Remember When?

Well, I'm back from vacation. Aren't those some sad words? I thoroughly enjoyed the cruise and can't wait for the next one. Tina held up well, although the rough waves from a tropical storm put Lisa into bed two evenings. For a little while there, she swore that she would never step foot onto a cruise ship again. (She's a little dramatic, too, but she was pretty sick.) Thankfully, she's reconsidered as our last day on board was close to Heaven. (There's my dramatic side.) And now, we've hit the ground running.

Saturday was spent, making the basement playtime friendly for Mom and my nephews. Vacation Bible School starts on the 22nd, so Lisa's getting frazzled. It happens to be sandwiched, for me, by the Southern Christian Writers' Conference in Tuscaloosa, AL and the Liberty Conference. And somewhere in all of this, I'm finishing the compilation of my script book, 'In The Shadow' so that I can sell it at both conferences. Whew! Can we say that June and July are busy times for me?

On Friday, I took a few moments to be nostalgic. I know, I know, when am I not nostalgic? In craving a really good hamburger, I drove through the suburb of Birmingham where my family and I lived when we came to Birmingham. As I drove Hwy 31 South, I went back to the years when it was my route home. When I passed the turn to our old apartment complex, I realized that two days had passed since my 15 year anniversary of coming to Birmingham.

15 years ago, I was younger, thinner, and still remembered the few words of Japanese I had learned. My parents had moved to AL while I was overseas, so home was no longer the little house on Lexington Street in High Point, NC. My brother and sister in law were expecting their first child. And for the first time in my life, I was living in an apartment. Throughout my life, we have moved to another town, another ministry at least every four years. I have always been ready for 'the next thing'. Yet, we never lived in an apartment. But here, in such a transient form of living, was home for 8 1/2 years. That number alone is fascinating to me, but I have to say that fifteen years in one place (for me) blows my mind. Those of you who have always lived in one or two places are confused by this, I know. But when all you've known is change, fifteen years is a LONG time.

It took a few years, but I love Birmingham. I love my church. I love being near to my dearest friends. I love the fact that I've hung out with them longer than I've lived most places. As I write this, I realize that I've been active at Liberty longer than I've been a member of any other church. Again, there goes the mind! Always figured I'd move around for my entire life. Just when you think your life will always be a certain way, God throws a curve ball. Have to say that I've enjoyed this curve ball!

Happy Summer,

Lara