Story Turn to D.C.

I have officially been a resident of Virginia for almost two weeks now. Pretty crazy journey to get here, but not for a second would I change anything that brought me here. Only now can I be thankful and look back with a sense of purpose from my past to have brought me where I am after the long and hard year of tension in my life. I want to be like Paul in the Bible where I can learn to thank God while in the midst of my tough circumstances, not just at the end of them when all is "said and done" for that chapter and I have moved on. 

So for the breakdown of my week here so far...

I drove 12 hours from Birmingham to DC straight through. Yes, I did the whole drive in one sitting and without a stop longer than just enough to fill up on gas and use the restroom. For once in my life I finally thought ahead and made some food and snacks to keep in the car with me to save time and money from food stops. I thought like a man, "How fast can I get there?" Originally it should have only taken me 11 hours, but I took a detour on the way. Apparently my route in which I was going was taking me right by a relative of mine that I have not seen since I was about 4 or 5 years old: my grandfather. It is certainly another story that has been written while starting another new one journeying up to my new home in DC. I plan on blogging about it next, so I will just leave you with that. It's a good one, you hopefully will want to read about what happened =)

I started work Tuesday, October 12 at the International Center for Religion and Diplomacy. I have had quite the time trying to figure out the best way to get to work, let me just tell you. I literally work in the middle of downtown, so there is just no easy or fast way to get to my office. I was late the first two days of work, by 45 minutes. Ugh, the traffic here is just wretched! My first day I did the whole leave "extra" early to give myself time to learn the whole Metro train system and show up early, but no, that didn't help. Took me 45 minutes to find a parking space at the "park and ride" spaces in the parking lots. One day I gave up and just drove all the way down town then had to pay $16 for parking, yuck! It was quite an adventure that day since I spent 2 hours getting to downtown and then being 45 minutes late to work then wandering around for an hour after I got off work trying to find my parking garage. I got turned around when I went into a store by a round-a-bout circle drive by my building and it screwed me all up with directions. I seriously thought I had just lost my car! Oh my, that was an exhausting day. Thank goodness my work is being so lenient and letting me get used to the Metro! By the way, I LOVE MY JOB! I get to help edit the current book they will be published by the new year, research data and subjects about religion and politics, help with grant work, and I even got sent to Georgetown University today to attend a lunch meeting about Kashmir and the recent uprisings going on. I was blown away about all of the undercover violence and corruption going on. I had to write up a memorandum once I got back and my co-worker I wrote it for seemed really impressed! He is actually going to use it in one of his grants he is working on. I love every bit of my work day which I never thought was possible. What a blessing to enjoy work! I get to work about and write about premillenial dispansationalism!! Yes, I went to college for that.

Oh and my living situation? An answered prayer I forgot I literally prayed for: a home. I am living in the guest house on my aunt and uncle's horse farm with tons of land. It is literally my daily retreat from city life. I get to come home to a HOME where I can unload, relax, feel so loved, and have real intimate time with Jesus. I haven't had space for that in quite a few years. I have been able to spend a lot of time with my younger cousin and my aunt which has been so sweet. I also have an INCREDIBLE view of the night sky! The stars are crazy visible out here and I see them every night =).

Oh and I do have a friend here! We went to Samford together, so its a nice feeling that I can hang out with someone that has known me for more than a day. When I am not working (which is almost everyday sadly...) we have had time to hang out a few times. It's actually quite a blessing as well having at least one person that I know and someone that knows me from home in Birmingham. You know, it's hard and exhausting starting over with every new person that I meet, not that I don't fully enjoy it though. Anyways, we rode horses this past weekend and, um, I hurt. I don't think I have gotten on a horse in YEARS and my entire back is even killing me. I didn't realize the back muscles you use in riding horses, apart from the other sore muscles in the legs, abs, and ohhh the butt. But hey, at least it's a workout I really enjoy and I can do quite often. 

So here it is: I love it here. I like it better than LA to be quite honest. Yes, that was just written. I am dreaming again. I feel like I am a better version of me, or at least stepping into who God is shaping me to be. But I always say life is seldom what you plan. You know, something beautiful happens when you finally learn the lesson in surrender. And not just surrender in your finances, who to date, or a great opportunity, but the surrender of YOUR dreams. A better story happens.