Six Months

I have been living in Phoenix for six months now. It has been so much…..a transition….a shelter….a place to hide out and heal…two doors down from a very dear friend. I'm going to miss our frequently convenient get together's. The house has a beautiful backyard and pool that I will miss. I was just starting to venture out more and get to visit some of the trendy Arcadia hotspots. My friend and I had many great walks through these beautiful unique neighberhoods. Some day I wouldn't mind returning here to live in one of the houses that have so much personality. This area reminds me of the midwestern neighborhoods where every home has their own distinct style and personality. It has the feel of a small hometown but with the hipness of places like Sip Coffee and Beer Garage not far away. 

Phoenix was always something I was sort of afraid of, all the one way streets and traffic, and downtown busyness. It struck me as ironic the other day that I was living in a place I used to be so afraid of. I still am not entirely comfortable driving around and just the other day I thought I was going to be the victim of road rage when I inadvertently got in the middle lane to turn and was confronted head on with a driver that wanted to use that same lane to go in the opposite direction. I am sure he was using a few choice words that I am glad I didn’t  stick around to hear. 

It’s been a special time filled with so many raw emotions. I’ve had some of my darkest hours wrestling things out, trying to untwist the truth that had been bent into lies. My journal is my sanity and it has been used well in this house. Now that I’m on the verge of leaving it, I already know it will always hold special memories for the uniqueness of my season here. Six months of sanity saved, a faith tried and tested, over and over again. It will always stand in my memory of a place of great provision and generosity that always brought new mercies each morning and an abundance of lavish grace. A grace I appreciate now more than ever. So even though this time here is coming to a close, I will cherish these last six months as the gift that it was.