Don't get me wrong: my wife & I are most definitely NOT "rolling in the dough" at the moment. Those who know us well just let out a nervous laugh because the opposite is much closer to true. However, I suddenly feel wealthy in another way.
Have you ever lived somewhere that you just FIT?... and then moved, to find that not everyone on earth finds your company quite so agreeable as the people you had formerly lived around? I had grown so used to college-towns, all-night restaurants/coffee-shops, and my choice of great live music every night of the week - I had surrounded myself with it for over 12 years - that outside of the college-town-rock-musician-towny atmosphere I honestly wasn't quite sure what to do or even how to act. So, what better thing to do than move to a fairly upper-class island where most businesses close by 5 PM, and my choice of live shows was... well, in comparison, not much of a choice at all?
I did make some friends (a few I consider very good friends), but - needless to say - it was sometimes more "work" to maintain those friendships than I was formerly accustomed to, and the artistic/creative connections that I've always thrived on were usually few-and-far-between.
Enter this Summer. I have no idea what God is doing, but suddenly those "instant connections" have been popping out of the woodwork left and right! You know, the people that you not only find interesting, but that actually return the favor?! Yeah - THOSE!
So, this is not a deep philosophical blog, a teaching on Scripture, or anything deep what-so-ever, but rather a simple "thank You" to God for all the new (and of course, the old) friends He's suddenly put into my life. I find their simple words comforting, and get strength from their calls and visits. That's good. Very good.
I think it's safe to say that I can now honestly call this place "home".
Thanks.