My Year of Miracles

Moving forward with the sale of my house!  Starting to pack, clean and let go.

Taking the Pink Slip

God, your will be done.

I am taking the pink slip.

"The Hurricane"

The hurricane  

began this shift in my

thinking

to move.

Move to Durham for the culture,

opportunities for growth,

and adventure.

Yes, the hurricane started it all--

A hurricane followed by 

an earthquake.

That shift in the earth

caused a shift in 

my thinking,

to move out of my small,

insular,

isolated community,

and into the vibrance

of Durham.

Begin Again

     Beginning again means to be connecing with things that are important:  culture, art, authors, classes, work, people.  I need new opportunities to meet people with similar interests and longings.  I'll have a chance to spend time at the Rubenstein Library at Duke and connect with friends like the people I met a Duke Gardens.  I'll be able to get new knees.  A new place.  A new job.  I can summon my courage by clearing out the debris of old hurts and sad memories and embrace the vibrant colors and lifestyles of the city.  The Nasher, DPAC, Duke, Quail Ridge.  These things await me.

A New Beginning

My head is spinning,

but I seem to be winning 

this journey

because I'm here!

With Jonathan Farmer, 

Nancy Peacock,

and Peggy Payne,

Kelley Starling Lyon,

the Bull City Press,

and even Santa Claus!

There will be faculty readings,

and a luncheon,

all distractions

from my project of the month,

which is to find a place to live

in Durham, North Carolina.

Yep,

it finally happened.

I had an offer on my house

that's been on the market for a year.

Closing on May 24th.

Can I find a new place

in Durham?

in Raleigh?

What have I done?

Selling my home!

Saying good0bye to the gorgeous 

trees that I planted 15 years ago:

a Dawn Redwood,

an Eastern Red Cedar,

a cedar cypress,

pear and peach trees,

saying good-bye to the

male and female bluebirds 

that are building a nest in my

backyard.

God,

I will miss them!

But I also say good-bye

to high

property taxes,

low performing schools,

high poverty,

low teacher retention

and high student drop-out rates.

So I will say hello

to the Bull City,

the Star City,

and the City of Oaks.

My Year of Miracles

Day 19

I should be hopeful!  I expect to sign tomorrow.

My Year of Miracles Day 18

Now here is a miracle of sorts.  At almost the last minute, someone is interested in my house.  He is supposed to make an offer today or tomorrow.  Sounds like he could be a good prospect, but the house goes off the market in 2 days!!!

We shall see...

Shall I be skeptical, or hopeful?

The Heart of Stone (from Exekiel 36: 24-28, NIV)

"I will take you out of the nations;
I will gather you from all the countries
and bring you back into your own land,
I will sprinkle clean water on you,
and you will be clean.
I will cleanse you from all your
impurities and from all your idols.

I will give you a new heart 

and put a new spirit in you.

I will remove from you your 

heart of stone and give you

a heart of flesh.
And I will put my spirit in you
and move you to follow my decrees and
be careful to keep my laws.
You will live in the land I gave your
forefathers; you will be my people,
and I will be your God."

Who moved the stone
that morning in the tomb.
It was rolled away, rolled away
for good.

Heart of Stone.

A rolling Stone.
That is me,

Seeking.

Thinking.

Listening.

Hoping.

I look inside my heart 

and see judgement

where I need to see acceptance.

And my heart is open to change.

God, create in my heart a 

new song,

a new song for Easter.

Remove the old fears,

for fears should not hold us back

from what is best for us.

It is right to keep pressing forward.

And so I press

forward,

toward the land of my ancestors.

my father and mother.

My great-grandfather who

fought in the Civil War.

My grandmother Birdie

who comforted her mother.

My father, Albert,

barely 19 when he entered

the First World War.

Tomorrow

I leave,

for my homeland,

Virginia.

Virginia.

The sound of it

rolls off my tongue like honey.

I will see the mountains again,

and the beautiful valley.

God, let any sadness from

my past fade like 

the fog of the morning mist.

Let my heart be full

of thanksgiving and 

praise,

and let me be a blessing

during this time

of celebration and reunion.

While I may not live in the land

forever,

I will be in the land

for a time.

A time with family

and old friends.

For I will be in the place of 

my childhood

and there will be rich

stories to bring back

of the people who

were happy to see me, who loved

me then,

and love me now.

And now I am back