One week.
One more week in this geographic location I call home.
40° 35′ 11.54″ N
122° 23′ 30.04″ W
I become sentimental when I leave a place that has become a piece of myself. Redding has become significant these past 16 months.
I live here.
I work here.
My community of friends also live here.
I have lived in 3 different houses.
I have met many many faces.
My friends now, I did not know when I first moved here.
This has been an adventure since the beginning.
I found friends as odd and goofy as me.
I found it easier to just be me and nothing else.
At first, it was tiring meeting people, but I grew to enjoy it.
I have discovered sharing my heart is where I can genuinely connect with another.
I am mega friendly.
I am comfortable meeting new friends.
I am comfortable laughing a lot.
I like myself.
I like discovering more of my “adventurous spirit.”
I like finding similarities in others and learning of who they are.
It is odd to think that in a week’s time, I will be on my way to a new chapter.
I will miss the home I found here.
I found a home because the home is based in Jesus.
I thought I would only be here from September to June; yet in spring time, I realized I wanted to stay here longer. Jesus taught me the importance of finding what my heart wants. Discover what your heart wants. My heart is good. Dreams are inside my heart. Desires are inside my heart. My heart is connected to my soul and I wanted to stay in Redding longer.
A few years ago, I was in the midst of a season of decision; a momma in my life reminded me, “You make good decisions. You are pursuing Jesus & who he is. Don’t get caught up in wondering if you will make the right decision. You make good decisions.”
I am reminded of this same train of thought. I make good decisions. Missions and traveling is in my heart, no doubt. I do get overwhelmed at the thought of being in a place where I cannot speak the language. I have been living where I CAN speak the language (and 99% of all people I encounter speak it fluently) for twenty-seven years. But I won’t allow that detail to deter me.
This is what I am called to.
I will miss my home here. I will especially miss the people that made it a home. I have learned so much from them, and they are big factors of who I am now. They have helped me become more myself. Redding fambam- you hold a special place in my heart. It’s a big piece of my heart. I will be impartial without you. Thank you for being who you are. I love you all! And like Arnold Schwarzenegger is so frequently quoted: I’ll be back!
Last night as I was preparing to sleep the night away, I watched a short film about the birth of Jesus. It was entirely refreshing. I did not know I needed this story in my ears. I broke. I cried.
Jesus- who all of creation has been waiting for over thousands of years, came. Kings and wise men, scientists and authors, governors and city people, farmers and moms and dads, grammas and grampas, came because their hope for all of time had come to earth. Because of love.
Rich, poor, teachers, students, weary and strong, Jesus has come.
Papa-Thank you for the reminder of your goodness! Thank you for helping me turn my heart and mind to thankfulness the past couple days. I can get caught up in what I don’t see yet and become overwhelmed and begin to fret.
You remind me to look at what you’ve done. Where you have come through. Evidence. Proof.
I have a home in you.
I have a home & community with friends.
I have found where I belong.
I have seen you provide! (Hello!) (too often I look at this number of what I don’t have raised yet, and Papa is whispering “no, no, look at what I HAVE done”)
I have so many individuals who have helped me become the Andrea today, thank you. You care immensely for me.
Sweet hymns of joy
In grateful chorus raise we
