A New Year in Portland

I can't believe that its already 2010. A new decade. After two whole weeks of holiday vacation down in Texas, I'm back in Portland. Thursday was a long day of traveling (extended by several flight delays), but I made it back in time to ring in the new year with friends. My time in Waco with friends and family was wonderful. I saw friends from high school and college, spent time with the Moores and the Carters and loved being able to just relax at home. It was tough saying goodbye and traveling the 2,000 miles from Waco back to Portland, but after being here a few days I remember why I love this city so much... the waterfalls which splash right onto the highway, the sweet and innocent two year olds that I work with at church (minus the poopy diapers), the weirdness of the locals (example: looking up from my eliptical machine at the gym to see 4 birdwatchers staring intensely at a bush through binoculars), riding my bike, the constant drizzle (okay, I definitely don't love that). I have a few days off of work before I start my new position on Thursday. Things will soon pick up and my schedule will become busy. I'm excited to see what this new year in Portland will bring!

This is a great passage I read today in Cry, the Beloved Country:

"...Pray and rest. Even if it is only words that you pray, and even if your resting is only a lying on a bed. And do not pray for yourself, and do not pray to understand the ways of God. For they are secret. Who knows what life is, for life is a secret. And why you go on, when it would seem better to die, that is a secret... Pray for your own rebuilding. Pray for all people, those who do justice, and those who would do justice if they were not afraid... And give thanks where you can give thanks. For nothing is better."