Transitions

Ok, I've been putting off blogging because my mind has been on other things...like moving.  We are getting to where somewhat of a routine has started.  My life feels really foreign right now.  One would think that since this is the place I moved from that I would be able to jump back into the same old routine as before.  The problem is that I'm not the same person.  I've had different experiences since I've been gone, have different visions for my life, and even had changes on my viewpoints that I once held so strongly.  I'm different and for the better.  Everyone thinks that we moved to Blacksburg for Seth to go to school and I since God laughing and saying, "if they only knew".  I think God had us move to Blacksburg for me.  I have never met with God like I did in Blacksburg.  I since him directing my life in ways I have never experienced before.  I have learned to sit still before him and allow him to speak to me through His Word, people, and the Holy Spirit.  God also sent so many older Titus 2 women in my life.  I can't tell you how they encouraged me in my walk with the Lord.  Personally, there is nothing like sitting at an older (or one with more experiences than you) woman's feet that is completely in-love with Jesus and listening to her experiences and wisdom on life.  I now understand why God put Titus chapter 2 in his Word...because it is vital to one in their pursuit of God. 

Here is another question we get..."aren't you glad to be back in a house with a backyard?"  The answer is no...I loved my 1100 square foot apartment.  Mainly because we had the best neighbors in the world.  My Korean neighbor would just randomly make me food and we would have our kids play together.  There was the sweetest special needs girl named Katia and my kids would hug her almost everyday as she would get off the bus from school.  There was Ms. Liz who made yarn at the library out of sheep's wool.  She had four boys of her own (all grown up) and had a special heart towards Luke.  Luke would sell her lemonade and tell her about his special projects he had going on in his sandbox.  There was also Yazahn and Akmahn from the Middle East who loved to play with Luke.  Eric who lived around the corner and Anthony that lived at another complex...they would both seek out Luke to play with.  There were Shirley and Penelope who Ella loved to play with.  Soha, who befriended Ella.  And Judy and Chance (her dog).  My kids loved that dog and so did Fonzi.  We loved the diversity of people that Blacksburg had and all the exposure our kids had while there.  I could literally go one day at my apartment complex and rarely hear English.  I would go on walks and just listen to all the foreign languages being spoken and just since that God was drawing people across all boundaries to himself.  It really made the verses that spoke about nations in the Bible real to me. 

I could go on about all the different people God brought in our lives while there, but I've rambled to long.  I miss Blacksburg terribly.  It was a great fit for us.  Who knows, maybe we will end up in Blacksburg again at some point.  So here is another question we hear a great deal, "are you guys back to stay forever?", and the answer is no.  Moving to Blacksburg has given us the courage to pursue what we really have known all along...that God wants us somewhere else eventually.  We are not for sure where, even though we have a couple of ideas, and we are not for sure when.  We do know that he has us here for now and he has things for us to learn.  I was talking to a friend this past weekend, who has moved around a ton, and some of her words to me were life giving.  She said that maybe moving to Blacksburg and moving back are all just preparation for where God is going to put us next.  As we look forward to the future with great anticipation, we are also very much committed to living fully in WV while God has us here for however long.  Not only does he have things for us to learn, but also people to influence.  We are excited to see who God brings into our lives not only to teach us but for us to love and influence as well.