While I have had every intention of writing a post on this blog lately (the "freedom of God" has been on my mind lately), I have not felt inspired to write. Sometimes, it seems, I am led more to listen and take in these new experiences than to spill out thoughts and constructions. I have not had a chance to process this whole transition yet.
Here are a few highlights of the past few weeks though:
-Packing is lovely until you realize that you don't actually see everything that needs to be packed until the very end. It's easy to skip your eyes over items that have become permanent fixtures. I was reminded of this when I read this post by Hooked on Houses today.
-Our movers in Atlanta, once they realized that I just finished seminary, took us both by the hands at the end of the day and prayed for us and blessed us on our journey. It was such a sweet, impromptu act that felt so genuine. It was a gesture of love from an unlikely place. I mean, it's nice when a pastor or deacon pulls you aside to pray for you, but it's something special when your movers want to go out of their way to bless you.
-10 hours of driving in one day is overwhelming.
-We had a great time visiting my college roommate and her mother (who happened to be in town)! I wish we could have stayed longer, though I'm sure Sammy (the cat) was glad to see Sophie get out of his space.
-Illinois takes too long to drive across.
-Nothing could have topped our little motel in Allison. It was a perfect place to land for a week. I knew every moment of the day that we arrived in rural Iowa, because corn fields stretched as far as the eye could see. Driving into Waverly took us by an ethanol plant and wind turbines.
-On a related note, life is different here. These people live close to the land, and they have no incentive to pollute it (outside of pesticide use and the flowing of sediment into the rivers from overfarming, which are growing issues). Much of the produce sold in stores is organic. They intentionally keep antibiotics out of the milk and meat. They started using wind power in the early 90s. As I've heard a few times, they "went green before it was hip to go green." Community gardens have been springing up all over the city, in places left abandoned after the last catastrophic flood (2008).
-People are generally quite friendly, rather simple, but very genuine. They consider themselves people of the earth, even when they aren't farmers (but their parents were farmers). Common buzz words here: community, neighbors, justice. We've been invited to numerous welcome dinners since we arrived. Apparently that's how society flourishes in a small town. Instead of big-city attractions, you have each other. Yet most people we've met are from Iowa, or other small towns around the Midwest. Generally, more people leave here to go to big cities than the other way around.
-Kati is awesome for stopping by and helping me start my garden. This place didn't feel like it could be home until she got here and helped me cultivate this new home. God bless my friends from seminary. I miss them already.
-My asthma has improved dramatically since we arrived here. I rode my bicycle the other day, and for the first time in many years, I did not have an asthma attack.
-Our list of blessings has far outgrown our list of concerns. I feel so humbled by God's providence.
Speaking of my seminary friends, how are all of you on your new and old journeys?
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