The City of Brotherly Love

Philadelphia. Last weekend Amanda and I descended on that great northern city and were met with the incredible hospitality of Gene and Laura Twilley. I came into the weekend tired, sleep deprived, and not really knowing what to expect but it was so fun! I left behind two unfinished drawings that are both being turned in late, and lots of work that I needed to do but it was so worth it. We ate pretzels made by a fine Amish-man (Amanda was really attracted to him), we saw the Liberty Bell, ate fresh pasta from the Italian district, ran a half-marathon we didn't really train for, talked to some really cute northern guys on the subway, and I managed to lose my purse in downtown Philly and find it again. It was quite an adventure. It made me want to move to a big city but it also brought me face to face with the realization that life doesn't magically get better if you move to a new town. I mean I moved out to Montevallo two and a half years ago and I didn't know anyone really well. I kind of wanted a fresh start, and I got one, but the crap I struggled with before I came here is the same crap I'm having to deal with now. Moving just magnified the fact that many of my problems are caused by the sin inside of my own heart and not my circumstances, I've just managed to recreate the unhealthy situations I ran away from. I long for change but I think the change I really want is the kind of inner heart change only God can do. I want a heart that's open to give and receive love from God and other people. I think you can be just as lonely in a big exciting city as you can be in a small town. I don't care where I live as long as I live where love is.