Musings.

So this visit is wonderful. It just seems to me that days are longer in Georgia. Perhaps it is because you can get places so easily and quickly. Commuting places is what you have to do in New York, even to get to the mall. And here in Georgia, you don't have to worry about 'if' there will be traffic and make you late or 'if' you should leave extra early or looking for parking spots or all that mess. So I have more mind space b/c I don't think about those things. Perhaps that helps the day feel longer. But seriously, yesterday was restful and relaxing AND productive. I got so much done for work, yet I also spent lots of time for my family and ENJOYED running my errands for work with Mom and Franklin (mom to watch Franklin while I looked around and read through devotions for youth and stuff).

I also loved my run through the country yesterday. I ran through some back roads where houses are on multiple acre lots and there are lots of ponds and stuff. I saw one lady and she talked to me :). She was checking her mail. It was a short run b/c there were so many hills I felt like I was dying in the 90 degree heat, but I was so refreshed just by taking in the atmosphere. I also love that here in Georgia, when you see someone, they immediately make eye contact and smile or talk (like 90% of the time). In New York, I feel like people make less eye contact (like the Smith's NYC faces), and they don't talk to you b/c they don't know if you're going to kill them or if you're going to get them off your schedule. But here, it's nice because if you're having a bad day, you're likely to get cheered up by a lady looking at toys in target with you or something. Something about the atmosphere just makes me feel loved and welcomed, something I don't really feel on the streets of New York. I'm not saying that GFCers aren't loving or that no New Yorkers are. I'm just saying in general, random ppl give off the more loving vibe here. AND, I like that.

So this has already been refreshing, and I love it. I DON'T WANT TO LEAVE. I'm getting to tell my family about what I'd like my wedding to be like and watch dad shuffle in his seat as he thinks about the $$$. I'm getting to listen to Franklin pretend to be Buzz Lightyear and tell everything he sees that he's going to send it 'to infity and be gone!' (to infinity and beyond). And there is so much space everywhere to stretch out. I LOVE THAT. That probably sounds silly, but I miss space, clutter free space.

When I come home, I realize afresh that the ministry work that God has called me to (urban ministry...Chinese urban ministry) is really cross cultural. Just because it's in America doesn't make it same cultural evangelism. Some may think I'm being overdramatic, but they can't understand what my heart and soul and mind feel like, but God can, and Jesse does a pretty good job too, so I'm satisfied. So during my run yesterday, I battled it out again and reminded myself that 'eternity' matters, and then I thought that maybe in Heaven, God has for me a new life that will mimick a glorified Georgia or lazy comfortable beach life :). hehe.

I say that because I saw this mailbox cover with a picture of a beach and beach chair and umbrella when I was running and I couldn't help but think that that is how so many people can easily live here in these wide open spaces. They can live a luxurious life forgetting about the starving children or the kids who wear the same clothes to school everyday or the parents who work from 5 a.m. till 11 p.m. each day. People live comfortably and have enough money to buy all they need AND want and enjoy their lives and THAT is all that matters. And that's what I vowed long ago never to allow myself to become because I couldn't see that that's how God wants us to live when the second great commandment is to love our brother; rather, I vowed to be HIS disciple which meant, for me, giving up my beach and lawn chair and wide open space...and family. I can't say that the material blessings of my life in New York have proved 'worth it' so far although I'm sure one day I will say they will (as I'm about to marry the most amazing man and perhaps, Lord willing, have a family with him), but I can say now that I walk this all by faith trusting that I am following God for HIS purpose and that He knows best even if it's hard for me and requires sacrifice. But maybe, just maybe, heaven will something that will quench the sadness of what I miss from life here in the South... I suppose that 'something' is Jesus Himself, but I can't really fathom how great He is.

Anyway, I'm off to plan the first weeks lessons from our new devotion book. Off to da moon, as Franklin says! To infity and BE GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONE!