Okay, I simply have to share this very revealing moment from the past week.
At the school where I teach, we are allotted $200 per year for school supplies from Office Depot. How it works is that you submit an order form to your department chair, and then they send it off.
As I filled out my order form during the first week of school, it felt fairly routine. I had also waited until the last possible hour to do it and so I even felt a little rushed.
Well, this past week, my department chair hand delivered the bag of office depot stuff to my room. It was a large, pudgy bag, and so I began to get a little more excited and grateful for this gift.
Then I looked in the bag and, seeing it's contents, I became enamored. Bright colored boxes of blue, black, and red Bic pens caught my eye. There was a huge box filled with countless Manila file folders and the bag was oozing with Expo dry erase markers. A healthy box of wooden pencils sat side by side with a box of mechanical ones, for the times when you can't get to a pencil sharpener. Two working pairs of scissors seemed to be undeserved and a package of recycled, yet beautiful Post-it notes captured my imagination with their colorful surfaces. I was practically drooling over these school supplies!
I thought to myself in that moment: this is when you know you are a teacher. :)
Sunday, September 9, 2012
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
Escape From Prison
Hello everyone, It has been far, far too long since we posted here. Things would get confusing (or at least long) if I tried to explain everything that Sarah and I have experienced in the last year. However, I would like to share one common thread.
Last summer (summer 2011) and fall, with the help of some faithful friends and the conviction of God's Spirit, I began to see more clearly some underlying issues in my soul that were causing a variety of problems. The problems could be summed up like this: I had for awhile been experiencing unwanted and anxious thoughts regularly about relationships, responsibilities, and even salvation. As a result, I found myself lacking peace and joy in my daily life. Sometimes, the thoughts felt like a prison, and I couldn't see a way to break out. God's passageway to break out was so counterintuitive. The escape route was a command from Scripture.
By the grace of God, I began to recognize that it was the idolatry of my heart that was causing the anxiety. In other words, I was giving God-like value to things that weren't God. I recognized my two primary idols as: 1. Approval from other people and 2. Control over my life.
So- and stick with me here (as I often say to my high school students)- in trying to win the approval of others and in trying to grip my life fiercely in order to exert control over it, I was imprisoning myself. Let's face it, if you try and have complete control over your life, you are trying to do God's job. Now those are some big shoes to fill! God's role of sovereign responsibility and care is more than enough to cause any human a lifetime of anxiety, should they attempt to take it on. My pastor often reminds us of this truth: Anxiety is stepping into God's role and quickly realizing that we don't have God's resources.
So that's what I was doing, essentially. I thought things like: "My marriage needs to be successful so that others will respect me", "I need to make absolutely sure that I have crossed off every checklist item in the Christian faith to be sure that I am in fact a Christian," and "I need to make sure that nothing goes wrong in this relationship." Again, in trying to do the impossible, I was setting a prison up for myself to dwell in. But God had a special passageway for me out of the prison and it was somewhat counterintuitive. Sometime in the fall (I don't remember the exact day) I read this in Luke, Chapter 4:
"It is written,'You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve.'"
This is Jesus quoting Scripture to Satan in the wilderness - wow. In reading this, I realized that this passage could be a powerful weapon for me to us in the fight against idolatry, which was (and still is many times) the source of my anxiety.
How does this weapon work? In the bible, God commands his people to worship only Him, and no one/thing else. This straightforward command that Jesus quotes in Luke was so simple, yet so powerful for me. In this verse, I learn that I must worship God alone, not my own power, nor my image. When I remind myself of this verse, God reminds me that he is God and that I should consider Him to have ultimate worth. When I turn from my idolatry in those times and truly believe that God is God, I am not anxious, because I am entrusting myself to the only person who can take care of the whole world, including all the needs of my life. I experience so much more peace in my heart, though my heart is, of course, not perfect.
So a command to submit to the ultimate Authority is what broke me out of prison. This is why I say it is counterintuitive. The way to experience true freedom is to submit to the truth.
Thanks be to the only true God- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The Father sent the Son to live, die and resurrect by the Spirit in order to make a true way for us to know God. By personally trusting that Jesus lived perfectly submitted to the only God, that he paid the penalty for all of the false gods that we have, and that he was raised from the dead, we are rescued out of all of our worship prisons to experience forgiveness and freedom with God forever.
Jesus, while on Earth, told us: "I am the way, and the truth, and the life."
Last summer (summer 2011) and fall, with the help of some faithful friends and the conviction of God's Spirit, I began to see more clearly some underlying issues in my soul that were causing a variety of problems. The problems could be summed up like this: I had for awhile been experiencing unwanted and anxious thoughts regularly about relationships, responsibilities, and even salvation. As a result, I found myself lacking peace and joy in my daily life. Sometimes, the thoughts felt like a prison, and I couldn't see a way to break out. God's passageway to break out was so counterintuitive. The escape route was a command from Scripture.
By the grace of God, I began to recognize that it was the idolatry of my heart that was causing the anxiety. In other words, I was giving God-like value to things that weren't God. I recognized my two primary idols as: 1. Approval from other people and 2. Control over my life.
So- and stick with me here (as I often say to my high school students)- in trying to win the approval of others and in trying to grip my life fiercely in order to exert control over it, I was imprisoning myself. Let's face it, if you try and have complete control over your life, you are trying to do God's job. Now those are some big shoes to fill! God's role of sovereign responsibility and care is more than enough to cause any human a lifetime of anxiety, should they attempt to take it on. My pastor often reminds us of this truth: Anxiety is stepping into God's role and quickly realizing that we don't have God's resources.
So that's what I was doing, essentially. I thought things like: "My marriage needs to be successful so that others will respect me", "I need to make absolutely sure that I have crossed off every checklist item in the Christian faith to be sure that I am in fact a Christian," and "I need to make sure that nothing goes wrong in this relationship." Again, in trying to do the impossible, I was setting a prison up for myself to dwell in. But God had a special passageway for me out of the prison and it was somewhat counterintuitive. Sometime in the fall (I don't remember the exact day) I read this in Luke, Chapter 4:
"It is written,'You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve.'"
This is Jesus quoting Scripture to Satan in the wilderness - wow. In reading this, I realized that this passage could be a powerful weapon for me to us in the fight against idolatry, which was (and still is many times) the source of my anxiety.
How does this weapon work? In the bible, God commands his people to worship only Him, and no one/thing else. This straightforward command that Jesus quotes in Luke was so simple, yet so powerful for me. In this verse, I learn that I must worship God alone, not my own power, nor my image. When I remind myself of this verse, God reminds me that he is God and that I should consider Him to have ultimate worth. When I turn from my idolatry in those times and truly believe that God is God, I am not anxious, because I am entrusting myself to the only person who can take care of the whole world, including all the needs of my life. I experience so much more peace in my heart, though my heart is, of course, not perfect.
So a command to submit to the ultimate Authority is what broke me out of prison. This is why I say it is counterintuitive. The way to experience true freedom is to submit to the truth.
Thanks be to the only true God- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The Father sent the Son to live, die and resurrect by the Spirit in order to make a true way for us to know God. By personally trusting that Jesus lived perfectly submitted to the only God, that he paid the penalty for all of the false gods that we have, and that he was raised from the dead, we are rescued out of all of our worship prisons to experience forgiveness and freedom with God forever.
Jesus, while on Earth, told us: "I am the way, and the truth, and the life."
Saturday, August 20, 2011
Recently
So it's been a long time since we posted! It took me a while to get over Ben's rational musings on my favorite girlhood movie, but I have survived! :)
I suppose the reason why there have been no recent posts is possibly because there has been little news. We have been living rather quietly, with no major disasters or adventures. Ben has been busy with band camp, meetings, and lesson planning. I have been playing guitar a lot in preparation for my internship, keeping house, learning how to be content in all things, and trying to support my husband in his busyness. We've made it to the beach a few times and have enjoyed some quiet nights at home playing checkers and drinking beer. :)
Our first anniversary was 2 weekends ago, and we celebrated all week long with little things like watching our wedding DVD, looking at the wedding album, and recalling special memories. I borrowed an idea from a friend and made a book for Ben where I wrote down special memories from our first year together. We also got to go to dinner at a nice restaurant in the City Place, and enjoyed the opportunity to dress up and go out on the town. ;)
The last year being married to Ben has been the best year of my life. The element of companionship in marriage is almost too deep for words, because God creates intimacy between two people who love him and each other when they don't even notice it. Looking back to the day that we were married, I had no idea that I would love Ben in the way that I do today --- and I loved him a LOT! The process of moving through life together, making decisions together, comforting one another, and working out problems day by day all while under the authority of Christ is a journey that is hard but it leads to delight - delight in one another as companions for life, and delight in the God who loves us enough to give us such a gift.
As a teenager dreaming of the man that I would one day marry, I could not have imagined such a man as Ben Sparrow - one who loves me unconditionally, leads our family in truth and wisdom, and does not seek to live up to any standards of the world but those of our Father alone. He loves me for who I am, accepting me completely despite the faults that he knows I have. He forgives me freely, without hesitation and without holding it against me. He treasures me as his wife, loving me tenderly and thoughtfully and with abandon - I feel safe and secure in his love. He is handsome and his presence is a comfort to me. He is also my buddy - we can have fun on a grand adventure or a quiet night at home. I just love being with him whatever we do. He kind and gracious to everyone that he meets. He is known for his kindness and ability to get along with others, and his reputation of integrity is well-known. All of these Christ-like traits that I see in my husband point me to Christ as I see and experience them daily. As we move through life together and experience the faithfulness of our Savior over and over again, I realize how blessed I am to have such a partner for life. Not only is he my husband and lover and companion, he is my very best friend.
Well, i didn't intend for this post to beva tribute to my wonderful husband, but it is! You never know where a rambling, spaghetti-right-brained writer will end up, but it's always an adventure! Speaking of adventures, we are on our way to look at used cars! That is a whole new deal for us! :)
I suppose the reason why there have been no recent posts is possibly because there has been little news. We have been living rather quietly, with no major disasters or adventures. Ben has been busy with band camp, meetings, and lesson planning. I have been playing guitar a lot in preparation for my internship, keeping house, learning how to be content in all things, and trying to support my husband in his busyness. We've made it to the beach a few times and have enjoyed some quiet nights at home playing checkers and drinking beer. :)
Our first anniversary was 2 weekends ago, and we celebrated all week long with little things like watching our wedding DVD, looking at the wedding album, and recalling special memories. I borrowed an idea from a friend and made a book for Ben where I wrote down special memories from our first year together. We also got to go to dinner at a nice restaurant in the City Place, and enjoyed the opportunity to dress up and go out on the town. ;)
The last year being married to Ben has been the best year of my life. The element of companionship in marriage is almost too deep for words, because God creates intimacy between two people who love him and each other when they don't even notice it. Looking back to the day that we were married, I had no idea that I would love Ben in the way that I do today --- and I loved him a LOT! The process of moving through life together, making decisions together, comforting one another, and working out problems day by day all while under the authority of Christ is a journey that is hard but it leads to delight - delight in one another as companions for life, and delight in the God who loves us enough to give us such a gift.
As a teenager dreaming of the man that I would one day marry, I could not have imagined such a man as Ben Sparrow - one who loves me unconditionally, leads our family in truth and wisdom, and does not seek to live up to any standards of the world but those of our Father alone. He loves me for who I am, accepting me completely despite the faults that he knows I have. He forgives me freely, without hesitation and without holding it against me. He treasures me as his wife, loving me tenderly and thoughtfully and with abandon - I feel safe and secure in his love. He is handsome and his presence is a comfort to me. He is also my buddy - we can have fun on a grand adventure or a quiet night at home. I just love being with him whatever we do. He kind and gracious to everyone that he meets. He is known for his kindness and ability to get along with others, and his reputation of integrity is well-known. All of these Christ-like traits that I see in my husband point me to Christ as I see and experience them daily. As we move through life together and experience the faithfulness of our Savior over and over again, I realize how blessed I am to have such a partner for life. Not only is he my husband and lover and companion, he is my very best friend.
Well, i didn't intend for this post to beva tribute to my wonderful husband, but it is! You never know where a rambling, spaghetti-right-brained writer will end up, but it's always an adventure! Speaking of adventures, we are on our way to look at used cars! That is a whole new deal for us! :)
Friday, July 22, 2011
Ben's First Post...Get Stoked!
Sarah has been doing an awesome job blogging. Tbough I am the co-owner of this blog, I have not posted until now! I think you will enjoy my more concise sentence structure as evidenced thus far. =)
Sarah and I have been watching the "Anne of Green Gables" series on DVD during the last few days. I have been swept into the story line at times, and my masculinity has endured nicely. I love the beautiful shots of Prince Edward Island--amazing! And I also enjoy the heartwarming interaction between Merilla (I think that's how you spell it) and Anne.
This series has made me think a lot about where we find joy. Joy is something that everyone searches for and no one currently has enough of. I mean, most of the time we all would admit that we would love to have even just a thimble full more of joy.
In the "Anne of Green Gables" series, Anne expresses joy about so many things. When the audience first meets Anne, she is often finding joy in day dreams about what her life might be like if it weren't the same. She finds joy in nature on the carriage ride home with Matthew to Green Gables. She finds joy in attending the ball with what's her name...the girl friend of hers...brown hair...yea. In the sequel movie she finds joy in getting her writing published, in putting on an awesome school play, in returning home to the Green Gables, and especially in her and Gil's romance at the end.
We can all identify with these sources of joy, and they are all valid and important and good things to be joyful about. God has given us beautiful scenery, close personal relationships, parties, and romance to enjoy.
The overall portrayal of Anne in the movies raises a question for me...is Anne's joy lasting? Does it even last for hours, or days, or months, or years...let alone millenia or eternity? Also, are her sources of joy the ultimate source of joy or just vessels to point her to the ultimate source?
In relationship with God-the only true God revealed in Jesus Christ-is the only place that we will ever find lasting joy. We have all experienced getting that next thing that we want, finding joy for a brief period that then fades. For me, it's happened with my new job. Before I got a job, a part of me thought that getting one would bring me incredible joy. It did, in fact, but that joy has faded. My soul is again restless. It's no longer good enough that I have a job, I need a great commute, and so on, and so forth. God's unchanging nature and unbreakable promises allow those who trust in Him to have joy that lasts, no matter how high or how low life's circumstances take us.
In the person of God is where we find the ultimate source of joy...we were created with this in mind. Think about it...if the gifts (like the ones listed above) are so amazing, how much more amazing is the person who designed and crafted and gave us all the gifts? How much more able to give and sustain joy is that person? Infinitely more, and in fact, God's gifts are given to point us to himself, the magnificent and loving God that He is.
Perhaps the greatest gift God has given us is himself. God the Son (Jesus Christ) came to earth, leaving perfect and complete joy with God the Father and God the Holy Spirit while we, who had been created to love Him, were still turning against Him. He lived the life we should have lived, one that was perfectly obedient to God, and then died the death that we should have died for our rebellion. He defeated death (the penalty of our misdeeds) rising from the grave, making a way from us to God. This gift is given to us to make us see God as great. And, for those who receive this gift by believing that Jesus has done this incredible thing for them, this gift gives way to the highest joy we will ever know, knowing God forever.
The bible in 1 Peter 3:18 says: "For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous,that he might bring us to God." Psalm 16:11 says, "In your presence [God's presence] there is fullness of joy."
What about when Anne and Gilbert fight and they can't stand the thought of each other for several hours? Will she have joy during that time? What about when she can't imagine herself out of an illness that she has, or a tough financial situation? When Merilla dies?
I would die for the truth that she will only find full joy throughout all circumstances in God himself.
Sarah and I have been watching the "Anne of Green Gables" series on DVD during the last few days. I have been swept into the story line at times, and my masculinity has endured nicely. I love the beautiful shots of Prince Edward Island--amazing! And I also enjoy the heartwarming interaction between Merilla (I think that's how you spell it) and Anne.
This series has made me think a lot about where we find joy. Joy is something that everyone searches for and no one currently has enough of. I mean, most of the time we all would admit that we would love to have even just a thimble full more of joy.
In the "Anne of Green Gables" series, Anne expresses joy about so many things. When the audience first meets Anne, she is often finding joy in day dreams about what her life might be like if it weren't the same. She finds joy in nature on the carriage ride home with Matthew to Green Gables. She finds joy in attending the ball with what's her name...the girl friend of hers...brown hair...yea. In the sequel movie she finds joy in getting her writing published, in putting on an awesome school play, in returning home to the Green Gables, and especially in her and Gil's romance at the end.
We can all identify with these sources of joy, and they are all valid and important and good things to be joyful about. God has given us beautiful scenery, close personal relationships, parties, and romance to enjoy.
The overall portrayal of Anne in the movies raises a question for me...is Anne's joy lasting? Does it even last for hours, or days, or months, or years...let alone millenia or eternity? Also, are her sources of joy the ultimate source of joy or just vessels to point her to the ultimate source?
In relationship with God-the only true God revealed in Jesus Christ-is the only place that we will ever find lasting joy. We have all experienced getting that next thing that we want, finding joy for a brief period that then fades. For me, it's happened with my new job. Before I got a job, a part of me thought that getting one would bring me incredible joy. It did, in fact, but that joy has faded. My soul is again restless. It's no longer good enough that I have a job, I need a great commute, and so on, and so forth. God's unchanging nature and unbreakable promises allow those who trust in Him to have joy that lasts, no matter how high or how low life's circumstances take us.
In the person of God is where we find the ultimate source of joy...we were created with this in mind. Think about it...if the gifts (like the ones listed above) are so amazing, how much more amazing is the person who designed and crafted and gave us all the gifts? How much more able to give and sustain joy is that person? Infinitely more, and in fact, God's gifts are given to point us to himself, the magnificent and loving God that He is.
Perhaps the greatest gift God has given us is himself. God the Son (Jesus Christ) came to earth, leaving perfect and complete joy with God the Father and God the Holy Spirit while we, who had been created to love Him, were still turning against Him. He lived the life we should have lived, one that was perfectly obedient to God, and then died the death that we should have died for our rebellion. He defeated death (the penalty of our misdeeds) rising from the grave, making a way from us to God. This gift is given to us to make us see God as great. And, for those who receive this gift by believing that Jesus has done this incredible thing for them, this gift gives way to the highest joy we will ever know, knowing God forever.
The bible in 1 Peter 3:18 says: "For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous,that he might bring us to God." Psalm 16:11 says, "In your presence [God's presence] there is fullness of joy."
What about when Anne and Gilbert fight and they can't stand the thought of each other for several hours? Will she have joy during that time? What about when she can't imagine herself out of an illness that she has, or a tough financial situation? When Merilla dies?
I would die for the truth that she will only find full joy throughout all circumstances in God himself.
Monday, July 18, 2011
Typical talk for the starving artist type....
Ben and I have been listening to Wayne Shorter this weekend. He is such a fabulous musician! Honestly, when I met Ben he introduced me to music that I had never listened to before. I always thought that if we were to get married, we would be rich in terms of our fusing musical collections and love ..... And both have turned out to true! :) That being said, having been nothing but musicians/students since we met, it has been good that we have had our music and our love for the past blissful almost-year of marriage! God is the great provider and we have never been in need of anything regardless of our circumstances. But as with other friends pursuing a career with their art, there is always the fun sport of taking on the "starving artist" persona, which we do for fun on occasion. That desperate, gold-digging, headstrong personality came over me with so much irony while we were listening to Mr. Shorter today and I just had to share:
"You know I really married you because I wanted all your music (Ben snorted). Yup, I married you for you music and your money."
Ben immediately replied, "Well that was a stupid idea." =)
"You know I really married you because I wanted all your music (Ben snorted). Yup, I married you for you music and your money."
Ben immediately replied, "Well that was a stupid idea." =)
Friday, July 8, 2011
Never a Dull Moment
....not having a lot on the "to-do" list doesn't mean that we can't get into trouble - oh no, quite the opposite! In the past 3 days we have called both 911 (Sarah and the boxcutter incident)and Poison Control (Sarah forgot the exterminator came to the house and ate something off the floor). I would like to point out that Ben was not the perpetrator of either of these events; however, he did most of the dirty work in order to get things right again....because he's just THE MAN like that. Meanwhile, I have managed to stay out of trouble for almost 24 hrs and am trying my best to keep it that way!
The boxcutter incident happened as a result of cutting holes around teeny tiny nails that held a bookshelf backing in place (the backing happened to have been nailed on backwards). After about 50 nails were done and 4 were left I decided to defy the laws of knife-handling (never a good idea) in my haste to finish and sat cross-legged on the floor in front of the bookshelf - in the line of fire. And it did feel like fire, actually. After we called 911 looking for the hospital or an urgent care place (we had neither internet nor a phone book), the operator decided, against our protesting, that we needed an ambulance. The embarrassing exchange between us and the paramedics is actually comical in hinds' sight....we all knew they didn't need to be there, we simply needed directions to Urgent Care. I hope nobody was in serious condition during their visit. They literally took my blood pressure and gave me a Band-aid, telling me the wound may or may not even need stitching. Urgent Care sewed me up right away, and we were off. 4 stitches and quite a tale to tell for all of it!
In other news, we have been cooking and eating fabulous food! I have been searching out local farmer's markets, and found a close one with great deals. I bought all of the food in the photo below for just a bit over $10!
Lettuce, Zucchini, Corn, Yellow Squash, Mango, FL Oranges, Tomatoes, Cucumber....
I'm the most excited about the mango!
Did I mention that I am exceedingly excited about this?
This food tends to make very good meals as well. The other night we had oven-roasted veggies with alfredo pasta and garlic toast on the side. One of my favorites so far! - I liked it so much that I took a picture! :)
We also found out that we are permitted to paint our place! I am ecstatic about this! One of my girlhood dreams was to have a place of my own that I could paint and decorate. I used to plan whenever I would go to the hardware store with my dad. :) We picked out the colors together, and I picked them and all the paint supplies up at Home Depot today. Thanks to my Grandpa Fortney's graduation gift to Ben of a Home Depot gift card, we are able to start this project sooner rather than later. Stay tuned for before-and-after shots!
The boxcutter incident happened as a result of cutting holes around teeny tiny nails that held a bookshelf backing in place (the backing happened to have been nailed on backwards). After about 50 nails were done and 4 were left I decided to defy the laws of knife-handling (never a good idea) in my haste to finish and sat cross-legged on the floor in front of the bookshelf - in the line of fire. And it did feel like fire, actually. After we called 911 looking for the hospital or an urgent care place (we had neither internet nor a phone book), the operator decided, against our protesting, that we needed an ambulance. The embarrassing exchange between us and the paramedics is actually comical in hinds' sight....we all knew they didn't need to be there, we simply needed directions to Urgent Care. I hope nobody was in serious condition during their visit. They literally took my blood pressure and gave me a Band-aid, telling me the wound may or may not even need stitching. Urgent Care sewed me up right away, and we were off. 4 stitches and quite a tale to tell for all of it!
In other news, we have been cooking and eating fabulous food! I have been searching out local farmer's markets, and found a close one with great deals. I bought all of the food in the photo below for just a bit over $10!
This food tends to make very good meals as well. The other night we had oven-roasted veggies with alfredo pasta and garlic toast on the side. One of my favorites so far! - I liked it so much that I took a picture! :)
We also found out that we are permitted to paint our place! I am ecstatic about this! One of my girlhood dreams was to have a place of my own that I could paint and decorate. I used to plan whenever I would go to the hardware store with my dad. :) We picked out the colors together, and I picked them and all the paint supplies up at Home Depot today. Thanks to my Grandpa Fortney's graduation gift to Ben of a Home Depot gift card, we are able to start this project sooner rather than later. Stay tuned for before-and-after shots!
Monday, July 4, 2011
The Big Move
So we are officially living in South Florida now! First of all, I would like to dispel the myth that South Florida is hotter than any other place in the southern regions of the US. Just because it's further south does not make it hotter. If you have never visited Greenville, NC and West Palm Beach, FL in succession, you must do so before making an informed decision on this subject. Let's just say that hot, humid, stagnant air FEELS ridiculously more smothering than hot, humid air which is mingled with a gentle breeze from the Atlantic Ocean! So all you G-vegas people --- come visit us! :)
We had a very smooth trip down. Ben is a master Budget truck driver; the only incident he had was with a garbage can at a gas station (Budget truck = 1, trash can = 0; thankfully plastic cans can be bent back into shape!). Although I went a little crazy driving the Honda all alone, I finished Anne of Green Gables on audiobook, my phone battery never died, and my appendages never completely went to sleep - win! We made a pit stop in Jacksonville, FL on Day 1 to visit some dear old friends of mine (they're not old in years, but I have known them a long time!). Thanks to our pastor in Greenville, the next day we were able to meet up with some members of a local church body who helped us move into our new apartment. It was not the best moving conditions, as the rain made the truck ramp slippery, but nothing was broken, and more importantly, nobody was injured. :)
So of course there are adjustments to be made as it is with any new town, but we are loving this area. I particularly enjoy the beachy breeze and the SUPER TARGET 3 minutes down the road. :) We are slowly making some friends in the area from the church we visited yesterday as well as some neighbors. My favorite part, by far, is the abundance of time that we have had since moving here. The last year has been fabulous, don't get me wrong - God has been good to us in our marriage and our school endeavors - but finding quality time together while meeting the demands of our lives has been interesting to say the least. The lavish amount of time that we have had to set up our home, unpack our things, take breaks from that to sit on the porch and talk, walk down to the pool and check our e-mail, explore the area, and get lots and lots of sleep has been a gift for which we are incredibly thankful. Being a first year teacher, Ben will more than likely be quite busy, and I believe that my internship will require a lot from me as well. It has been lovely to begin our lives here slowly.
Enough for all my chatty words, here are some pictures from the last few days:
Pit stop for gas: this truck sucked it down!
My view = I-95 and the moving truck!
This photo was taken right after we crossed the GA-FL border. The sign's caption? "Welcome to the Sunshine State." Ironic.
Right after this, the camera battery died. I was unable to take any more photos until all of our stuff was in piles in the living room, as seen below. :)
Unpacking Day 1: I thought this was the last kitchen box. I had been misinformed. :)
Sunday after church we visited the City Place: probably a real tourist trap, but it's a gorgeous area!
Hi Mom! ;-)
More to come....
We had a very smooth trip down. Ben is a master Budget truck driver; the only incident he had was with a garbage can at a gas station (Budget truck = 1, trash can = 0; thankfully plastic cans can be bent back into shape!). Although I went a little crazy driving the Honda all alone, I finished Anne of Green Gables on audiobook, my phone battery never died, and my appendages never completely went to sleep - win! We made a pit stop in Jacksonville, FL on Day 1 to visit some dear old friends of mine (they're not old in years, but I have known them a long time!). Thanks to our pastor in Greenville, the next day we were able to meet up with some members of a local church body who helped us move into our new apartment. It was not the best moving conditions, as the rain made the truck ramp slippery, but nothing was broken, and more importantly, nobody was injured. :)
So of course there are adjustments to be made as it is with any new town, but we are loving this area. I particularly enjoy the beachy breeze and the SUPER TARGET 3 minutes down the road. :) We are slowly making some friends in the area from the church we visited yesterday as well as some neighbors. My favorite part, by far, is the abundance of time that we have had since moving here. The last year has been fabulous, don't get me wrong - God has been good to us in our marriage and our school endeavors - but finding quality time together while meeting the demands of our lives has been interesting to say the least. The lavish amount of time that we have had to set up our home, unpack our things, take breaks from that to sit on the porch and talk, walk down to the pool and check our e-mail, explore the area, and get lots and lots of sleep has been a gift for which we are incredibly thankful. Being a first year teacher, Ben will more than likely be quite busy, and I believe that my internship will require a lot from me as well. It has been lovely to begin our lives here slowly.
Enough for all my chatty words, here are some pictures from the last few days:
Right after this, the camera battery died. I was unable to take any more photos until all of our stuff was in piles in the living room, as seen below. :)
More to come....
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