happy independence day (though my post has nothing to do with it...)

i miss chicago today. i guess i miss it a lot of days but especially on sundays. i miss the church i was attending in chicago, missio dei in wriggleyville. It is just such a unique group of believers, the body of Christ, growing together, seeking and waiting on the Lord together. I'm listening to the podcast as I write; Josh is a gifted pastor, led evidently by the Spirit, sensitive to the needs of the congregation, with an amazing conviction and gift of communicating the truth of God's word. i miss spending the afternoons with Jake and Sarah, falling asleep on their comfy sack. I miss family dinners at their place on Sunday nights. For the few weeks of the summer it was usually just me, Melissa and the Herings, such SWEET and PRECIOUS times.


So, I miss Chicago, but I'm settling into life here in PA as well. Its definitely a different culture, things are done differently. Driving is always an adventure. People dress differently, talk differently, relate differently. I'm observing and learning and adapting. I went to a young adult picnic with a local church last night and then attended the church this morning. Its different than a church I've ever been a part of but it was a great morning. Gil and Denise Thomas (affectionately Uncle Gil and Aunt Denise to me, they were fellow missionaries with my parents while I was growing up in Portugal) invited me to come to the church today. They also teach the sunday school class that was at the picnic last night. I was warmly welcomed by numerous people. After church I had lunch with the Thomas family (Gil and Denise and two of their children,Andrea and her fiance and his family, Jon and his wife and adorable lil daughter). Its so great to be around them. I know they know and love and accept me. There is just something comforting about familiarity.

Its starting to sink in that I really picked up my whole life and just left Chicago to come here to a completely different life all together. haha I'm sure that sounds pretty obvious but the implications are all now coming to the surface and working their way into my mind and heart. Such implications are hard to swallow sometimes. Its easy to want to hold on to everything I had in chicago. God is slowly prying my finger away from my clenched fists and opening my hands to His leading. surrender.