Part of me really does not want to want to travel the road of writing this post.

A deeper part of me knows I must.

We are told “for everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven…a time to laugh and a time to cry…a time to embrace and a time to turn away.”

A season in our lives is about to close today, a “turning away” is at hand.

It is also a time to reflect on the journey we have traveled over the past two and a half decades, most specifically living in the house we have called home for the past twenty one years.

In the same way a new chapter is about to emerge, full of blank pages waiting to be written on and the promise of all things being new – “a time to embrace”.

Today, we turn over the keys to our home to a young couple buying our house.

Although surreal in many ways the words echo in my heart once again, “for everything there is a season”.

We had been living in our neighborhood for nearly five years, when three little girls poked their heads out the window and one excited wife opened the front door to watch our new house roll down the road on trucks and travel past our eyes on its way to the parcel which would play host to the place we would call home.

The house is a modular construction built in a factory, transported from the assembly line to our location, and erected on our property – the four “pieces” being placed together via a crane like a giant Lego set. The garage was built on-site.

Fast forward twenty one years and we are now moving to an area in which we once formerly resided prior to relocating to our current, soon-to-be-ending location.

The rooms of our house have been emptied of their contents into not one, but two moving trucks.

As of today our home will be an empty shell.

Or will it?

We have done much reflecting over the past couple of months as we have prepared for this day.

A new house awaits us, one which we hope to call home as well.

Tears have been shed and memories have surfaced which have made us laugh as we have marched toward the transition about to occur.

If I had the chance what could I say to the young couple buying our home to convey to them the essence of the property which they are about to own?

I do have the chance – right here and right now.

There is no time like the present to express a few parting thoughts to let it out of me and perhaps be a blessing to them.

What follows is an open letter to Sean and Courtney, the new owners of our home.

Dear Sean and Courtney,

Life is circular, full of beginnings and endings, one season closing and unfolding into another.

A new beginning is before you as it if for us.  It follows the endings now taking place in each of our lives.  

Today a transaction will take place by which ownership of property will transfer from our hands to yours. It is a legally binding moment where the house officially becomes yours. We can no longer walk through the front door or drive into the garage without your permission, even though we have done so thousands of times.

 It seems odd to picture it or even say it!

We have had the opportunity to meet you; you seem like a nice couple, along with your young son. We hope he enjoys the big back yard in which to play!

For the past twenty one years, this house has been our home.

Although circumstances have brought us to this junction in life where we need to move on and say “goodbye”, in many ways it is difficult.

If these walls could talk, they would speak to you of our initial excitement of even having a house and the manner in which it came to us as I noted above before this letter to you.

We too, much like you have mentioned to us, were in need of more room which led us to the decision to build the house.

If these walls could talk, you would hear the sound of giggling little girls playing with their dolls, getting into mischief, playing dress-ups with their imaginations transporting them into their princess fantasies, or walking down the aisle to meet their Prince Charming.

If these walls could talk, you would hear a Mom or a Dad saying “it’s about time to close our eyes and get to sleep” as our little ones procrastinated in calling it a day.

If these walls could talk, you would hear the prayers of that same Mom and Dad calling on heaven to watch over our girls who seemingly became young women overnight.

We still offer those prayers even though each of them has long flown from this nest.

If these walls could talk, you may be privy to the joys, sorrows, the ups and downs of a husband and wife wondering how we would make ends meet. You would also hear our laughter and you would hear our cries.

If these walls could talk, you would hear a sweet “I love you Mommy” or “I love you Daddy” coming from the lips of one or all of our tribe. You would also hear those same words, “I love you” being expressed between this husband and wife.

If these walls could talk, you would hear the sounds of forgiveness being expressed after an argument, a heated discussion, or when someone said something which ought not to be said.

If these walls could talk, you would hear the early morning excitement on Christmas Day or the sounds of many birthday celebrations.  

If these walls could talk, you would gather around the table to hear talk of proms, dates, graduations, and weddings as well as the trials and triumphs of the many soccer and basketball games which we shared as a family.

If these walls could talk, you might hear the faint cries of a Mom and Dad lying in their bed the evening we returned home after leaving our first child at college. This scene was repeated with Act 2 and Act 3.  

If these walls could talk, you would hear the sound of music being played which honored God and reasonable attempts at mastering the piano. It was a joy to hear these sounds.

If these walls could talk, you would hear the sounds of weird table talk centered on bodily functions or Jell-O being slurped.

If these walls could talk, you would learn about our life in our home. We have been married nearly thirty seven years. We have had our ups and downs, our good times and bad times, our joys and sorrows.

We have had each other and for that I am distinctly glad and grateful, as we are not meant to travel alone.

If these walls could talk, you would know of our love one for the other!

If we were to come back and visit you in ten or twenty years, you too could play your version of “if these walls could talk” and we would gladly listen.

Most importantly, in our version of “if these walls could talk”, we would hope and pray you would hear the sounds of heaven we have heard and experienced.

For within these walls Christ has not only been invited, He has been the honored guest. He has transformed our house into our home by making it His home.

He has carried us through troubled waters and He has intervened in our affairs at precisely the right moment each and every time we needed Him to do so in our lives, including now.

We would be remiss in handing over the keys to this house to you without letting you know He has dwelt here, God with us.

He wants to be with you, all He asks is an invitation. 

Our prayer for you is that your house will become your home – His home, God with you.

This letter has gone much too long as it is hard to say goodbye to the place we have called home these many years. We pray you enjoy your new surroundings as much as we have.

Please treat her with the respect and the care she deserves. We will leave you with this parting thought.

If the Lord doesn’t build a house, the work of its builders is useless.  (Psalms 127:1 MSG)

May God Bless as you make your new house your home!

In closing, if these walls could hear, we would say to our home, our dear friend – “So long, farewell, and in Sound of Music-speak, auf Wiedersehen goodbye!”

Many blessings to the two of you….Bruce and Jackie Cross