"God's fingerprints are everywhere..."

Last weekend I was blessed to be able to attend the wedding of a dear friend in East Tennessee. I realized that this is the 5th October in a row that I have attended a wedding. Apparently October is the month for weddings in my circle of friends. It was a refreshing break to get away for a couple of days and be among like-minded friends. The wedding was beautiful and although I was busy for a good part of the preparation and ceremony, I was still soaking up the fellowship. Following the Saturday wedding, Sunday morning we had a small church gathering at the home of the bride and several hours of sweet fellowship followed. The group included several missions-minded, God-seeking individuals and that is what I needed to be around. I was encouraged by conversations I took part in and those I just listened to. I felt like I was among family even though I wasn’t close to very many of the attendees and I am related to none. But that is one of the joys of being a part of God’s family, being among family even when you are surrounded by “strangers”. I returned to Front Royal with a renewed sense of self and of purpose. Going away allowed me to gain a refreshed perspective on my time here and step back and get a glimpse of what God is doing. Even though I may not be able to relate to the community of believers here as easily on some levels, they are still my family, and for that I praise God. In my work, I am feeling a greater sense of confidence and purpose as I fill the role that I have been put here to complete. And as far as friends go, I am humbled by how God continues to provide for me despite my worrying. This weekend was a great example of that.

As the end of the workday approached on Friday, I was scrambling to make weekend plans to explore a new area or go for a hike. No one seemed available or interested and I have been strongly advised not to hike alone in these parts. In a last effort, I left a sticky note on the desk of the traveling PT. She is from Texas and being a fellow traveler, I know she is trying to make the most of her time here. She and her husband were more than willing to do something this weekend so we decided to check out the Luray caverns on Saturday. As we were making plans, a friend from church contacted me about the weekend and she decided to join us as well. The sights were amazing both below the ground and the fall colors above the ground. I continue to be overwhelmed and amazed by all the beauty and creativity that God put in this world! After our fun explorations we went out for a dinner filled with great conversation and lots of side-aching laughs. It was a Saturday well-spent and I was laughing at myself for feeling so pessimistic about having “no one to hang out with”. 

“And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.”

Philippians 4:19

Virginia is for Lovers

Upon entering Virginia by any of the interstates there are three signs that greet you. First is the friendly “Welcome to Virginia” sign complete with a cardinal perched on a lovely dogwood branch. Following this beautiful sign is a small black sign which reads: “RADAR DETECTORS ILLEGAL”. Okay, that doesn’t bother me because I don’t have one and I knew they were illegal in some places. But then there are these large black intimidating signs which read: “SPEED LIMIT ENFORCED BY AIRCRAFT” wait...WHAT?! Aircraft? I quickly scanned the sky. I’m not sure how this works, but almost as frequently as speed limit signs, these signs line the highway. Being black, I tend to take these more seriously, glancing up at the sky and in the rearview each time I passed one. Virginia has a nationwide reputation as being the strictest on traffic laws. I only saw one cop from Dallas to Johnson City, TN. I saw at least four along Interstate 81 in Virginia. 

Here is a hilarious photo I found on another blog which captures the image
I had in my mind as I monitored my speed and kept an eye on the skies.

My first two weeks in Front Royal have gone fairly well despite a few bumps in the road with work. I wasn’t able to work for the first two days because my state SLP license had not yet been issued. The time off allowed me more time to get settled in and get a feel for this place where I have landed. I live in the lovely home of a generous and kind-hearted retired couple. During the week they keep their 6 year old grandson in the evenings. This sweet little guy seems to think that my sole purpose in being here is to play with him. He knows I’m only staying until Christmas, but I think he might be heart broken when I leave. Tonight he told me that he loves me. 

Today was Front Royal's annual Festival of Leaves. My morning started with a grueling 5k on the most hilly route I have every run. I was grateful for the encouragement and companionship from a co-worker who agreed to run it with me. I caught the tail end of the parade and then perused through the booths lining the downtown streets. It was the typical festival lineup: candles, canned preserves and sauces, face painting, a few local artisans, local charities, and of course funnel cake and BBQ. There was some decent live music and then there was this other guy lip syncing Johnny Cash with a broken blue guitar. My afternoon was spent exploring the Skyline Drive, Front Royal's current claim to fame. The family I live with showed me some beautiful views along the drive through Shenandoah National Park. It was a beautiful day and one well-spent. 

The people here are friendly and have not made me feel unwelcome, however the longer I am here the more I feel the distance between myself and this culture. This is a small town and I am an outsider. The vast majority of residents here — at least the ones I have encountered — have deep roots in the area. Being 26, single and childless seems to ostracize me even more. Frequently conversations are centered around opinions on what so and so did or does or doesn’t do. I’m still trying to process it all and figure out what my response should be, if any. I want to be a positive influence, but frequently the begrudging runs deep. I want to shed some light, but I am an outsider, what do I know. My life feels so disconnected from the world I have stepped into here. In previous places, I have felt needed, I have felt used by God, despite being a “short-timer” as one previous co-worker called me.  Here I just feel like a foreigner, welcomed, but uninformed. I am learning from this experience and I hope I am being used. It is not a bad experience, just a new one. 

Shenandoah National Park

"Let your conversation always be full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone." Colossians 4:6