Eastward, then southward, bound

So all my things are boxed up and sitting in my living room. The yellow Penske moving truck is parked outside in the lot. Six friends are scheduled to arrive in an hour and help me load. And I'm a bundle of emotions. I had the privilege of sharing today at both services at Wildwood, thanking the church for its investments in college students and for loving and welcoming me. I've learned about who we are as believers (our identity), about hospitality (as an overflow of God's love from our hearts), and about owning my faith. It's taken just about these five and a half years to get to a point where I call Norman & Wildwood home, and now I'm off again, to North Carolina (for 2 weeks) then to Santiago.

Forgive my lack of blog entries in the last eleven days; they've been filled up, brimming over, with people, work, packing, and lots of great quality time. What shall I miss the most about Norman? Hands down, unequivocally, the people, mis amigos. I'll miss Frisbee Friday and our gladiatorial contests. I'll miss the SoM office staff & the laughs they brought to work. I'll miss being the sole boss of my time, able to allocate it as needed. I'll miss Kraettli & our community. I'll miss my colleagues in meteorology and our chats about weather and our random journeys south, west, and/or north in pursuit of the elusive tornado. I'll miss my bible studies with the college guys, investing in their lives and having them return the favor ten-fold.

What do I look forward to in Chile? Living in the latin culture & community, where relationships matter more than tasks. Studying meteorology with a diverse group of scientists with a perspective unique from mine. Celebrating God with the Chilenos. Exploring Chile and other parts of South America. Becoming bilingual. Challenging myself to think and act differently. Experiencing & giving hospitality all over again. Teaching meteorology to the Chilenos.

The next post will come to you from North Carolina, where I'm celebrating thanksgiving (& my portion of Christmas) with my family. Until then, enjoy some photos from my last ten days in Oklahoma!