One year today: “A future and a hope.”

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,” declares the Lord,… – Jeremiah 29:11-14

One of the things I try to do with this blog is to be authentic and transparent. While I share very real joy, and talk about faith and promise and grace and more, it is also important that I write about the disappointing, the overwhelming, and the less than triumphant.

So Tuesday I spent most of the day in a bit of a funk. Not depressed so much as feeling this sense of nagging anxiety and doubt, a cloud, a lack of assurance.

Early morning Bible study with the guys featured a good crowd and I enjoyed being with them… but I felt like my lesson landed flat. Then I had the gift of a free day where I could dive into my book and write for hours on end, but I could never get going – not so much writer’s block as writer’s angst, disheartened and distracted by concerns I do not have the ability to remedy.

– the Quigless renovation is coming along

So I put Max on his leash and we went out for a long walk. Fresh air and exercise is not just good for the brain it is good for the soul. I took a few photographs, and it is always encouraging when I pay attention to what is going on around this town.

Back at home I cooked dinner then enjoyed the evening. The fresh air, the photographs, the good food and simply being with Rebekah added up to restoration.

One Year in…

Then I looked at the calendar and realized the significance of this morning, Wednesday. As of today it has been exactly one year since Rebekah and I arrived and moved a few items into our rental house on Saint James Street. Today we were supposed to move back to Wake Forest.

Hence, I believe, the angst. We are neither here exactly nor are we moving back. The house in Wake Forest is empty but not sold. The renovation in Tarboro is in process yet not done. Our hearts are firmly in residence on Saint Patrick Street while our billing zip code remains 27587.