had a close photo of me (inside my frame), the above “bush illustration” was me.  Unlike many of our moves, we were moving back to an area that was very familiar.

What the books and people may not tell you is that when you “go back” to a former culture, city or neighborhood, in a very real sense, it’s not the same.  Friendships usually move on (without you), and you need to reconnect or connect in a new way.  This can often bring on “grief.”  That may surprise you.  But it’s true.  It’s grieving the relationships and comfortableness that was and moving on to what is and what will become.

“Realize that God places us where we are, to prepare us for

what He wants us to become.”

“After the Boxes are Unpacked,” by Susan Miller

Most all God’s work in us is to “move us out of our comfort zones.”  In the flesh, we DON’T like that!   It’s realigning our lives, interests, habits, and day-to-day living in a new way.  Another honest comment is that we don’t like change.  Often positive people engage the word “ADVENTURE.” 

The dictionary or thesaurus can shed some light on that word “adventure.”  Here are just a few:  Venture, journey, undertaking, exciting activity, risk, escapade, exploration.  Add the word ….boxes, tiredness, stress and moving truck (U-Haul was our go-to truck) and that packages (couldn’t help but use that word) it all together.

AS A FOLLOWER OF JESUS CHRIST, WE CAN’T GROW AND MATURE IF WE

REMAIN IN OUR COMFORT ZONE

Let’s tell it like it is…. we prefer the predictable, the way we’ve done something for years, and parish the thought that God might have other plans.

Proverbs 16:9 “A man’s heart plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps.”

This is a biblical proverb emphasizing that while humans make plans, God ultimately determines their path.

I’ve adopted this phrase from all our moves and to me, summarizes “transition” this way. 

God has designed you to

“live out His plans and purposes”

in your life.

Prior to our “MANY” moves, God has prompted me to think this way: 

“Dianne, let’s get going on My Plan…it’s the best and wisest.” 

Love, God

My husband and I married in the United States. Transition #1 He was originally from Scotland, immigrated with his parents to New Zealand, and God moved him to Calgary, Alberta, Canada.  Canada, I’d seen it on the map, but had never been there.  Transition #2, I acquired the status of being a LANDED IMMIGRANT.

We did travel over 2,000 miles from my home town to Calgary, but Landed Immigrant sounds more distant, don’t you think.   I was to remain in this status for some years.

Then, the big day came when my status was now elevated to PERMANENT RESIDENT.  Gosh, that sounded more profound and home-going than my last reference title.  I’ve been a “permanent resident” now for twelve years.

I’ve always held to being an American citizen.  But since we are now back in Canada, and observing their laws and requirements for citizenship, I thought perhaps it might be a good idea to look at becoming a Canadian citizen.

A person needs to reside in Canada for approximately 1,080 consecutive days (within a five-year period).  And…..I’ve done that!  Yeh!  The laws in Canada state that I could now apply for citizenship.  In October of last year, I applied and sent off the forms, etc.  It could take up to two years.

February 3, 2026 I received a TREMENDOUS EMAIL FROM THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADA stating that my application for citizenship was approved and that I was being invited to take the……

OATH OF CITIZENSHIP

on February 18, 2026

I was “thrilled.”  Yesterday we looked over all the information and I will become a citizen soon.  We’re doing it on-line rather than in person.  It’s a two-hour appointment, beginning at 11 a.m. and ending at 1:00 p.m.; and I’ll be sitting firmly and with smiles at my computer – ready to take the “oath!”

Can you catch the enthusiasm here??  Now I will have two “earthly citizenships.”   But let me add the GREATEST DELIGHT which occurred many years ago.  It was when I accepted Jesus Christ as my personal Savior.  

Through difficult circumstances in my life-journey, I was brought face-to-face with that term “sinner.”  I never liked the word, still don’t…. but I qualify as I was never able to live my life without sinning in some way, before a Holy God. 

I came to grips with the fact that none of us can enter heaven and the presence of God because heaven is a “perfect environment” and we aren’t perfect.  On our own, we don’t meet the “entry qualifications” God has set.  I used to think that I was pretty good until I realized my good doesn’t meet God’s standard of good or perfect.

Sin is in all of us!  We have to be changed…but it’s a change that we cannot do for ourselves.  It’s God’s love, grace and favor that offers to change us.  But … the critical thing is, He won’t change us if we’re not willing.  He’s a gentleman and will never force His way or will upon us.  That’s the bad news.

But God knew all of that before it ever happened and He made a wonderful provision to get us back “in the good books” as they say.  Getting us back to what God had first intended. 

God, the Father is a Spirit (we can’t see Him) but He wanted each of us (all mankind) to know what He is like.  So, God came Himself, dressing Himself in flesh and blood, that’s Jesus Christ (God, the Son) to take the punishment our individual sins deserve, so we could be forgiven and accepted into His family.  His death on the cross paid the “death penalty” for each of us.

Romans, chapter 6, verse 23: “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.  Gifts aren’t earned…they’re to be received.

John, chapter 1, verse 12: “But to all who did receive Him, who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God.”

IT’S ADOPTION….AT ITS FINEST

God dressed Himself with skin and bones and entered our world.

 Jesus is “God…with skin on”

CHRISTmas celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ…God becoming a “human,” yet still Divine.   I wanted and needed forgiveness a thousand-times-over.  How about you?

The moment I responded to the invitation given by God, and received what Jesus had done for me, I BECAME A CITIZEN OF HEAVEN.

I’m grateful for both of my citizenships down here on earth; but my decision to respond to the greatest invitation ever given, by God, gave me ETERNAL CITIZENSHIP WITH HIM.   I didn’t need to apply, complete forms, meet the standards (which I never could), be on earth a certain amount of time, be on a waiting list and show up for a “oath of citizenship.”

Philippians chapter 3, verse 20: “But our citizenship is in heaven.”

I just admitted I sinned, needed a Savior Who would “qualify me,” accepted His payment for my sins and I WAS ACCEPTED…. I WAS IN…..I BECAME A CITIZEN OF HEAVEN & A CHILD OF THE KING.

WHERE IS YOUR CITIZENSHIP WHEN YOU LEAVE THIS LIFE ?