Karibu Fall!

Singleness...at times it seems to be perhaps one of the most prevalent perpetuators of ambivalence. I could likely log so many simultaneous chapters under the headings of "It was the BEST of times..." and "It was the WORST of times" when reflecting on my feelings toward it. Sometimes the proverbial grass makes claims of being greener, but suppose in reality, both lawns were equally brilliant shades of green? What if we chose to revel in the lushness of whatever plot of land we find ourselves inhabiting? Perhaps it all rests with perspective, and I feel particularly blessed to find myself sportin' rose colored lenses as I sit on an impossibly lush plot of land. This weekend marked the beginning of my favorite time of year... FALL (to which I offered a heartfelt "Karibu!"- the kiswahili word for "welcome")! The arrival of a brisk Saturday morning allowed the perfect opportunity to donn my preferred couture- jeans, tennis shoes, and the piece de resistence... a comfy, warm hoodie. My roommates and I woke up early, brewed some coffee, and set off to enjoy breakfast & fellowship at one of my favorite events of the year- the VA Mennonite Relief Sale! As usual, the event left nothing to be desired. Later in the day, after I'd shared what makes EMU one of the best kept secrets in quality higher education with about a half dozen prospective students & their families, several girlfriends & I traveled down to Charlottesville to the Carter Mountain Orchard for an afternoon of apple picking, cider drinking, apple cider donut eating and general good times as we sat atop a mountain taking in breathtaking views of our beloved Shenandoah Valley in the distance. As I sat in church this morning, and looked around at the church body, I reveled in the amazing way He's knit me into His family-- wherever I should find myself. I'm awestruck as I take stock of the many relationships and special partnerships even that He's provided in my life, that I might understand more of who He is, more of who I am in Him... Let's face it- life often comes accompanied by opportunities to yearn for what's seemingly lacking. This weekend certainly took its' stab at making me yearn for the departure of singleness even if only momentarily. It showered my thoughts with fleeting hints at the potential romantic nature in the events that could be shared with "someone special"- as though they weren't already being shared with several of my favorite someones special! Quiet moments in the weekend (and a weariness of looking at my still un-moved-into room a full month after the move) forced me to take further steps into self-sufficiency where, in decided necessity to stop procrastinating & finish constructing those shelves for my bedroom, I spent over an hour in Wal-mart comparing the features of various power drills, before finally becoming a proud owner of one. However, from where I sit, as I prepare to close the chapter on the weekend, I feel the opposite of alone, deprived or lonely. Maybe it's the arrival of my favorite season, or perhaps the cold weathers' finally gotten to my head, but I find myself euphoric when I consider the way that these relationships, with others, and especially with Him, make it difficult to see another lawn [beyond the bounty of the one I'm in] and seemingly needless to go yearning for one to compare it to.