last spring

I find it so interesting how people can take something said by another and perceive it in so many ways. Two people (both guys, I wonder if that has something to do with it) both said, "I thought you liked it here" when I said I was planning on moving back home as soon as possible after I finished my Master's Degree. I laughed and shook my head. I tried to think of a single time when I was thinking, "wow, I'm glad I'm in Virginia." I couldn't think of a single one. I guess that's kind of sad and mildly pathetic because I want to be where God has called me and I want to live for Him and live joyfully. I need a lot of grace and I cannot for the life of me see how I someone in my circumstances (without God) could ever be the slightest bit happy about Virginia.

I do like traveling, but I would hope that I would do that if I were living at home. When I think about it, it's probably not as true. There is a lot nearby on the East Coast, everything is so close together. (I'm trying my best to think of benefits to living out here. My mind quickly jumped to... 'well, there's not really a need to go to another state because we've got everything in California anyway.' Like I said, I need a lot of grace. God really needs to change my thoughts because I can't do it.) The more I contemplate and attempt to find good things about living in Virginia, the more discontent I become. The more I want to go to a South American or Central American country and live amongst the people and help them. The more I want to take BART or ride my bike to the water. The more I despise driving and loathe trying to stay awake on my commute to and from work much less when I'm traveling somewhere.

These pictures are from Hatteras, North Carolina - known by the people here as the 'Outer Banks' or 'OBX'. It was quite comical to me that I drove over 200 miles to camp with people I had met once and ended up hanging out with a girl I just met on that trip and am now really good friends with. I am often so amazed. God really has a sense of humor. One of these days I will look back and thank God that I lived in virginia. Maybe all of the mosquito bites are building up my immunity and reminding me to put on bug repellant so I'll be ready for the rain forests when I go to Costa Rica and zip through the trees. There are so many possibilities. Here's to 54 more weeks.

-run for life