Holy smokes.

It’s been over two years since I got married, left my job, moved to Pasadena, and started seminary.  This has been a rich and memorable season for numerous reasons.  We’ve made new friends, learned new things, ventured into marriage, struggled with jobs, wrestled with seminary, journeyed through new places, and been called to the next season.  Here are some memories and lessons I hope to keep as we begin this new adventure- one that is filled with huge dreams and just as huge unknowns.

Things I’m not going to miss:
-LA Traffic
-LA Smog
-LA noise
-LA heat
-Lack of nature
-Learning ancient languages

Things I will miss:
-Friends (more about that below)
-Pasadena life (restaurants, bars, coffee shops, culture)
-LA weather
-LA culture
-The Rose Bowl
-Learning in a classroom, being a full-time student
-Going to Angels games and wearing Oakland A’s gear

Non Bullet-Point Things:

We made some friends we’re truly undeserving of.  That about sums it up.  Some of the most sincere and incredible people I’ve ever known, we’ve met over the past two years.  I really hope that these friendships will continue on into the future.  You know who you are, thank you.

Seminary is a mixed bag (for me).  I’ve loved many aspects of getting to formally learn about my faith, but if I’m most honest much of the structure and format seem disconnected with living out a Jesus following life.  I can only speak from my own experience, but the places I’ve grown the most over the last two years has been in context of ministry and life, not academics.  Furthermore, many of the conversations we have in seminary seem to be insider talk, disconnected from the world.  I know it’s a privilege to attend graduate school, and by no means am I complaining, it’s just that I really do have mixed feelings about the whole thing.  (rumor has it that Fuller agrees with me and is changing the program very soon)

Marriage is really fun.  Over and over I’m blown away by the fact that I get to share life with my best friend.  Even though life isn’t perfect and there have been challenges over this season, it’s been such a privilege to walk through this all with Alie.    Moving to a new place and building community together has been such an adventure.  Setting up our first home, living in it, and now packing it all up has allowed for so many memories and experiences.

This time was clarifying.  One of the most important things about these last few years has been what we’ve learned about ourselves and what we want to do with our lives.  For both Alie and I this was a time of clarifying our calling, our values, and the direction we’ll move next.  In that way this season has really prepared us for our the things we’re feeling called into and out of.

So there ya have it.  Two years summarized in a few paragraphs!  Thanks Fuller, Cedars, Pasadena, Madison Square, Highway 5, Pacific Ocean, and the rest of Southern California for the lessons learned and memories made!  Thanks God for creating all of those things and allowing us to be here.  I’m really looking forward to fog.