As I sat in the dentist chair this morning, I was reminded of how little Spanish I know. Before I came in, my Columbian-born dentist had already decided that our conversation should only be in Spanish. But seeing as I could only understand “un poco” and could speak even less, we quickly reverted to English. She kindly encouraged me in my language-learning endeavors, and then we parted ways (with my teeth gleaming, of course). Man, I have loads of Spanish to learn!
Around the East Coast in 30 days…
New York, Chicago, D.C., the Atlantic coast…These are a few of the places that I have visited over the past month. I have seen amazing cities, historic sites, and beautiful scenery. The National Cathedral was awe-inspiring; the Maine coastline was breath-taking; the Windy City had amazing architecture and art; Detroit oozed with historic greatness and future potential. And through it all, I made an interesting discovery about myself. Often, I have been fascinated with the grand things of life: the big road trip, the thrill of the city, the picturesque countryside. I envision that these things, if experienced, would make one happy.
This past month has been filled with more of these things than I can mention. And while each experience left me with a sense of wonder and amazement, each one was only temporary. The parts of the trip that were the most meaningful were the times spent with old and new friends. The sites filled me with awe; the people warmed my heart. While I will always remember NYC, the best part was being with Derek and Matt. D.C. was unbelievable, but time with Rachel was better.
And through all of our experiences, the presence of God is essential. With God, every moment is filled with meaning, love, and contentment. Without God, we are just running from one thrill to the next, trying to fill our lives with happiness and adventure. The presence of God fills even the most mundane situations into an encounter with the Holy One, which is better than seeing all the wonders of the world!
Disaster In Lima
Please be praying for the families in Peru that lost loved ones in the recent earthquake, as well as for the thousands of people who were injured in this natural disaster.
There is no place like home…
Just recently, I have been blessed with several opportunities to reconnect with long-lost, yet so very dear, friends. The kind of friends who know me really, really well and still love me. Those people who have known me for a long time; who have seen me during the good, bad, and ugly times; who have seen me grow throughout the years. There is something so comforting about spending time with old friends. You can truly be yourself, enjoying every moment and reminiscing about old times while still creating new memories. And during all of this, you are blessed with the chance to learn about their new situations in life, to meet their new friends, and to see how God continues to work in their lives. These are the times that I truly feel at home, even if I am in Wilmington, NC, thousands of miles away from my physical home. These times remind me of who I am, where I have been, what God has done in my life, and where God is leading me in the future. Praise the Lord for old friends!
