Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Moving...again

Well, we're moving again. Actually, its going to be quite an adventure. We are moving into a three bedroom house, but we're not going to be alone. It's kind of a long story, but through much confirmation from the Lord, we are going to have roommates for the next year. It seems so strange to have roommates again!
Moving to the West Coast is going to be quite a financial leap. So this year we are saving, saving, saving! We have school loans to pay off and money that needs to be saved. God has been faithful in providing for us, and after much prayer and fasting, He has presented us with this option. We continued to pray and seek confirmation and we have concluded that if we are seeking the Lord in prayer for a solution and He has provided us with one, unconventional though it may be, we will accept it. Sometimes the Lord will ask you to do strange or crazy things, but we know that He is faithful and that He knows exactly what He is doing. So, we are trusting Him in this.
In the mean time we have lots and lots of packing and consolidating to do! Chris and my closet space is going to be about 1/5 of what it is now! We are getting creative and frequenting the Container Store! It should be interesting.
I'll keep you posted.

In other news... ThePortlandProject.org is officially up and running! You can visit the website to get information about our progress and the members of our team. Individual bios should be up within the next day or so. We are so excited about what the Lord is doing. Please visit our prayer support tab. We believe in the power of prayer and can use all the prayer support we can get!

Tuesday, September 2, 2008

Better

Lately I have been missing Indy. I mean, I always miss home and my family. For example, I missed two very special weddings this summer, not the first of the very special weddings I’ve missed either. Last year I missed Caleb and Beth Bollman’s wedding. I hated that. Caleb has been one of my very dearest and best friends since I was 13 years old, and I missed the most important event in his life. It isn’t supposed to work that way. I was always a part of every big thing in his life, and he in mine, but I missed it. I missed it just like I missed Donnie and Caryn Fisburn’s, and Zach and Katie Myers’ weddings this summer. I hate missing things like this. I hate missing milestones. Donnie who is another great friend, and Zach who is like a little brother were ushers in my wedding, but I missed theirs.
Last week my baby brother went off to college! Thomas, in college! I can hardly believe it. I wish that I could have been around to help him get all settled in or at least to see him off, but 900 miles is a bit of a haul for something like that. My best friend is going to graduate from Purdue this year. I probably won’t see that. I am certain that more people will get engaged and married, and chances are I will only hear about it through the grapevine and get to look at the pictures on Facebook. (I hate that I get caught up on things through Facebook). So yeah, missing my friends and family never really stops, but lately, I’ve been missing Indy… just the place itself.
I can’t remember the last time I went to Sky Concert over Labor Day, or walked the canal. I haven’t been to the Zoo in forever. I miss Monument Circle, and the Border’s, and the brick sidewalks, and the weather (oh how I miss the weather!). I miss the old buildings, and driving down Meridian Street just to look at the houses. I miss the Spaghetti Factory, and I never thought I would miss The Spaghetti Factory. I miss being in Indy for Colts season. I can be a Colts fan anywhere, but it’s just not the same here. I am especially jealous that I am missing the transition to the Lucas Oil Stadium!

BUT…

Let me tell you why Dallas is better. (I never thought I would say or type those words.) Dallas, itself, is not better. If you ask me, I would never say that Dallas is better. Aside from the fantastic places to eat and the malls, Indy is certainly more my kind of city, but Living in Dallas is better.
Being married is better.
Learning how to take what I have been taught at home, and live it out as an adult is better.
I always took advantage of the fantastic community that I grew up in, but learning its importance and how to create it is better.
Learning selflessness is better.
Learning sacrificial love is better.
Learning discipline is better.
Learning to be content and whole with Jesus as my everything, is better.
Learning to take responsibility for my actions, and perhaps more importantly, for my inactions, is better.
Learning what it truly means to serve is better.
Learning that I am not as great as I thought I was is better.
Learning that I sometimes the Lord doesn’t do things my way is better.
Learning to trust that God knows what He is doing even when I don’t, is better.
Learning to be patient is better.
Learning to humbly receive God’s blessings is better.
Learning the power of prayer and how to pray is better.
Learning what it means to be the body of Christ is better.
Learning how to press in to a relationship with Jesus is better.
Learning that I have a lot to learn is better.
Learning to live solely for the purpose of Christ is simply better!

So I’ve been missing Indy lately, but I have also been reminded that if Dallas is the place where I am to learn what it means to be a disciple of Christ, then Dallas is far better, and I am a grateful that the Lord has brought me to Dallas.
With Indianapolis in the past, Dallas in the present, and Portland in the future, I am finding myself indescribably thankful for the solid foundation and the seeds that took root in Indy, and for the sometimes painful growth and pruning I am experiencing in Dallas, and for the fruit that I am certain will be produced in Portland.

Yes, I am sure that this is better.