In one of my first few blogs from NC I shared that I had found a church home - a small church with a pastor from South Africa. In the past three months or so I've become quite close to the congregation of 25 or 30, especially to the women. I'm so grateful to the Lord that I was able to make friends so quickly in this way.
Last week the whole apple cart got upset when the pastor all of a sudden resigned due to an extramarital affair with a church member. These revelations have the power to shake mega churches, but when such a small church is involved, its very survival is threatened. So far we've been circling the wagons and seeking to react with love and forgiveness. But already people are planning their exit strategies.
For me, the next church may already have been decided. Last Sunday we had a joint service with them, and I liked it a lot. In size it's much more like my previous church in Iowa, and the vision is similar to my current church. Best of all, they are trying to start a House of Prayer that is affiliated with the International House of Prayer in Kansas City - something I've been interested in for years. So it seems that God is wasting no time in pointing me to the next step in my spiritual journey.
I don't relish the thought of having to make new friends all over again, and I certainly grieve over the hurt the small church and the people involved are going through. My prayer is about how to transition, and when, because I don't see any long-term future for a church without a pastor. It feels like a chicken with its head cut off. How sad! Yet how very much like God, to bring good out of evil and lead me to a church where they are doing the same kind of intercessory prayer I've longed and prayed for for years!
Friday, November 20, 2009
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Fall in the Mountains of WNC
By now I've lived through most of the fall season here, and it really is as beautiful as everybody says - especially when it is sunny. By now the leaves in the higher elevations, like up at the Blue Ridge Parkway, have fallen, but down here in the lower elevations the colors are in full swing. They are, perhaps, a bit more muted than in New England - being yellow, red, and some green - but much prettier than in Iowa, which is simply yellow, if it has a forest at all.
With my sister visiting from Germany, we've been out hiking and walking every chance we've got, and the timing couldn't be more perfect. The weather is cool in the mornings - it froze a couple of times - but in the sixties and seventies during the night time. Once in a while it rains, which is nice, too.
The only thing that seems to be missing is the large number of tourists everybody has been talking about. There are a few, but nothing like what I expected. A sign that the economy hasn't really recovered yet, I guess - and it is affecting local merchants. In fact, my favorite tea room will be going out of business soon.
I wonder what November will bring...?
With my sister visiting from Germany, we've been out hiking and walking every chance we've got, and the timing couldn't be more perfect. The weather is cool in the mornings - it froze a couple of times - but in the sixties and seventies during the night time. Once in a while it rains, which is nice, too.
The only thing that seems to be missing is the large number of tourists everybody has been talking about. There are a few, but nothing like what I expected. A sign that the economy hasn't really recovered yet, I guess - and it is affecting local merchants. In fact, my favorite tea room will be going out of business soon.
I wonder what November will bring...?
Thursday, September 24, 2009
From Flatlander to Mountain Woman (Ha, ha)
One of the attractions of moving to NC had originally been the proximity to the ocean. "Only five or six hours to the ocean" - I said to myself, and I saw us whizzing down the freeway to Myrtle Beach all the time. Well, even though I still hope to go sometime, it seems that the mountains closeby win out over the beach far away. Who needs driving for hours and spending a hundred bucks a night in a motel if we have some of the most scenic tourist spots right in front of our door? We can pick just the right, sunny days for our outings, get to stay home if it rains and sleep in our own beds, not to mention cook at home if we like or go out, if we want.
In Iowa we complain about our hills (especially if you are a bicyclist). Contrary to public opinion, Iowa isn't completely flat, but the landscape is gently undulating, with a few bluffs near the river banks. But it's no comparison to the Appalachians. In our NC county alone the elevations vary from between 1,800 feet to 4,200 feet. A little further, and the mountains rise to 5,000 or 6,000 feet. Pretty puny compared with the Alps, the Rockies, or the Himalaya, but for a flatlander like me it means: Those are real mountains!
So the first thing I've been doing is to get equipped. Trail shoes with traction, walking stick, water-proof hat and jacket, backpack for lunch, water, etc. I look cool! Never mind that I always seem to forget the camera and would be in serious trouble if a bear came along ("let him have your lunch"), I'm becoming a bit better equipped with each outing.
I may look cool, but what gives me away immediately as a flatlander is the shape I'm in - or rather, the lack of it. If the path goes up and up, I have to stop every few feet, seemingly to admire the scene, but really to catch my breath. I'm completely out of shape. Perhaps I need to start training on the hill behind our subdivision and hike up and down there every day.
Today we traveled less than 45 minutes to a NC State Forest, parked the car, and hiked to two different water falls. One of them, called Triple Falls Water Falls, is particularly spectacular, with the water cascading in several stages. With the recent record rainfall of close to a foot in some areas, the streams have plenty of water, which added to the appeal of the water falls.
By the way, we saw the very first leaves turning and falling to the ground...
In Iowa we complain about our hills (especially if you are a bicyclist). Contrary to public opinion, Iowa isn't completely flat, but the landscape is gently undulating, with a few bluffs near the river banks. But it's no comparison to the Appalachians. In our NC county alone the elevations vary from between 1,800 feet to 4,200 feet. A little further, and the mountains rise to 5,000 or 6,000 feet. Pretty puny compared with the Alps, the Rockies, or the Himalaya, but for a flatlander like me it means: Those are real mountains!
So the first thing I've been doing is to get equipped. Trail shoes with traction, walking stick, water-proof hat and jacket, backpack for lunch, water, etc. I look cool! Never mind that I always seem to forget the camera and would be in serious trouble if a bear came along ("let him have your lunch"), I'm becoming a bit better equipped with each outing.
I may look cool, but what gives me away immediately as a flatlander is the shape I'm in - or rather, the lack of it. If the path goes up and up, I have to stop every few feet, seemingly to admire the scene, but really to catch my breath. I'm completely out of shape. Perhaps I need to start training on the hill behind our subdivision and hike up and down there every day.
Today we traveled less than 45 minutes to a NC State Forest, parked the car, and hiked to two different water falls. One of them, called Triple Falls Water Falls, is particularly spectacular, with the water cascading in several stages. With the recent record rainfall of close to a foot in some areas, the streams have plenty of water, which added to the appeal of the water falls.
By the way, we saw the very first leaves turning and falling to the ground...
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Guns and Rain
When I was signing in at the outpatient clinic for my mammogram, I noticed a line on the fairly short form asking:
"Are you carrying a weapon?"
And, "If so, has security been notified?"
I had noticed a sign at the entrance saying "No concealed weapons permitted" but never expected this on an admission form. They sure wouldn't ask this in Iowa, or Germany, for that matter!
For someone like me who is at least a semi-pacificist, this passion about guns is frightening. In South Carolina, just a few miles from here, a mayor got into trouble with the NRA because he joined a group called, "Mayors Against Illegal Weapons." Note - this was about illegal weapons, and they wanted him to resign over this. If I were to name the three biggest passions here, it is God - Country - Guns: or perhaps in reverse order. It seems to have escaped some of them that perhaps Jesus wouldn't have toted an assault rifle or concealed weapon, because he said to love your enemies, and he advocated non-violence.
The other thing I learned today is about rain. It's impossible to say how much rain the county gets because it varies everywhere, but the average is 58 inches a year. Iowa City has about 30 or 36 inches a year. I didn't realize I would be moving into a much wetter climate!
"Are you carrying a weapon?"
And, "If so, has security been notified?"
I had noticed a sign at the entrance saying "No concealed weapons permitted" but never expected this on an admission form. They sure wouldn't ask this in Iowa, or Germany, for that matter!
For someone like me who is at least a semi-pacificist, this passion about guns is frightening. In South Carolina, just a few miles from here, a mayor got into trouble with the NRA because he joined a group called, "Mayors Against Illegal Weapons." Note - this was about illegal weapons, and they wanted him to resign over this. If I were to name the three biggest passions here, it is God - Country - Guns: or perhaps in reverse order. It seems to have escaped some of them that perhaps Jesus wouldn't have toted an assault rifle or concealed weapon, because he said to love your enemies, and he advocated non-violence.
The other thing I learned today is about rain. It's impossible to say how much rain the county gets because it varies everywhere, but the average is 58 inches a year. Iowa City has about 30 or 36 inches a year. I didn't realize I would be moving into a much wetter climate!
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
A Trip to Atlanta
We just came back from our first overnight trip since moving to Hendersonville, NC. Here are some of my observations, in no particular order:
1. No matter which way you're driving to Hendersonville, you're driving through some gorgeous scenery. I love the mountains more each time I drive through them. On that account Hvl wins hands-down.
2. As soon as we got the "flatland", we were hit with the reality why I don't like living in the South: the heat and humidity. Even at temps in the 70's and 80's it seemed pretty unbearable. Hvl. was humid, too, but cool, in the upper sixties. It felt good to be home!
3. On the downside, gas is much more expensive here. In both Georgia and SC they charged $2.16, and here it's 2.49 - a difference of 33 cents per gallon, and that along the highway! NC is a high-tax state in other ways, too - a high state income tax of 8 %, a sales tax of nearly 8 %, and even necessary groceries being taxed. Both the county and the city have already sent us a property tax bill, even though we just moved in. I wonder what they are doing with all that money??
4. Shopping is fabulous in Atlanta, and even along the way - we stopped at an outlet mall and bought a coat, other clothing, several pairs of shoes all in about an hour. In Atlanta we strolled through a fancy mall and saw quite a few stores we don't see everywhere - including a Lindt chocolate store. I went in, looked at the wide variety - overpriced, in my opinion - and walked out, not having bought anything, to the admiration of my husband at my restraint. I bet the poor sales lady was disappointed.
5. That evening, we celebrated a birthday, and I got to ride in one of those fancy stretch limousine with a bar and a long bench. One thing is sure - there is no lady-like way to get in and out. I wonder whether these fashion models and film stars take lessons on how to step in and out graciously in the light of the cameras?
6. All and all, though, I much rather live in Hendersonville than in Atlanta!
1. No matter which way you're driving to Hendersonville, you're driving through some gorgeous scenery. I love the mountains more each time I drive through them. On that account Hvl wins hands-down.
2. As soon as we got the "flatland", we were hit with the reality why I don't like living in the South: the heat and humidity. Even at temps in the 70's and 80's it seemed pretty unbearable. Hvl. was humid, too, but cool, in the upper sixties. It felt good to be home!
3. On the downside, gas is much more expensive here. In both Georgia and SC they charged $2.16, and here it's 2.49 - a difference of 33 cents per gallon, and that along the highway! NC is a high-tax state in other ways, too - a high state income tax of 8 %, a sales tax of nearly 8 %, and even necessary groceries being taxed. Both the county and the city have already sent us a property tax bill, even though we just moved in. I wonder what they are doing with all that money??
4. Shopping is fabulous in Atlanta, and even along the way - we stopped at an outlet mall and bought a coat, other clothing, several pairs of shoes all in about an hour. In Atlanta we strolled through a fancy mall and saw quite a few stores we don't see everywhere - including a Lindt chocolate store. I went in, looked at the wide variety - overpriced, in my opinion - and walked out, not having bought anything, to the admiration of my husband at my restraint. I bet the poor sales lady was disappointed.
5. That evening, we celebrated a birthday, and I got to ride in one of those fancy stretch limousine with a bar and a long bench. One thing is sure - there is no lady-like way to get in and out. I wonder whether these fashion models and film stars take lessons on how to step in and out graciously in the light of the cameras?
6. All and all, though, I much rather live in Hendersonville than in Atlanta!
Monday, September 7, 2009
End of the summer season
As you are well aware, with Labor Day a change of season is in the air. In Iowa it meant Hawkeye Football games, high school football, cooler weather, sweat shirt weather, etc. There is a certain routine I was used to.
Here Labor Day means the craziness of Apple Festival (see previous post) with its traffic jams. I can't wait until all these tourists are gone and the town is ours again (spoken like a true local!) But they'll be back in October for leaf season and clog up everything for several weeks. Aghh!
What seems weird though is that I don't know what to expect of the coming fall and winter season. Since we moved into this house in the summer, it feels more like a summer home than anything. It's hard to imagine needing a furnace or being cold in here. How cold will it get? Will I need my Iowa winter clothes?
Some of my friends and neighbors will disappear (temporarily) and go to their Florida homes. They think it weird that we moved here to escape the Iowa winters since they think the winters are too cold.
Which football team do I root for now? How do I follow the Hawks, since it's unlikely they'll be on ESPN? Will the kids be out trick-and-treating in our community which prohibits soliciting? Will the condo association have rules about Christmas decorations?
One thing is sure - activities are picking up. I started to attend a few activities in conjunction with a large pentecostal church, in addition to my main church, signed up for several volunteer opportunities and am thinking about having people over. It's amazing how many people we've met in the past two months - some of them we know well enough that we could even ask them a favor, if need be.
So we're taking it one day at a time, and we'll discover what fall has to offer in the Carolinas (besides apples).
Here Labor Day means the craziness of Apple Festival (see previous post) with its traffic jams. I can't wait until all these tourists are gone and the town is ours again (spoken like a true local!) But they'll be back in October for leaf season and clog up everything for several weeks. Aghh!
What seems weird though is that I don't know what to expect of the coming fall and winter season. Since we moved into this house in the summer, it feels more like a summer home than anything. It's hard to imagine needing a furnace or being cold in here. How cold will it get? Will I need my Iowa winter clothes?
Some of my friends and neighbors will disappear (temporarily) and go to their Florida homes. They think it weird that we moved here to escape the Iowa winters since they think the winters are too cold.
Which football team do I root for now? How do I follow the Hawks, since it's unlikely they'll be on ESPN? Will the kids be out trick-and-treating in our community which prohibits soliciting? Will the condo association have rules about Christmas decorations?
One thing is sure - activities are picking up. I started to attend a few activities in conjunction with a large pentecostal church, in addition to my main church, signed up for several volunteer opportunities and am thinking about having people over. It's amazing how many people we've met in the past two months - some of them we know well enough that we could even ask them a favor, if need be.
So we're taking it one day at a time, and we'll discover what fall has to offer in the Carolinas (besides apples).
Saturday, September 5, 2009
Apples anyone?
Henderson County is Apple Country. Within a five mile radius of our home, there are a number of orchards, and altogether we supply a big chunk of the apples in NC and nationwide.
So what would be bigger and better than the annual NC Apple Festival right here in Hendersonville? In its 63rd year, it runs over four days and draws an estimated 225.000 people. Keep in mind that the county only has 100,000 inhabitants, and more like 80,000 in the winter. So this is a boon to business, and hotels, innkeepers, restaurants, and vendors are smiling all the way to the bank. It's bigger than Christmas., the biggest event of the year. Only leaf season in October comes close.
We went on the first day. The traffic was terrible, because the festival is held downtown, and most of the traffic goes through downtown. And where to park? It reminded me of Melrose Avenue on Game Day. We finally backtracked, parking in a big parking lot of a local park and taking a shuttle. Much less stressful. (This would be Jackson Park, for you locals and visitors.)
The main attraction, of course, were apples in various forms - au naturelle, as cider, ice cream, fried apple pie, etc. Alas, since my husband is allergic to apples, we didn't really indulge in it. I only bought a T-shirt with a giant apple tree as its logo. Since the apples for sale were only offered in large quantities which I didn't want to schlepp back to our distant car, I didn't buy any. I'll wait until our next visit to the Hendersonville Curb Market - which is really a year-round farmer's market in a regular, heatable building - where the same vendors offer the same kind of apples.
Entertainment was fun, too - various booths, live music, and "Remembrances of Mayberry" with "Barney Fife" and "Andy Taylor" strutting around, guns in holster, either swaying to the music or being photographed with tourists. I thought the Barney character was a closer fit, perhaps he only had to twist his face into a lop-sided grin. I didn't know until I moved here that Mayberry originally was set in NC, or so they say. Perhaps Tennessee and Kentucky are making the same claim. It could be true, though.
The rest of the weekend we are staying away, leaving the town to the tourists, even taking roundabout ways to get to church on Sunday. Anything to avoid the traffic jams downtown!
So what would be bigger and better than the annual NC Apple Festival right here in Hendersonville? In its 63rd year, it runs over four days and draws an estimated 225.000 people. Keep in mind that the county only has 100,000 inhabitants, and more like 80,000 in the winter. So this is a boon to business, and hotels, innkeepers, restaurants, and vendors are smiling all the way to the bank. It's bigger than Christmas., the biggest event of the year. Only leaf season in October comes close.
We went on the first day. The traffic was terrible, because the festival is held downtown, and most of the traffic goes through downtown. And where to park? It reminded me of Melrose Avenue on Game Day. We finally backtracked, parking in a big parking lot of a local park and taking a shuttle. Much less stressful. (This would be Jackson Park, for you locals and visitors.)
The main attraction, of course, were apples in various forms - au naturelle, as cider, ice cream, fried apple pie, etc. Alas, since my husband is allergic to apples, we didn't really indulge in it. I only bought a T-shirt with a giant apple tree as its logo. Since the apples for sale were only offered in large quantities which I didn't want to schlepp back to our distant car, I didn't buy any. I'll wait until our next visit to the Hendersonville Curb Market - which is really a year-round farmer's market in a regular, heatable building - where the same vendors offer the same kind of apples.
Entertainment was fun, too - various booths, live music, and "Remembrances of Mayberry" with "Barney Fife" and "Andy Taylor" strutting around, guns in holster, either swaying to the music or being photographed with tourists. I thought the Barney character was a closer fit, perhaps he only had to twist his face into a lop-sided grin. I didn't know until I moved here that Mayberry originally was set in NC, or so they say. Perhaps Tennessee and Kentucky are making the same claim. It could be true, though.
The rest of the weekend we are staying away, leaving the town to the tourists, even taking roundabout ways to get to church on Sunday. Anything to avoid the traffic jams downtown!
Saturday, August 22, 2009
Summer Weather
Some of you may wonder what the weather is like here in the foothills. Since I've only been here for two months, I can't speak of the whole year, but I'm getting some idea of what summer is like.
Let me preface this by saying that every year is different - in 2007 and 2008 it didn't rain at all, and Western North Carolina (WNC) along with the Southeast had a serious drought. This year is more typical.
Since Hendersonville is about 2200 feet above sea level, the temperature averages about eight degrees below what it would be at, say, Myrtle Beach, S. C. Therefore it rarely gets to be above 90 degrees - the typical high is 85 degrees.
My initial impression that it isn't humid wasn't correct - but it isn't humid all the time. More like half the time. July was drier, August is pretty humid.
Some mornings it is foggy and/or cloudy, but it always burns off, and the sun comes out. In fact, I can only remember one rainy morning in two months. As the day progresses, puffy clouds build in, and showers and thunderstorms develop. Whether or not it rains is a hit-or-miss proposition, but it seems safe to say that it rains somewhere in WNC every afternoon or early evening. Usually those are thunderstorms, though not severe, and no tornadoes - it has something to do with the mountains. You can see these showers develop on radar in the pm, and move to the northwest as their coverage increases. After sunset they die down, and it rarely rains after midnight, like it does in Iowa.
Lately we have had a lot of rain, and things are soggy right now. Last night's storm knocked out all the pumps at the filling station at the corner - either through lightning or flooding. Flash flooding is a threat on some roads, as nearby creeks can rise rapidly in the typically heavy downpours. It doesn't increase my fondness of those mountain roads!
One thing everyone keeps an eye on this time of year is the forecast of hurricanes. As soon as a potential hurricane forms off the coast of Africa, the local station keeps us informed, because it could bring much rain and high winds to our area. So far Ana fizzelled, Claudette dissipated, and Bill veered to the north, and so I haven't had any direct experience with hurricanes. I did hear that a few years ago they had two of them back to back with a lot of rain, flooding and tree damage, as the trees toppled in the saturated soil.
But right now the sun is shining, as usual, though there is a chance of rain later on...
Let me preface this by saying that every year is different - in 2007 and 2008 it didn't rain at all, and Western North Carolina (WNC) along with the Southeast had a serious drought. This year is more typical.
Since Hendersonville is about 2200 feet above sea level, the temperature averages about eight degrees below what it would be at, say, Myrtle Beach, S. C. Therefore it rarely gets to be above 90 degrees - the typical high is 85 degrees.
My initial impression that it isn't humid wasn't correct - but it isn't humid all the time. More like half the time. July was drier, August is pretty humid.
Some mornings it is foggy and/or cloudy, but it always burns off, and the sun comes out. In fact, I can only remember one rainy morning in two months. As the day progresses, puffy clouds build in, and showers and thunderstorms develop. Whether or not it rains is a hit-or-miss proposition, but it seems safe to say that it rains somewhere in WNC every afternoon or early evening. Usually those are thunderstorms, though not severe, and no tornadoes - it has something to do with the mountains. You can see these showers develop on radar in the pm, and move to the northwest as their coverage increases. After sunset they die down, and it rarely rains after midnight, like it does in Iowa.
Lately we have had a lot of rain, and things are soggy right now. Last night's storm knocked out all the pumps at the filling station at the corner - either through lightning or flooding. Flash flooding is a threat on some roads, as nearby creeks can rise rapidly in the typically heavy downpours. It doesn't increase my fondness of those mountain roads!
One thing everyone keeps an eye on this time of year is the forecast of hurricanes. As soon as a potential hurricane forms off the coast of Africa, the local station keeps us informed, because it could bring much rain and high winds to our area. So far Ana fizzelled, Claudette dissipated, and Bill veered to the north, and so I haven't had any direct experience with hurricanes. I did hear that a few years ago they had two of them back to back with a lot of rain, flooding and tree damage, as the trees toppled in the saturated soil.
But right now the sun is shining, as usual, though there is a chance of rain later on...
Saturday, August 8, 2009
Living History Weekend in Hendersonville
Hendersonville, being a tourist town - though not as much as Asheville - has lots of things going on throughout summer and fall. There is live music and street dances every Friday and Monday night in the summer. 40 - 50 shops along Main Street, including several restaurants with outdoor seating. It is a thriving place, at least right now.
This weekend is Living History Weekend. I didn't see the advertised moonshiners - kind of ironic anyway in a state that sells hard liquor only in state liquor stores (I think there are two in the county, but I could be wrong), and you have to be 21 to buy and drink a beer. No discussion about age 19 or 21 like in Iowa City! The effects of Prohibition are felt more keenly here in the Bible belt.
But I digress. We had lunch in a nice tea-room, reminiscent of Columns and Chocolates, except for their great selection of teas and the availability of "high tea." Then we moseyed down the street when we heard gun shots. We had just come by the square in front of the court house where the civil war enacters were camping out. Now they were shooting. Soon after that the Wild West gun fight began, and at the end the two "bad" guys were "dead." Wish it were always so clearcut in real life!
The Hendersonville History museum was nearby and open, so we walked through. They had an exhibit on different wars. As a newly naturalized citizen I felt a number of very contrasting emotions: pride to be part of this country, sadness about the futility of war, especially the 70 million civilians of WWII in which Germany was the enemy, embarrassment about the Cherokee nation being robbed of almost all of their land in forced cessations. Weirdest of all was to be among civil war re-enacters from the South. Now I don't consider myself a Yankee, certainly not by birth, but by philosophy I'm a Northerner. And these people represented a past that fought against that. It's like being in an enemy camp in disguise. I just didn't know what to make of it.
There is so much to learn about local history!
This weekend is Living History Weekend. I didn't see the advertised moonshiners - kind of ironic anyway in a state that sells hard liquor only in state liquor stores (I think there are two in the county, but I could be wrong), and you have to be 21 to buy and drink a beer. No discussion about age 19 or 21 like in Iowa City! The effects of Prohibition are felt more keenly here in the Bible belt.
But I digress. We had lunch in a nice tea-room, reminiscent of Columns and Chocolates, except for their great selection of teas and the availability of "high tea." Then we moseyed down the street when we heard gun shots. We had just come by the square in front of the court house where the civil war enacters were camping out. Now they were shooting. Soon after that the Wild West gun fight began, and at the end the two "bad" guys were "dead." Wish it were always so clearcut in real life!
The Hendersonville History museum was nearby and open, so we walked through. They had an exhibit on different wars. As a newly naturalized citizen I felt a number of very contrasting emotions: pride to be part of this country, sadness about the futility of war, especially the 70 million civilians of WWII in which Germany was the enemy, embarrassment about the Cherokee nation being robbed of almost all of their land in forced cessations. Weirdest of all was to be among civil war re-enacters from the South. Now I don't consider myself a Yankee, certainly not by birth, but by philosophy I'm a Northerner. And these people represented a past that fought against that. It's like being in an enemy camp in disguise. I just didn't know what to make of it.
There is so much to learn about local history!
Friday, August 7, 2009
So what do you do with all your free time?
A friend of mine recently posed this question in an e-mail.
"What free time?" I thought. "I don't even get around to doing all I want to do, let alone being bored."
Now that we've unpacked all the boxes and put stuff away - which only took a week or two - what are we doing? Sightseeing? Loafing? Hardly.
On a typical day I spend the morning behind my computer, wrestling with financial matters or working on a translation, whereas Dwight works around the house. You'd think in a condo there is no outside work. Wrong!! It's a free-standing condo, i. e. it is a house. Though we don't have to paint it or mow the grass - there's not much of it anyway - there seems to be enough outdoor work to keep Dwight busy the rest of the summer. He's busy planting, pruning, washing windows, scrubbing the patio, and a hundred other projects.
After lunch it's more of the same, except we may go swimming at the Condo Association pool - after all, we pay the fees - or we go shopping. Of course we eat out occasionally, but so far we've only gone to Asheville once, and that to apply for driver's licence there on the rumor that it wouldn't take so long - a rumor that turned out false.
Sometimes we are involved in getting to know the neighbors in the condo association. This can be informal, just stopping and chatting, or even visiting with a neighbor. Everybody is very friendly and remembers us by our address - "Oh, you live in Susannah Pierce's house!" - even though she moved out in 2007. And , of course, we are the newcomers. Then there are the more formal meetings. Next week there are two business meetings, one Arts and Crafts Fair I signed up for to display some cross-stitch at, and a Ladies Tea. Yesterday we went to our first ever Bingo night and won $7 between the two of us. I feel like a real Senior Citizen now!
Summers are lovely by and large. It doesn't get humid too often, which means it is cool at night - in the fifties - and warm during the day (eighties). We don't even turn on the AC unless it's really humid. All the rooms have ceiling fans, which is usually enough. I don't even close the windows, because there is a large overhang, and the sun doesn't shine inside.
On other days it starts out sunny, but then thunderstorms move through in the afternoon.
Well, dinner is cooking, so've got to run.
"What free time?" I thought. "I don't even get around to doing all I want to do, let alone being bored."
Now that we've unpacked all the boxes and put stuff away - which only took a week or two - what are we doing? Sightseeing? Loafing? Hardly.
On a typical day I spend the morning behind my computer, wrestling with financial matters or working on a translation, whereas Dwight works around the house. You'd think in a condo there is no outside work. Wrong!! It's a free-standing condo, i. e. it is a house. Though we don't have to paint it or mow the grass - there's not much of it anyway - there seems to be enough outdoor work to keep Dwight busy the rest of the summer. He's busy planting, pruning, washing windows, scrubbing the patio, and a hundred other projects.
After lunch it's more of the same, except we may go swimming at the Condo Association pool - after all, we pay the fees - or we go shopping. Of course we eat out occasionally, but so far we've only gone to Asheville once, and that to apply for driver's licence there on the rumor that it wouldn't take so long - a rumor that turned out false.
Sometimes we are involved in getting to know the neighbors in the condo association. This can be informal, just stopping and chatting, or even visiting with a neighbor. Everybody is very friendly and remembers us by our address - "Oh, you live in Susannah Pierce's house!" - even though she moved out in 2007. And , of course, we are the newcomers. Then there are the more formal meetings. Next week there are two business meetings, one Arts and Crafts Fair I signed up for to display some cross-stitch at, and a Ladies Tea. Yesterday we went to our first ever Bingo night and won $7 between the two of us. I feel like a real Senior Citizen now!
Summers are lovely by and large. It doesn't get humid too often, which means it is cool at night - in the fifties - and warm during the day (eighties). We don't even turn on the AC unless it's really humid. All the rooms have ceiling fans, which is usually enough. I don't even close the windows, because there is a large overhang, and the sun doesn't shine inside.
On other days it starts out sunny, but then thunderstorms move through in the afternoon.
Well, dinner is cooking, so've got to run.
Monday, August 3, 2009
Who messed up the road?
One of the biggest differences between Iowa and NC are the roads. In Iowa they are straight (usually), in NC, at least in these parts, they are always crooked, even if there doesn't seem to be a need for it. It must have something to do with a crazy-quilt pattern of property lines arising from the old English property laws.
I mentioned before that people always seem to drive faster than Iowans on those roads - an average of 10 miles per hour. Add to that the constant curves and frequent ups and downs, and it's enough to make you queasy. In addition, the highways are very narrow and have no shoulders at all.
Even in the city, Hendersonville has mostly what I would call rural roads - curvy roads with long stretches of no houses. A road may start somewhere, go north a mile, then fork. If you continue straight, you get lost. Any given road may have any number of unexpected turns, name changes, and what have you. Many intersections have no signs at all.
Add to that the total darkness after the sun sets. You'd think they'd heard of streetlights, but they are nonexistent for the most part. Even the exits from the Interstates are dark. So are the tunnels in the mountains, which is scary when you just drove in sunlight. And of course all those curvy roads with the confusing missing street signs and turns are pitch dark. No wonder that sales of GPS units are booming. It shouldn't really be necessary for a town of 12,000 - but this North Carolina, not Iowa!
I mentioned before that people always seem to drive faster than Iowans on those roads - an average of 10 miles per hour. Add to that the constant curves and frequent ups and downs, and it's enough to make you queasy. In addition, the highways are very narrow and have no shoulders at all.
Even in the city, Hendersonville has mostly what I would call rural roads - curvy roads with long stretches of no houses. A road may start somewhere, go north a mile, then fork. If you continue straight, you get lost. Any given road may have any number of unexpected turns, name changes, and what have you. Many intersections have no signs at all.
Add to that the total darkness after the sun sets. You'd think they'd heard of streetlights, but they are nonexistent for the most part. Even the exits from the Interstates are dark. So are the tunnels in the mountains, which is scary when you just drove in sunlight. And of course all those curvy roads with the confusing missing street signs and turns are pitch dark. No wonder that sales of GPS units are booming. It shouldn't really be necessary for a town of 12,000 - but this North Carolina, not Iowa!
Saturday, August 1, 2009
So what's my church situation?
A number of you are probably wondering about my church situation - down here, not in Iowa City (that's a whole other topic on which I won't comment).
With this being the Bible belt, there are tons of Baptist churches around. You kind of lose the overview - is it 65 or 85? What's the difference between Ebenezer Baptist down the road and Iglesia Baptista next door? The big Baptist church is, of course, First Baptist Church in downtown Hendersonville right off Church street. It has about 1170 members. That's a tenth of the town, figuring that Hendersonville has about 12,000 people. It is THE church to attend and features many programs. Sunday mornings there are three services, one being contemporary, and two periods of Sunday School meetings. Dwight and I attended the contemporary meeting, which was quite tame. Nobody raised their hands, everybody was very proper in their attire.
I liked the minister, who is still quite young. My next-door neighbor, a senior citizen, refers to him as a "boy." But overall I came away with two impressions - one, that women play almost no role in ministry.All the ushers, the communion servers, the deacons who serve in emergencies are male. I couldn't see myself doing anything beyond baking cookies, which is not my particular gift. The other impression I got was that every sermon was essentially ending with the topic of being born again. While this is extremely important, it's only the beginning of our journey with God, and I didn't get the impression that I would be able to grow much beyond that if I stayed.
The following Sunday we went to the Family Christian Center, a pentecostal holiness church. It hadn't been easy to locate a charismatic church to begin with, so I was looking forward to it. Again, Dwight came with me. This was a very small church in a poor part of town. Dwight in particular didn't feel that he had anything in common with the lower-class people, but we did join the pastor and a few other people for lunch afterwards at a "soul-food" restaurant.
The third Sunday we tried another small charismatic church which we both liked. It's called His People Community Church, and the pastor, Emile Wolfaardt, is from South Africa. Put succinctly, I liked both the worship and the preaching - which you can check out on the website, www.hispeople.ws. But there's something more to the church, the people, and the pastor. Call it authenticity, grace, the love of Christ, the anointing of God - some of the things Emile says get under my skin in a good way! Although I have really been burnt in the past in a small church, I'm cautiously wanting to move ahead, at least for now. This church seems different somehow. Yesterday Emile (he rejects any title for himself, saying he's just like us) spent two hours getting to know Dwight and me a little better, and he showed great, genuine interest in Dwight's scholarly work and even discussed church history with him. It reminded me of Paul saying, "To the Jews I became like a Jew... that by all means I might win some".
So that's where I'm at. I'm excited about God leading me to Hendersonville at such a time as this (particularly with the difficulties at my Iowa church). I sense an anticipation in my spirit that I may grow in different ways than I have been able before. By the way, the church believes in the spiritual gifts though they would be the first to admit that they don't always function because of blockages on our part (like sin or unbelief). Women ministering are ok as well. Their vision is very close to mine, though it's not always easy to implement a vision.
So that's where I'll be headed tomorrow - back to "His People".
With this being the Bible belt, there are tons of Baptist churches around. You kind of lose the overview - is it 65 or 85? What's the difference between Ebenezer Baptist down the road and Iglesia Baptista next door? The big Baptist church is, of course, First Baptist Church in downtown Hendersonville right off Church street. It has about 1170 members. That's a tenth of the town, figuring that Hendersonville has about 12,000 people. It is THE church to attend and features many programs. Sunday mornings there are three services, one being contemporary, and two periods of Sunday School meetings. Dwight and I attended the contemporary meeting, which was quite tame. Nobody raised their hands, everybody was very proper in their attire.
I liked the minister, who is still quite young. My next-door neighbor, a senior citizen, refers to him as a "boy." But overall I came away with two impressions - one, that women play almost no role in ministry.All the ushers, the communion servers, the deacons who serve in emergencies are male. I couldn't see myself doing anything beyond baking cookies, which is not my particular gift. The other impression I got was that every sermon was essentially ending with the topic of being born again. While this is extremely important, it's only the beginning of our journey with God, and I didn't get the impression that I would be able to grow much beyond that if I stayed.
The following Sunday we went to the Family Christian Center, a pentecostal holiness church. It hadn't been easy to locate a charismatic church to begin with, so I was looking forward to it. Again, Dwight came with me. This was a very small church in a poor part of town. Dwight in particular didn't feel that he had anything in common with the lower-class people, but we did join the pastor and a few other people for lunch afterwards at a "soul-food" restaurant.
The third Sunday we tried another small charismatic church which we both liked. It's called His People Community Church, and the pastor, Emile Wolfaardt, is from South Africa. Put succinctly, I liked both the worship and the preaching - which you can check out on the website, www.hispeople.ws. But there's something more to the church, the people, and the pastor. Call it authenticity, grace, the love of Christ, the anointing of God - some of the things Emile says get under my skin in a good way! Although I have really been burnt in the past in a small church, I'm cautiously wanting to move ahead, at least for now. This church seems different somehow. Yesterday Emile (he rejects any title for himself, saying he's just like us) spent two hours getting to know Dwight and me a little better, and he showed great, genuine interest in Dwight's scholarly work and even discussed church history with him. It reminded me of Paul saying, "To the Jews I became like a Jew... that by all means I might win some".
So that's where I'm at. I'm excited about God leading me to Hendersonville at such a time as this (particularly with the difficulties at my Iowa church). I sense an anticipation in my spirit that I may grow in different ways than I have been able before. By the way, the church believes in the spiritual gifts though they would be the first to admit that they don't always function because of blockages on our part (like sin or unbelief). Women ministering are ok as well. Their vision is very close to mine, though it's not always easy to implement a vision.
So that's where I'll be headed tomorrow - back to "His People".
Monday, July 27, 2009
The fifth dimension struck - again
Have you ever wondered what happens to all those single socks that get lost in your washer? Well, according to a hilarious spoof I saw on TV years ago, they go to the "land of lost socks," a kind of warehouse of socks.
Now there are more things than socks that mysteriously disappear. You've probably experienced it yourself - no matter how hard you look or how irrational it seems, the thing simply has vanished.
That's where the fifth dimension comes in. I have this hypothesis that there is this fifth dimensions full of strange beings. Every once in a while the fifth dimension opens up and breaks into our space-time continuum and grabs something silly like a sock, a key, or a book. Reversely, but much less often, every once in a great while it opens up and drops the item back into your realm, just when you despaired of ever seeing it again. (Now my more spiritual friends would probably say it's the second heavens, not the fifth dimenension - let the reader understand - but what demons would do with all those socks is beyond me.)
Never does this fifth dimension have a greater field day than when you move. In a previous move I lost a perfectly good pair of shorts and a lovely T-shirt, though the shirt reappeared after three years (just to confuse me, as I said). This time it's more random. There is the mystery of the vanished toe-nail clipper. Never mind that we keep all our nail scissors and clippers in a special box, which was tightly wrapped with rubber bands and then packed in a larger box. Upon unpacking it all the nail scissors were there - except for the toe-nail clipper, the most expensive of the bunch. (At least we know now that these alien beings not only have a foot fetish, judging from all the socks they steal, but real thick, ugly toenails as well. I'm not sure I want to see them in my shorts after all.)
It wasn't a single box that was missing, but little things from different boxes - a small whisk, a Christian book by Rick Joyner ("The Torch"), a banner proclaiming "Jesus is Lord." Well, He is still Lord, even if it's gone.
The strangest thing though is about what the fifth dimension has been releasing this time around. You'll never guess it, but box after box contained socks, until I filled three drawers with them where I had had only one. I am convinced I have more socks now than ever! I guess it's time for laundry!
Now there are more things than socks that mysteriously disappear. You've probably experienced it yourself - no matter how hard you look or how irrational it seems, the thing simply has vanished.
That's where the fifth dimension comes in. I have this hypothesis that there is this fifth dimensions full of strange beings. Every once in a while the fifth dimension opens up and breaks into our space-time continuum and grabs something silly like a sock, a key, or a book. Reversely, but much less often, every once in a great while it opens up and drops the item back into your realm, just when you despaired of ever seeing it again. (Now my more spiritual friends would probably say it's the second heavens, not the fifth dimenension - let the reader understand - but what demons would do with all those socks is beyond me.)
Never does this fifth dimension have a greater field day than when you move. In a previous move I lost a perfectly good pair of shorts and a lovely T-shirt, though the shirt reappeared after three years (just to confuse me, as I said). This time it's more random. There is the mystery of the vanished toe-nail clipper. Never mind that we keep all our nail scissors and clippers in a special box, which was tightly wrapped with rubber bands and then packed in a larger box. Upon unpacking it all the nail scissors were there - except for the toe-nail clipper, the most expensive of the bunch. (At least we know now that these alien beings not only have a foot fetish, judging from all the socks they steal, but real thick, ugly toenails as well. I'm not sure I want to see them in my shorts after all.)
It wasn't a single box that was missing, but little things from different boxes - a small whisk, a Christian book by Rick Joyner ("The Torch"), a banner proclaiming "Jesus is Lord." Well, He is still Lord, even if it's gone.
The strangest thing though is about what the fifth dimension has been releasing this time around. You'll never guess it, but box after box contained socks, until I filled three drawers with them where I had had only one. I am convinced I have more socks now than ever! I guess it's time for laundry!
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Finally - a word from North Carolina!
My apologies to all who may have been wondering what happened to me since I left town at the beginning of July. The main reason you haven't been hearing anything was that I didn't get internet access until yesterday. The local phone company - which shall remain nameless - had lost my order that I had placed three weeks in advance, and so I had to start all over again.
So where to begin? The trip down here was uneventful, except for getting alternatively stuck in traffic and lost on the back roads of Indiana for a whole day. Then we had to camp out in a motel in Hendersonville for almost a week while we were waiting for our furniture to arrive. It came on July 14. Not having any distractions through the computer or TV, we have unpacked everything and are already pretty well settled in, as far as the furniture is concerned. Of course, there are the odd things that seem to be missing - just this morning I'm wondering whether a box of my books has been lost.
Our house is in a gated community where everyone pretty much knows each other, especially right in our neighborhood. There are directories, for example, that list all the residents by street addresses, which is very handy. Most of the people in our neighborhood are retired and older than we are, though there are some young families in rental housing nearby. We all share certain amenities, most notably a heated outdoor swimming pool, clubhouse, and walking trails. It sure is nice to go swimming after a day working on the house - it's like mixing work with vacation. We take out the trash as we drive by a giant dumpster near the exit, and retrieve our mail as we come into the compound - either by car, or else a ten-minute walk from the house. There are social activities, committees, etc. and we are planning to get involved in order to really get to know our neighbors. Altogether, there are about 300 units, so it's pretty sizeable.
Hendersonville is a "little, big city" of 12,000, but with surrounding communities the county has about 100,000 people. We are living close to the interstate and the "strip" with grocery stores, restaurants, Walmart, Lowes and Homedepot, etc. A five minute drive to the other side, and we are in the next little town, where a Mexican family runs a large fruit and vegetable stand open 7 days a week. Our favorite place to shop for fresh produce at bargain prices.
One thing is the traffic, which I find a bit intimidating. People drive faster, more aggressively. Speed limits are higher, too. No wonder that insurance rates for the same coverage are about 50% higher! Next week we are planning to apply for our NC drivers licences, for which we have to pass a test and provide about 5 forms of IDs - I'm not kidding!
The weather has been nice ever since we moved in - at first it was rainy, but now the sun is shining almost every day and the humidity tends to be low. This makes it seem more like a vacation spot. It's kind of a weird feeling, moving to a place where people go to vacation and planning on staying - and working - here. I'll get used to it, I'm sure.
Dwight and I have been going to church twice - first to First Baptist, which is "the" church (membership 1200), then to Family Christian Center, a Pentecostal Holiness Church. I/we are going to try another one this Sunday. There are tons of Baptist churches, but very few charismatic churches - most seem to bristle when I ask them whether they are charismatic.
Well, that's all for now.
So where to begin? The trip down here was uneventful, except for getting alternatively stuck in traffic and lost on the back roads of Indiana for a whole day. Then we had to camp out in a motel in Hendersonville for almost a week while we were waiting for our furniture to arrive. It came on July 14. Not having any distractions through the computer or TV, we have unpacked everything and are already pretty well settled in, as far as the furniture is concerned. Of course, there are the odd things that seem to be missing - just this morning I'm wondering whether a box of my books has been lost.
Our house is in a gated community where everyone pretty much knows each other, especially right in our neighborhood. There are directories, for example, that list all the residents by street addresses, which is very handy. Most of the people in our neighborhood are retired and older than we are, though there are some young families in rental housing nearby. We all share certain amenities, most notably a heated outdoor swimming pool, clubhouse, and walking trails. It sure is nice to go swimming after a day working on the house - it's like mixing work with vacation. We take out the trash as we drive by a giant dumpster near the exit, and retrieve our mail as we come into the compound - either by car, or else a ten-minute walk from the house. There are social activities, committees, etc. and we are planning to get involved in order to really get to know our neighbors. Altogether, there are about 300 units, so it's pretty sizeable.
Hendersonville is a "little, big city" of 12,000, but with surrounding communities the county has about 100,000 people. We are living close to the interstate and the "strip" with grocery stores, restaurants, Walmart, Lowes and Homedepot, etc. A five minute drive to the other side, and we are in the next little town, where a Mexican family runs a large fruit and vegetable stand open 7 days a week. Our favorite place to shop for fresh produce at bargain prices.
One thing is the traffic, which I find a bit intimidating. People drive faster, more aggressively. Speed limits are higher, too. No wonder that insurance rates for the same coverage are about 50% higher! Next week we are planning to apply for our NC drivers licences, for which we have to pass a test and provide about 5 forms of IDs - I'm not kidding!
The weather has been nice ever since we moved in - at first it was rainy, but now the sun is shining almost every day and the humidity tends to be low. This makes it seem more like a vacation spot. It's kind of a weird feeling, moving to a place where people go to vacation and planning on staying - and working - here. I'll get used to it, I'm sure.
Dwight and I have been going to church twice - first to First Baptist, which is "the" church (membership 1200), then to Family Christian Center, a Pentecostal Holiness Church. I/we are going to try another one this Sunday. There are tons of Baptist churches, but very few charismatic churches - most seem to bristle when I ask them whether they are charismatic.
Well, that's all for now.
Friday, July 3, 2009
It's (almost) time!
The moving date has been moved ahead to Sunday, much to my dismay. I don't like missing church - I believe Sunday is the day of the Lord, and a day of rest. But in the moving business they are working seven days a week, especially in the summer, I guess.
Packing-wise we are doing o.k.. Since I surrendered everything into the hand of the Lord, this may well be His design . Perhaps He knows better than I that saying good-bye after 19 years in the congregation would have been really hard. When I joined that church, I said to the Lord that I wanted to put down roots and not move until He clearly moved me out of it. Now He has done it, and it's a Sunday earlier than I thought, and I'm quietly slipping out, having said all my good-byes earlier.
Still, it's hard - especially not knowing what's waiting at the other end, church-wise. I wonder whether this is what Abraham felt like when he left Ur to go to the land the Lord was going to show him?
Packing-wise we are doing o.k.. Since I surrendered everything into the hand of the Lord, this may well be His design . Perhaps He knows better than I that saying good-bye after 19 years in the congregation would have been really hard. When I joined that church, I said to the Lord that I wanted to put down roots and not move until He clearly moved me out of it. Now He has done it, and it's a Sunday earlier than I thought, and I'm quietly slipping out, having said all my good-byes earlier.
Still, it's hard - especially not knowing what's waiting at the other end, church-wise. I wonder whether this is what Abraham felt like when he left Ur to go to the land the Lord was going to show him?
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Countdown to moving
The countdown is on - 4 days until the movers come, 5 days until we pull out of here. We got a call today from our moving coordinator down in Asheville, a sweet lady named Patricia, reminding us that we are scheduled to move next week. As if we could forget!
The TV is being dismantled, the guy from the satellite company is coming tomorrow to take the dish off the roof. How will we survive without TV? Next will be the computer and access to the Internet, though we are taking a laptop. Our only connection to the news will be the radio, just like in the good/bad old days...
We were already told that the earliest the furniture will arrive is the 11th, which is the date I prayed for 2 months ago. We shall see. We assembled quite a list of chores we can take care of while waiting, from starting to study for our driver's licence test to getting insurance on our new place to buying cleaning supplies and food for our home, since we're leaving all this behind.
Countdown - 4 days to go!
The TV is being dismantled, the guy from the satellite company is coming tomorrow to take the dish off the roof. How will we survive without TV? Next will be the computer and access to the Internet, though we are taking a laptop. Our only connection to the news will be the radio, just like in the good/bad old days...
We were already told that the earliest the furniture will arrive is the 11th, which is the date I prayed for 2 months ago. We shall see. We assembled quite a list of chores we can take care of while waiting, from starting to study for our driver's licence test to getting insurance on our new place to buying cleaning supplies and food for our home, since we're leaving all this behind.
Countdown - 4 days to go!
Friday, June 26, 2009
On your mark, get set, ... sneeze?
Starting out early with packing has its advantages. Since we're doing virtually all the packaging for our cross-country move ourselves - a more daunting task than I realized - it's good not to be crowded for time. In fact, it's ten days until go, and we are just about ready. Ten days without garbage pickup, by the way, because of the holiday, and the next one may or may not be at the same time when the huge semitrailer will be parked in our driveway. We're making contingency plans.
Our living room, or "great room," has been transformed into a combination warehouse and packaging station. Boxes are stacked everywhere, and in the middle, in front of the television, are piles with things yet to be boxed, as well as paper, boxes, tape rolls, sharpies (why do they always seem to disappear?) and labels.
This is also where the sneezing, sniffling, running nose comes in. I'm allergic to house dust, and our formerly meticulous home has been transformed into a dust factory. Not everywhere, but just at the central packaging site, which is where, unfortunately, I spend my evenings relaxing. It's going to be a long ten days!
Our living room, or "great room," has been transformed into a combination warehouse and packaging station. Boxes are stacked everywhere, and in the middle, in front of the television, are piles with things yet to be boxed, as well as paper, boxes, tape rolls, sharpies (why do they always seem to disappear?) and labels.
This is also where the sneezing, sniffling, running nose comes in. I'm allergic to house dust, and our formerly meticulous home has been transformed into a dust factory. Not everywhere, but just at the central packaging site, which is where, unfortunately, I spend my evenings relaxing. It's going to be a long ten days!
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Saying good-byes
One of the bitter-sweet experiences of moving cross-country are all those farewells. Suddenly our social calendar has become quite active as friends call and want to have us over one more time. It's nice to be appreciated - I even said in jest, "We really should leave more often."
On the other hand, all those good-byes seem strange - they are real but unreal. After all, the people are the same people we've known, in some cases, for 35 years. It seems strange they won't be around any longer, or rather, we won't be. Can it really be? We console ourselves and others with the promise that we will be back next April when Dwight will have to come for a business trip. But still - we will miss each other. I suspect the "missing part" will be more on our end, since we'll have to start all over making friends.
And it's not just friends. I admit, despite the winters, that I'm going to miss Iowa. Today we drove to a friend's house in the country. The sun was shining, the fields were bright green due to all the rain we've been having, and the landscape was perfectly flat, with the roads laid out neatly. The tiger lilies were blooming alongside the ditches. It was beautiful. It will be different in WNC (Western North Carolina).
It probably won't sink in until the truck pulls away from the house, and we are hitting the road.
On the other hand, all those good-byes seem strange - they are real but unreal. After all, the people are the same people we've known, in some cases, for 35 years. It seems strange they won't be around any longer, or rather, we won't be. Can it really be? We console ourselves and others with the promise that we will be back next April when Dwight will have to come for a business trip. But still - we will miss each other. I suspect the "missing part" will be more on our end, since we'll have to start all over making friends.
And it's not just friends. I admit, despite the winters, that I'm going to miss Iowa. Today we drove to a friend's house in the country. The sun was shining, the fields were bright green due to all the rain we've been having, and the landscape was perfectly flat, with the roads laid out neatly. The tiger lilies were blooming alongside the ditches. It was beautiful. It will be different in WNC (Western North Carolina).
It probably won't sink in until the truck pulls away from the house, and we are hitting the road.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Proverbs 3:5-7
If there is one guiding Scripture that helps tie together our cross-country move, it's this one:
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will direct your paths. Do not be wise in your own eyes..."
In my very first blog I drew some comparison between this move and my big move across the Atlantic 36 years ago when I first came to this country. One of the big differences is the sheer size. Although I don't consider myself as possessing much stuff - even the guy from the moving company said so - it's still overwhelming, at least as long as I don't look to the Lord for everything.
Therefore I've surrendered the move totally to Him. He is in charge, and I seek to follow the directions of my Boss. Almost daily we experience that He truly is guiding us in details, from contacting the right people at the right time to packing to remembering (almost) everything I need to. He gives me wisdom what to do and what to postpone.
As for packaging, we've entered the stage where we don't remember where we packed some small, but vital item. Where is that cell phone recharger that always used to be in that drawer? Where are the swimsuits, now that we're having a heat wave? We found the cell phone recharger, praise God, and will have to wait to unpack for the swimsuits.
My perennial temptation to worrying is with boxes - will we have enough? Because of the holiday weekend the last chance we will have to get them is July 3, three days before moving. What about all the last-minute items that need to be packed? That's where I need to go back to Proverbs again and again: Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding... Surely He can handle this detail also. I bet/believe/hope/fear that we will have just enough boxes and containers for moving day. He's stretching my faith muscles!
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will direct your paths. Do not be wise in your own eyes..."
In my very first blog I drew some comparison between this move and my big move across the Atlantic 36 years ago when I first came to this country. One of the big differences is the sheer size. Although I don't consider myself as possessing much stuff - even the guy from the moving company said so - it's still overwhelming, at least as long as I don't look to the Lord for everything.
Therefore I've surrendered the move totally to Him. He is in charge, and I seek to follow the directions of my Boss. Almost daily we experience that He truly is guiding us in details, from contacting the right people at the right time to packing to remembering (almost) everything I need to. He gives me wisdom what to do and what to postpone.
As for packaging, we've entered the stage where we don't remember where we packed some small, but vital item. Where is that cell phone recharger that always used to be in that drawer? Where are the swimsuits, now that we're having a heat wave? We found the cell phone recharger, praise God, and will have to wait to unpack for the swimsuits.
My perennial temptation to worrying is with boxes - will we have enough? Because of the holiday weekend the last chance we will have to get them is July 3, three days before moving. What about all the last-minute items that need to be packed? That's where I need to go back to Proverbs again and again: Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding... Surely He can handle this detail also. I bet/believe/hope/fear that we will have just enough boxes and containers for moving day. He's stretching my faith muscles!
Monday, June 22, 2009
Snail Mail really is slow!
Today we received a letter from Asheville, NC which had been sent First Class by snail mail 10 days ago! It took us two days to drive the distance. When I send a letter to Germany, it only takes an average of 6-8 days. So please keep the slow pace in mind if you entrust anything to the US postal service from Iowa!
On the upside, I will have unlimited domestic long-distance calling for $4 monthly. It may be a limited time offer, but I will use it. Besides that, we're thinking of getting a fax machine. That is the only way for really fast mail - besides e-mail, attachments, etc.
On the upside, I will have unlimited domestic long-distance calling for $4 monthly. It may be a limited time offer, but I will use it. Besides that, we're thinking of getting a fax machine. That is the only way for really fast mail - besides e-mail, attachments, etc.
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Accomplishments and Disruptions
First, today's accomplishments - we're set up for telephone service, we have our new number, we have high-speed internet service and satellite TV. We even switched to Direct TV, which carries God-TV! On the downside, we spent 2-3 hours on the phone with various people, including a very talkative guy from the condo association. He was helpful in some ways but also very concerned to squeeze the last buck out of the system. When he suggested, after two hours, that we cancel everything to do it a different way and save a few bucks, I put my foot down! Besides, he wanted us to lie, and I won't do it.
The reason this whole thing was a big disruption - in the midst of all the packing I started a new translation project, this time for CBN. It took away some of my most productive hours of the day. Why do people always assume I don't have anything better to do with my time?
The reason this whole thing was a big disruption - in the midst of all the packing I started a new translation project, this time for CBN. It took away some of my most productive hours of the day. Why do people always assume I don't have anything better to do with my time?
Monday, June 15, 2009
Giving and receiving
59,60,61,62,63,64,65 boxes packed and labeled, and stacked around the house.
But there is still so much more to be packed...
So we went to the moving company's store today to purchase more boxes - some of them were specialty boxes costing big bucks. $25 to package our artificial rose? $38 for another box? We were starting to make a list when the employee, upon learning that we were shipping with his company, asked whether we wanted used boxes. "I can give those to you for free," he said, and proceeded to throw a whole bunch of boxes on a cart. "How about some paper? Tape?" Gratefully we accepted everything until our car was stuffed to the max. "Come back if you need more," he added.
What a blessing! We had given generously to others and received that which we were in need of. Surely God gives back to those who give to the poor!
But there is still so much more to be packed...
So we went to the moving company's store today to purchase more boxes - some of them were specialty boxes costing big bucks. $25 to package our artificial rose? $38 for another box? We were starting to make a list when the employee, upon learning that we were shipping with his company, asked whether we wanted used boxes. "I can give those to you for free," he said, and proceeded to throw a whole bunch of boxes on a cart. "How about some paper? Tape?" Gratefully we accepted everything until our car was stuffed to the max. "Come back if you need more," he added.
What a blessing! We had given generously to others and received that which we were in need of. Surely God gives back to those who give to the poor!
Time for a new name?
A couple of years ago I had a startling insight into the American psyche. There are no long, multisyllable first names. If someone is called Elizabeth (4 syllables), her name is immediately shortened to Liz or Beth. Even two-syllable names are shortened, if possible - Michael becomes Mike, Daniel is Dan, David is Dave. The only three-syllable name I could think of is Natalie.
As my friends you know that I have a four-syllable first name. I don't need to spell it out. If you don't know it by now, you're not likely to get it. But help is on the way.
As I'm about to begin a new chapter in my life in a town where nobody knows me except a handful of people, I'm thinking about starting with a new name. A two-syllable one - Hannah. Can be read backward or forward. I like that. This is not a legal name change - I've gotten too attached to my real, four-syllable name over the years - but a nickname which accommodates the American preferences. Which is fitting, since I became an American citizen recently.
So, you may call me "Hannah," if you like. Just don't try to shorten it further.
As my friends you know that I have a four-syllable first name. I don't need to spell it out. If you don't know it by now, you're not likely to get it. But help is on the way.
As I'm about to begin a new chapter in my life in a town where nobody knows me except a handful of people, I'm thinking about starting with a new name. A two-syllable one - Hannah. Can be read backward or forward. I like that. This is not a legal name change - I've gotten too attached to my real, four-syllable name over the years - but a nickname which accommodates the American preferences. Which is fitting, since I became an American citizen recently.
So, you may call me "Hannah," if you like. Just don't try to shorten it further.
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Why are we moving?
One of the most frequently asked questions is: Why are we moving to NC?
The short answer, at least for Dwight, is simply: the weather. No more winters in Iowa.
The long answer, as always, is more complex. First of all, I hope that God is in all of this. I believe He is. Second, Dwight retired a year ago. Third, we don't have any kids; our only family in this country is in the Southeastern United States. His brother is 3 hours away. The ocean is 5 hours away. Dwight grew up in Florida and North Carolina, and always liked NC much better. The climate is indeed more moderate, much more like Germany, and so is the landscape.
I remember sometime in the 1990's proclaiming with great certainty that we would retire to NC. Actually, I was surprised when Dwight wanted to stay in Iowa at first. We just bought a brandnew house here 5 years ago. But the last two winters with their snow and ice decided it for us. We sold our house in record time and bought a new one just as quickly.
A new adventure!
The short answer, at least for Dwight, is simply: the weather. No more winters in Iowa.
The long answer, as always, is more complex. First of all, I hope that God is in all of this. I believe He is. Second, Dwight retired a year ago. Third, we don't have any kids; our only family in this country is in the Southeastern United States. His brother is 3 hours away. The ocean is 5 hours away. Dwight grew up in Florida and North Carolina, and always liked NC much better. The climate is indeed more moderate, much more like Germany, and so is the landscape.
I remember sometime in the 1990's proclaiming with great certainty that we would retire to NC. Actually, I was surprised when Dwight wanted to stay in Iowa at first. We just bought a brandnew house here 5 years ago. But the last two winters with their snow and ice decided it for us. We sold our house in record time and bought a new one just as quickly.
A new adventure!
The rich young ruler
The past couple of weeks have given me a whole new perspective of what Jesus asked of the rich young ruler. "One thing you lack: go and sell all you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me." But at these words he was saddened, and he went away grieving, for he was one who owned much property. (Mk. 10:21-22)
Have you ever tried to sell some of your stuff? Didn't Jesus realize how long it would take for him to turn his stuff into cash he could give away? By the time he would be finished, Jesus would long be gone. Even with ebay or craigslist I've found it difficult to sell our stuff. Garage sales are daunting, especially when you've never had one. The only way that really works, we've found, is GIVING away your stuff, but Jesus specified selling it. People have been practically beating a way to our door and leaving with our stuff by the car or truckload. Does this count, Jesus?
Hold your guns, heresy hunters - this is tongue-in-cheek. I know my theology. All I'm saying, we're so blessed with stuff it's difficult to even sell it for practically nothing. A pair of Advent Speakers anyone?
Have you ever tried to sell some of your stuff? Didn't Jesus realize how long it would take for him to turn his stuff into cash he could give away? By the time he would be finished, Jesus would long be gone. Even with ebay or craigslist I've found it difficult to sell our stuff. Garage sales are daunting, especially when you've never had one. The only way that really works, we've found, is GIVING away your stuff, but Jesus specified selling it. People have been practically beating a way to our door and leaving with our stuff by the car or truckload. Does this count, Jesus?
Hold your guns, heresy hunters - this is tongue-in-cheek. I know my theology. All I'm saying, we're so blessed with stuff it's difficult to even sell it for practically nothing. A pair of Advent Speakers anyone?
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Creating my first blog
Just for the purpose of going through the move to NC I have ventured into online blogging. This is the second big transplant of my life, the first one being when I came to this country about 36 years ago to settle in Iowa.
There are some similarities and some differences between these two transplants:
Both times I came with just my husband, and I didn't know anybody else. Consequently, loneliness was a real problem.
The first time I was young, foolish (?) and not quite fluent in English. This time I'm mature (?!), experienced with the American culture - at least I think so - and fluent in English.
The first time I had just 2 suitcases and a few boxes of books. This time we are inundated with stuff, despite giving a lot of it away, and we are paying a moving company thousands of dollars to haul it across country.
The first time I didn't know the Lord, this time I do. And communications are a lot better with my friends back home in Iowa and elsewhere, through e-mail, facebook, telephone etc. Back then the only feasible way was "snail mail." (Imagine!)
There are some similarities and some differences between these two transplants:
Both times I came with just my husband, and I didn't know anybody else. Consequently, loneliness was a real problem.
The first time I was young, foolish (?) and not quite fluent in English. This time I'm mature (?!), experienced with the American culture - at least I think so - and fluent in English.
The first time I had just 2 suitcases and a few boxes of books. This time we are inundated with stuff, despite giving a lot of it away, and we are paying a moving company thousands of dollars to haul it across country.
The first time I didn't know the Lord, this time I do. And communications are a lot better with my friends back home in Iowa and elsewhere, through e-mail, facebook, telephone etc. Back then the only feasible way was "snail mail." (Imagine!)
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