The old homeplace...

Once upon a time there was a church that was in walking distance to the most ghetto of apartments. In the apartment lived a young girl trying desperately to convince everyone and mostly herself that she was a grown woman. She had no car and she had never learned to drive anyway so a car would have done her little good. This young girl did have a desire to be in God's house. She had prayed for two years that God would give her a church home in her new city of residence. On faith she walked the few blocks up the street to this large brick church with the copper bell tower and tall white columns and inside she found her home. Baby blue walls and shag carpet in a sanctuary decorated with butterflies hanging from the chandelier for Vacation Bible School.
That was how my love affair with Calvary Baptist of Asheville began. I only spent four years serving there and I can't remember all of those, but it was the place grew up into the woman I wanted to be and found a family that is in all ways as dear as that which was given to me by birth. I was in Asheville for a short visit and I couldn't help but stop and snap a couple of pictures of this home of yesteryear. I now call another baby blue walled CBC home and and greatful to do so, but I thought I would pay a little homage to where I came from.

More than a dream

Have you ever looked at life and thought "Whoa! How did I get here?"
I seem to be doing that a lot lately. Looking back at all the dreams and expectations I had for my life, and comparing and contrasting to the reality that I have become. Some of you reading this have known me since I was making those dreams and expectations and I suppose you might be surprised at where I am now, or you always assumed I would be exactly where I am. Whatever the case, I am surprised.
I never set out to be a bank teller. In the 7th grade Mrs. Price made us take a career assessment and she insisted that I put down banker as one of my possibilities. I informed her she was crazy and that there would be no way in very hot places that I would ever become a banker. I always dreamed of being a singer or an actress or if I must be normal I was going to teach. Out of sheer nicety no one ever informed me that I had no business singing out of church, I didn't have the face for acting and I suppose no one knew that I would grow up to only like small children in smaller doses. Even in more recent history, I thought I would live in Asheville until they stuck me in the ground. Of course here I sit in my hometown in South Carolina, the one place I was convinced I would never go. It is shocking to me I am here, I am the woman I am and yet I am content beyond measure. Sometimes the job makes me crazy, I want to strangle some of my lifelong friends, and I am enveloped in the insanity called family, but I am thrilled to be living this life. This life I didn't have the good sense to dream for or expect and yet God said "Here, my stupid little lamb, I brought you here in spite of yourself." God is good all the time and yes, all the time God is good. Here's to life being more than you can ever dream. Simplicity is everything, and the small moments make the big life.

For Sherrie

Sherrie says I need a new blog, and I can't exactly argue with that so here goes.

The winter is for all intents and purposes gone here in South Carolina. I spent my day laying out in the sun hoping that I might escape the Casper syndrome that my legs had succumbed to. Of course, I and my lily self am still lily with fabulous tomato red knees that should look lovely peeking out from my Sunday church attire in the morning.
The winter wasn't exactly long, but eventful. A new car, old friend and family reentered my life and of course a few left this life forever. Most recently and fresh to the heart, my Momma Dorcas. I haven't even come to terms with knowing I will never have her kiss my cheeks or give me one of those amazing bear hugs again. This like all seasons has been life changing. We never face two seasons as the same person. The events of one always change how you enter the next, but this time it's a little different. This winter was unassuming really. Nothing really knocked the wind out of me or made me elated beyond all reason, but all the little pieces together are huge.
Here's hoping that all of this has changed me for the better, made me stronger and that I will live out this spring and enter the summer a woman much more equipped for life. I have lost much, but I have loved more and I have been loved more than anyone could ever imagine. It's still a very good life.