time for a new blog title

When we first moved to Texas, our blog was simply titled "Rodney and Katie," mostly because I created the blog when I was very pregnant. The creative juices were definitely not flowing. And then I decided, once we had determined we were going to be in Texas longer than initially planned, that we needed an appropriate blog title. At the time, I felt very much "in limbo". We'd been through two difficult church situations, my husband's job was all consuming requiring him to be gone much of the time, and all of my apartment friends had moved on. Even though our life in Texas would be temporary, I wanted to make the most of it. I wanted to "bloom where I was planted," which really means:

Blessed is the man

who walks not in the counsel of the wicked,

nor stands in the way of sinners,

nor sits in the seat of scoffers;

but his delight is in the law of the Lord,

and on his law he meditates day

and night.

He is like a tree

planted by streams of water

that yields its fruit in its season,

and its leaf does not whither.

In all that he does, he prospers.

Psalm 1: 1-3

I have sunk my roots deep into God's Word during the last 4.5 years. I've studied the Pentateuch, John, Acts, Isaiah, Hebrews, Proverbs and read through most of the Bible. The Lord has blessed me with wise counselors as friends. I have a girlfriend here who is a friend who sticks closer than a sister. We have certainly wept and laughed together through our many trials and joys these last several years. I am not looking forward to this earthly goodbye.

Yes, I'm sure you have guessed it by now. We are moving back to Illinois in March. I am mostly excited. We will be closer to our family and have many friendship seeds that have have sat dormant and are waiting for water and sun.

But change is change. It is exhilarating. It is hard. But most of all, I am thankful that this earth is not my eternal home. One day the Lord WILL return. The dead will rise first, and those who are alive will be caught up to meet Him in the air. "And so we will always be with the Lord." (can you tell I have I Thessalonians on the brain -- we studied it this week in BSF!).

My parting thought is also from I Thessalonians 5: 16-18

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances;

for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."