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Tuesday, September 30, 2014

States side

Somehow living in the U.S. makes my life not as interesting anymore. Well, I can't be sure it ever was all that interesting to begin with.

Still, despite the fact that I am older and have taken the steps to live a responsible, more secure life, I have managed to not even do this in a normal or semi-normal fashion.

I have, praise Jesus, found per diem work as a substitute teacher for the Somerville school district (and hopefully also Cambridge). This means that I can take no-strings-attached time off for missions trips and weekend concerts in some glamorous location halfway across the country. Or globe.

The first trip on the schedule is the Feast of Tabernacles in Kalisz, Poland. You might remember the posts from last year. They were numerous, and I expect they will be this year as well. With the help of an incredible friend and partner, I can make this year's feast, flying out of Boston.

This will of course be balanced with hopefully leading worship at the house of prayer attached to my lovely new home church, and working on fabulous music collaborations with my new music partners.

I don't think I could have planned this any better myself.

Really.

My plans never turn out quite the way I expect or want them to.

So, here's to entering a new stage in life's adventures, and here's to hoping you'll continue to join me along the way.

Happy trails folks!

Friday, September 12, 2014

Making Home

I like the idea of building a home, though the concept has not always been an easy one for me to grasp. I am the free spirit, the baby bird who jumped the nest just a bit before her wings were able to fully carry her. I have left a trail of broken hearts across the globe. People who hoped I would stay, people who hoped I wouldn't. I've caused my own heart to be broken more times than I care to recall.

All the same, there always seemed to be a nest of pine needles to soften the impact when my wings couldn't quite make it anymore.

And now that bed of needles (soft and fresh scented) is a place I like to call Boston, MA, USA. It is a group of people I like to call family more than friends.

Family is something Italy taught me, and that I had hoped would translate well to American culture upon my return here. It would seem that it has.

I have an incredible new church family, and I am (slowly, but surely) reconnecting with friends and family throughout the USA.  I love it.

But I am also aware that there is a cushion for my falls still there for me in Europe. I am aware that there are still people there who are more family than friends, places that feel more "home" than "temporary dwelling place". I love it.

Once you've made some place home it never stops being that, even if you've moved away and found ways to make "home" somewhere else.

I am now at place in which it would behoove me to solidify what home and family are to me. Especially since I'll be building those things with someone else.

But then I think, I already have it, and any building will be added onto the foundation of all the fabulous experiences that have come before. I am loved. I am valued. And because I know that so surely, so strongly, it is no problem to want to make others feel that way too.