Home again.

After 3 months (300% longer than we like to go before going somewhere) Ben and I were able to get away for the weekend. SO good to get to hang with him and talk and just be. It was crazy locking up the new house for the first time. Deciding which lights to leave on while we were absent. Wondering about random house stuff. Not needing to over feed Tigger since he lives with my cousin now. Packing up a bag (it feels wife-y to pack Ben’s stuff for the weekend) and getting out of town–a very good thing 🙂

We drove up to Louisville, KY. Just about 3hours away, and did date like activities all day Saturday. Breakfast at Panera (yum) went to the Louisville zoo (we heart the zoo) afternoon shopping at Cost Plus (a favorite of mine) saw the March of the Penguins movie and dinner at Shogun (Japanese steak house where they cook on the grill in front of you). A really good day. Sunday was great too: Services at Southeast Christian Church. A mega church in Louisville that is doing great Kingdom work and employs several COOL people that Ben gets to hang out with and call it work. We attended 3 services, the "big house" @ 9, digg/H2O (youth group stuff), and the Vine (totally amazing) All very cool.

On Sundays, walking into church, my daddy would tell my sister and me to have fun and learn a lot. Yesterday: mission accomplished. Bob Russel in the "big house" mentioned a song we have been singing for years about God giving us strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow. Love that–that song is running in my head non-stop. At digg/H2O a video clip was shown about a guy with cerebal palsy who loves to run. This kid who might not have learned to walk is on his high school track team and runs long distance. Awesome and unbelievably inspiring-yes I cried buckets. A defining moment for me personally, I wanted to be a Physical therapist growing up–now I know exactly why I am not. I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t hurt people, cannot cause pain without crying myself. Now I know-nice to have closer for certain things. And last but not least, at the Vine the teaching time was the last of a series on Jonah. Jonah was a first class whiner. Not a category of friend I like to keep around. But the story-chapter 4 specifically shows how God continually pursues His people, all people. Both Jonah the whiner and the city of Nineveh. Also-lessons there about my comfort. The fact that my happiness is not God’s ultimate goal. So Amanda-stop whining (like Jonah) when life gets uncomfortable. Good Stuff. Way good stuff!! Came home last night pumped that there are cool places, like Southeast Christian Church in Louisville and other places all over the country, that God’s people are meeting and being community and seeking the Lord’s face. Love it!