Flying South for the Winter

Well, everything is wonderful here in Alabama. I haven't worn a coat since I stepped off the plane. The sun has been shining everyday and I am keeping busy with friends and family. I am a little more busy than my ideal vacation but I wouldn't trade it. There are so many things here that I didn't realize I missed. I spend most mornings on the back porch doing quiet time, staring at the sky, and listening. I appreciate the birds much more now since I had gotten used to hearing squirrels every morning in STL(whether outside or in the attic - dang freeloaders ;o) After porch time I usually cook breakfast with my mom. Unfortunately, I can already see the effects of her cooking on my figure. After being home for a few weeks I am astonished at how little food I keep around my apartment in STL. What do I eat? Perhaps these are my mothers words seeping through. I am certainly looking forward to getting back in the gym and back into my more normal eating habits.
I have really missed my baby sister Jenny and I am trying to spend as much time as possible with her. Of course, she has school and would prefer I didn't accompany her. Hehe...I am so annoying. Surely, she is ready for me to leave. It seems like the longer I stay here the more things I know I will miss. Leaving this time may be worse than the first because I have noticed so many more small comforts.
I kept my niece and nephew for a few days, which was a blast. I wish that everyday was run around the country and climb trees day. Living in the country has made them more creative. There is a swing at the bottom of their driveway that they made from a rope and a hose pipe. The hose pipe is gathered in a circle and looped through the rope to create a seat. I was quite impressed and it even held my weight. Both of them have their own dog (mutts from TEARS of course) that loves to jump on and lick everything, including us. After a few times of being all but tackled, I talked myself into believing that it is sweet and that a dog's mouth is really one of the cleanest places (according to my niece). ;o) Anyway, I had a blast and feel very sad to tell them goodbye. They keep asking me to do things with them next month or on their birthdays(March and Sept.) and I hate saying that I won't be here. They don't understand why I can't come anyway and it has made me think a lot about time. Time is irrelevant to children. How wonderful! They exhibit no real sense of urgency or understanding of the limits that time imposes on us.
My mom is still grieving over my grandmother's death two years ago and we have had many discussions about this since my return home. She has been questioning whether people go strait to heaven or remain in the grave until the rapture. The point I keep raising is that time is broken with death - how relieving. The answer to me is both. A marquee keeps running across my brain - eternal, boundless, free from the constraints and cruelties of time.

Anyhow..back to the South. I love it, I missed it, its comfortable. How can so many things be right for me. I love cities, the country, the South, the North, and the Midwest. I would love to council others, work on government policies, lobby, or do mission work. I would love to work in the U.S. but would equally like to work overseas. I sometimes get frustrated with this wide array of seemingly satisfying options because it makes me question whether I have real passion for anything. Of course, this is silly because I know that God has a plan for me and I am passionate about that. Thank you God for your joy!