Lately On My Mind

Okay. I'm going to do something I told Tom that I wouldn't. 

I'm going to tell you which town I'm currently toying with moving to.

Why the self-made promise not to tell you?

1.) Because of readers who will say, "My Cousin Cindy lived in _____ and she hated it. She finally moved away and found her sanity again. 

What I know for sure? If I move to where God, Himself, wants me, I'll be happy there. Even inside a cardboard box in the desert, as long as He's there, too. (Yeah, I believe that.)

2.) And readers who will comment, "Oh! Oh! Move to ________ instead. I just know you'll love it," and then email me lots of information about a place that feels all wrong to me (leaving me feeling guilty about all the time they spent).

3.) Or because to some people when I say, "We might  move to ______," it's like writing it in blood. They do research for me, get their hearts all set on new stories I'll tell from there--then get blown away when I talk about moving someplace else next week. Or don't move anyplace at all.

Heh.

But because I have this habit of sharing my heart and my head in this blog, I'll blow past my self-made promises and tell you anyway.

Today I'm thinkin' Boise, Idaho.

Why? The area is closer to our old friends and relatives--no more eternal train or plane rides to visit everybody, just drives of a few hundred miles, not thousands. Tom, Naomi and I loved that area when we used to vacation there. They don't get much snow--and when they do, it's only a couple inches. Real estate is reasonable and I found some cute and do-able houses online this morning. It's way more arid than this eastern seaboard so that's got to be better for aging folks like Tom and myself. There are a few other pluses, as well.

Of course, Boise's not Buffalo and--if Life was all about me-me-me --I'd stay here forever. But it's not, so I can't. We simply must get Tom out of all this snow and ice so that he won't slip and so that I'll stop worrying that he will.

But you know? I've had this dream-come-true place for 20 years and that's a very, very long time to live inside a dream. I feel spoiled-rotten, actually, so I'll be fine, especially since much of my life is online. How lovely that I can just pack-up that life and take it--take you-- with me. 

Oh, what I would have given for such a wonder when I moved from Morgan Hill, CA at the tender age of 16. Traumatic that was and I nearly experienced an emotional break-down--or perhaps I did--but no one in my family recognized what one looked like. 

Yet being a child, even a Christian one, I didn't know then how to 'guard my heart, for it determines the course of your life,'(Prov. 4:23). Nor did I understand disciplining my emotions or renewing my mind. And I hadn't yet realized that loving God more than other people was the answer to a million questions and a hungry heart.

I was so clueless at 16, but this time at (nearly) 54! God is #1 and since I'm taking Him wherever we may end up, I'll be set. A.O.K.  Better than that, actually.

And all will be well.

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"Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect." ... Romans 12:2

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I enjoyed many of the Superbowl commercials, though I watched only a few moments of the game last night and caught up with the rest of the ads this morning. Here are the top ten favorites, at least according to Yahoo news.

I especially liked the commercial for Hyundai where the family drives away and sees and does all sorts of fantastic-ly creative things. I told Tom it made me want to go out and spend time with that fun family. 

Tom said it made him want to go out and buy a new car. :)

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Boise, Idaho