good earth sun tea

I'm pretty sure that the last 5 years of my life have been nearly filled with things that for some reason or another were uncomfortable, challenging, painful, difficult, stretching, and just about every other way you can say not restful. I don't mean to complain. I've enjoyed these times and those of you that know me know that I wouldn't take any of it back. I do wonder though, if there will be a time when I can take the plow out of the ground, stand up, stretch my legs, walk to the porch and get something cold to drink. It helps to have that perspective, you know, look out and see all of the change of a days' or years' work. Fortunately for me, the summers were these times for me during college. I went home to a mindless job and spent all of my free time on the river, in the boat, hiking, swimming, fishing...just basically relaxing. Life was simple and I didn't feel like I was constantly being pursued by something.

I guess this all comes up because this is the time when, for a long time, I've gotten that break. I've been able to relax, reflect, let some growth come out of all of the dirt I turned up during the year. Now I just don't see that coming.

I put my application for the job in Spain in the mail today. I'm excited to find out more about that but it is also looking like a time of more digging, more pain, more stretching. Don't get me wrong, it would be a fantastic time, but right now I just want some days of peace and joy where I can be free and experience God in a non intellectual way.