Wednesday, December 21, 2005

back to the blog

it's been a hectic six weeks since my last post. the two biggest highlights would be our nashville convention with 7500 attendees and i moved! it took a little time to get my internet connection set up at my new place. a couple thoughts on these two highlights...

the convention:
it's amazing to have that many youth workers in one place, so much energy and fun, but also so tiring. my voice was hoarse at the end of the week from talking. now that i've gotten some sleep, i can't think of a moment that i'd change. fave moments included peeking into the arena from backstage and seeing that many youth workers just being with god in worship and not being on or working or doing anything but just being, sitting on a zamboni (if only i got to drive it!), sitting with some of the college students who were there with the ysasn schools and hearing their stories and dreams, going to dinner with an amazing group of women: lilly lewin, jeannieo, jamie, denise van eck and jerilyn, having jamie as a roommate, dinner with a group of denominational leaders i work with--it's so fun to see baptists, methodists, friends (related to quaker), sda's and others sitting together and comparing ministry notes, well, i could go on, but these are probably the biggies.

the move:
i moved from the apartment i'd lived in here since a couple months after i'd arrived--i'd been there nearly 5 1/2 years. moving is hard--juggling when you can move in against when you give notice; scheduling and rescheduling rental trucks and friends to help; packing & unpacking. i'm a packrat, both materialistically and emotionally. i have memories attached to the stuff i pack around so some of it is hard to get rid of. i have purged a bunch, but i still have a bunch of stuff to wade thru and decide about. but this all feels very healthy and positive. this move has felt like a new beginning. there are some things in my life that seem to be transitioning and this move plays into that in a really good way. i liked my old place, but i just adore my new one. it's a studio style guesthouse. i have a pool just out my front door and a spectacular view. i can't wait til summer to be able to use the pool, but i don't have to wait to enjoy the view. i get to see the most amazing sunsets from here. it's also very peaceful and quiet and feels very spacious.

you're caught up on the big stuff so now it's back to the day-to-day stuff and the thoughts that wander thru my head.