One Year

I write this as I sit an an alcove seat here on West LA with 75 degree weather and a light breeze. It's been a year with a lot of changes since this time last year. Ever since I can back from New York I think I was on a mission to find "my place". New York was and is always a special place to me and the people there-- there are many things I miss. Being back in California I first struggled with being back. I thought I left the central coast for good and coming back I never felt really "back". My relationships with people then and even now have changed. I have learned you find out who you're friends are when you're "out of sight". You also find out a lot about people when you take a step back and see them from an outside perspective. It's been a year of cleaning house in who I really let into my life and close to me.

Overall the past 12 months have been such a great new chapter in my life. It started off with two of my best friends getting married-- respectively. Then it really took off as I packed up and moved to LA. This is the first move I have made within the 12 years since being on my own that was a "foreseeable future" kind of life move. When I moved up to San Luis Obispo in July 2002 it was for college.... And it was an amazing time in my life. However, I have learned more about myself between graduating college and now than I did then. This past year, as great as it has been, has not been without some obstacles. I weened people out of life who were not beneficial to my life or those who just... Weren't really my friends. God has known what and who I needed in my life and has filled it with an amazing small group, great church fellowship, and reconnecting with friends from all over who have ended up here in LA. I truly feel like LA is "home". As I write this..... I am moving again. Only 7 miles from where I live now. I currently love in the West San Fernando Valley and am moving over to the Westside here in West LA. With this move also comes being transferred for work in order to cut down my commute (the glorious and never ending construction of the 405).

The biggest challenge I have faced this year has been with my health and overall contentment. I think contentment and lack thereof has been an overall theme amongst  many friends of mine. It's hard. We want more because we think we will be happy and in actuality it is the opposite. We have to be content and find sustainment in what we already have or God has not reason to give us more because then it  becomes a vicious cycle.. Even in my health issues I knowni need to find blessings and contentment. The past several months I have struggled with autoimmune issues and it has left me essentially "allergic" to heat. Living in San Fernando Valley is not the best medicine for that-- hence the move 7 miles because that's all it takes for a 15 degree temperature difference. I have been so frustrated about health and having one more thing I have to manage it leaves me having frustrated prayers. I  have never experienced such frustration and I think part of it being how this came out of nowhere and there is no concrete answers. I think that is myth biggest prayer as well as finding contentment I am looking forward to getting away with our Young adults Group from church and on a retreat up to Big Bear and have a break from the chaos. I also look forward to this next year and for what God has planned.

I end with this---- knowing God is faithful and I have had a pretty great year and these challenges I face is a reminder that nothing in life is perfect and I need Jesus in the good and the bad!!