I Smile

Three-mile sweat collides with damp air, prickling my skin.

Heavy clouds throw down sheets of water – more than I’ve seen in a year.

The droplets pelt my over-sized, black umbrella with rapid urgency.

Walker Crossing’s parking lot morphs into liquid motion.

My running shoes squish in unavoidable puddles.

Half way between fitness center and apartment, my socks meld into my soles.

I hate wet socks. Kind of like wet jeans. Ew.

From iNano buds still in my ears, Robert Pattinson croons a bluesy love song.

Come to think of it, I feel a little like Bella Swan on the first day of school in Forks. (Yes, I’m a Twilight fan, but that’s not the point. Don’t hate me.)

I do miss the heat of Phoenix. It hasn’t stopped raining in Knoxville since I got here. I hate anything cold and wet too. It is hard adjusting to a new and different place. *sigh*

But then…

I smile.

If it weren’t for places like Knoxville, then places like PHX wouldn’t be so great. I know that sounds like a cut, but really it’s the train I ride to make it to the station of appreciation. I’m experiencing what makes PHX great by not experiencing it – by being somewhere less sunny and less warm and more insect-invested and more pollinated.

I smile because – well – I choose to. No point pining for a PHX I can’t have. I had it for a while, it was great, and I’ll cherish the memories. But I choose to move on.

I smile because, like Bella, I miss the sunny, exotic place, but little do I know that amazing gifts lurk in the rainy shadows of my new home. If she hadn’t moved into those shadows, she never would have found her gift, Edward. Now, I don’t need an Edward, I have my Daniel who is the love of my life, but I smile because I will continually be on the lookout for the gifts that are for me here that I would never have found anywhere else. In fact, I think I’ve already had the privilege of receiving some of those. (I have more analogous theories about the Bella/Edward stuff, but that’s coming up in a later, special series of posts for Dry Ground. Keep watch for that…)

I smile because, if I surrender my longing for the sunshine, I find pleasure splashing in puddles, lingering in the downpour, listening to the sound rain makes on car hoods, roof tops and pavement, watching the turtle in the pond out back enjoy sprinkles pinging his shell.

I smile because I can learn to appreciate the different kind of beautiful in Knoxville again, if I let myself ride that train.

I smile because without rain, rainbows don’t exist.

I smile because this is the day the Lord has made, and I’ll rejoice, be glad in it.

Wherever you are, I hope you can too. Thanks for visiting Dry Ground!

New Features

The morning headline of the Insect Inquisitor reads:

Knoxville Mosquitoes Thrilled, New Feast in Town.

My heat-thinned blood must be tasty. And I keep forgetting to rub down with a dryer sheet before stepping outside my front door, a big thank you to Aunt Christine for that effective remedy… when I actually use it.

FYI, mosquitoes don’t exist in AZ. Okay, maybe they exist, but in Phoenix, they don’t bite, me at least. The swelling subsides, though, if I apply Mela-gel right away. A big thank you to Aunt Lee for that effective remedy… when I use it.

So I’m covered with welts.

I also figured out why TN football colors are so ridiculously and obnoxiously bright orange… they need sunshine and the only way to get it is through ridiculous and obnoxious simulation. They have to do something to contrast the cloudy grays and the never-ending green that just gets duller under the cloudy grays. *sigh* But I digress.

Can you have a rabbit trail at the beginning of a thought?

I really do love my new home.

New… lovely word. Who doesn’t like new? A (preferably sunny) new day, new house, new job, new baby, new clothes, oh and how about this one (does it for me every time) a new pen and a clean piece of paper. Even collectors of old things gush when purchasing something because it is new to them. New stories intrigue, new television shows entertain, new movies enthrall, new ideas inspire, new friends encourage.

New is the opportunity to adjust, absorb and appreciate. New indicates growth. New is fresh, clean, full of energy, shiny, perfect (or a do-over!).

As opposed to old, worn, dirty, frayed, useless, marred, tired, lost, tossed, forgotten.

I am encouraged that God is all about new. Our hope is built on the concept of new. In fact, God takes the old and makes it new. A new covenant, a new heart, a new start, a new beginning, God is making all things new and those of us found in Christ Jesus will experience a new heaven and a new earth where we’ll receive a new name. Trusting in God and believing in Jesus is not imprisonment to an antiquated religion.

It is embracing new.

“And the one sitting on the throne said, ‘Look, I am making everything new!’ And then he said to me, ‘Write this down, for what I tell you is trustworthy and true.’” (Rev. 21:5 NLT)

Funny how God says that at the end of the Bible. Awesome and Amen.

Speaking of new, I have a few new features here on Dry Ground. All can be found on the sidebar. First, Life Vest Verse – a Bible verse that has helped me somehow, kept my head above water and my feet on dry ground. Second, Lovin’ Those Lyrics – partial lyrics, or maybe sometimes an entire song, inspiring me at any given time. I’ll try to provide links, too, for listening and also so you can check out the bands and their other music. Third, Pictures from My Penske – an occasional image from our trans-American trek.

For the record, I do not plan on appreciating the mosquitoes – ever – but I guess I can adjust to them.

Hope you enjoy and as always, thanks for visiting Dry Ground.