Apparently I have brought good weather on my four excursions to the Pacific NorthWest. It was sunny and in the 90s inland and in the 70s by the coast, the ocean agrees with me. Which, despite the fact I am a tried and true Minnesotan, began to challenge my notion of home.
The first time I saw the ocean I was in love. It wasn't on the rocky outcrops of Oregon beaches, no it was a dreary day in Rhode Island on a rather mediocre New England beach. For years I had never truly understood the metaphor of God's love like an ocean but that day, stepping into something bigger than I could fathom I understood the juxtaposition of fear and grace, love and power. I jumped in knowing I wanted nothing more than to be engulfed in something that could lose me in an instant but rocked me gently instead. I fell in love with the ocean that day, I fell more in love with its Creator.
Back to Oregon, climbing to the top of a waterfall that plummets gracefully 620 feet Matt Dyment asked me if it was good to be back in Oregon. I replied that the more often I come the weaker my argument to move back to Minnesota becomes.
The truth is we are continuously asked what we're doing or where we're going after seminary and the hardest part of that question is the fact we don't know. Everyone who knows us realizes we aren't people who like to "over-plan." We are OK with the idea of last minute... most of the time. Right now living in the tension between the already and the not yet is stressful, it's straining and it's both building and challenging our faith.
The fact is, we don't know but we are doing our best to live deliberately in the now and leave the future up the One who created time.
So for now we wait until we find our next home whether it be Oregon, Minnesota or nowhere near either one. Until then, we will revel in the beauty of the oceans, the waterfalls and lakes we call home and long for while we're away.
--Ali
