I Left My Heart in West Seattle

For the past month or so, Jason has been on a real kick to look at houses. We currently rent the bottom half of a house from a great Christian family in Kent for an incredible price without paying for utilities and other petty bills. However, with the market the way it is, it seems like a great idea to buy now while prices are still low. So I'll find my husband on RedFin 'till 5, 6, 7, 8 in the morning looking at houses. He was looking at places like Ravensdale, Covington, Black Diamond, Maple Valley, etc (For those not native to WA, these are places in the middle of nowhere, but offer more land for your money.) At first, I was on board. We work hard for our money and if we can get an awesome deal for a house that needs a bit of fixing up, I'm down for that.

Then as we were heading to our weekly church group, as I was sitting in the backseat keeping two homemade fruit pies from spilling on the seats, my husband says: "If we move out to the sticks, we'll have to look for another church." That might not mean much to you readers, but my heart hit my butt. The group we're a part of I've known for a few years now. During our tribulation of pursuing marriage, my group has been there offering advice, their homes, a helping hand. These handful of people in West Seattle are my family. Water was swelling up behind my lids and I blinked a thousand times to keep them from shedding. I was mostly quiet for the rest of the car ride only offering a sentence or two to my husband about how much it would suck to leave West Seattle. He was sympathetic and extended his hand out as far as he could to hold mine while driving. But it was only a week later he expressed how it would also be hard for him to move farvaway from our church, our family and friends, and to start over, so his house search extended to West Seattle all the way down to Burien(ish).

But there was question that kept glaring at us: were we idolizing comfort? Are we, especially myself, afraid of moving to another place because we know the people here so well? Are we afraid of change and what God may have for us at another place, at another church? Possibly. Before moving back home to Seattle, I was in Bellingham for school for 5 years. My transition from school back to Seattle was pretty easy because I was returning to familiar places and people. Nothing like moving to some place in the middle of the sticks where we know no one. With that, I ask you to please pray for us that we may follow God's will and not our own and to remember that His plan is waay better than one we envision for ourselves.

Also, I have felt a strong tug at my heart to serve at my church. We've been at Mars Hill - West Seattle for sometime, but I've only been permanently here for a year now and it was only 2 weeks ago I felt convicted to serve. Between my husband and I, we work 4 jobs, so free time is scarce, but I'm realizing the growth of a church depends on those who put enough hours to it, and MHC is growing fast. And I want to be a part of that. Tomorrow night, I'm going to a meeting to hopefully dive into serving and I am pretty stoked.

Well, I think I've rambled long enough. Plus, I think this coffee shop will close in a bit.

Blessings,
queennie

Practicing Transparency

It is no easy task for me, and I'm sure for many others, to be open and honest about themselves. Even with the few close friends I've known for the past couple of years, I've only recently felt comfortable talking about things I would otherwise disclose to just my husband, my longest friend, Teri, and God. But it has been tugging at my heart to exercise honesty and openness to someday overcome this fear I have of looking stupid or silly.

Lately, I've been enjoying posting on my humor blog, Things That Make Me Laugh, and thought "what about making a more personal blog?" I love writing and can articulate myself well enough when a backspace is involved, thus life was made.

So this is attempt #1. It's short and kinda lame, but I work in an hour and I want to nap before I spend the rest of the evening on my feet 'til midnight or one. So I shall say goodbye and until next time!

Blessings,
queennie