Ideas From the Slightly North-West

So a lack of internet access over the past few weeks has conspired to keep me from blogging since I last declared that Wendell Berry was awesome and I was about to move. Now I have moved, and the move, though short in distance (move a little south of Brunswick then go west of Royal Park and you've got me), has been big in impact: a shorter distance to work, a more peaceful state of mind, beautiful surrounds, a new and improved river to run alongside. I can't speak highly enough of Kensington, my new home.

A change like this can draw attention, though, to other changes: to the expectations that I now have of a dwelling place. Some of these are positive, I think, and some neutral. I have matured, in a way. Share house living has served its time in my life, and living in a smaller place with only one other person suits me better, I suspect. But in other ways I am concerned about the changes I perceive: am I starting to crave comfort more than I should? Am I reacting, still, to the burn-out I experienced in Malaysia, and wanting to retreat into a safer space? This may be reasonable while I heal, but it may not be the best option for the future - not if I intend to continue pursuing the path that Jesus sets out for all who follow Him.

The moral of the story? We never stop growing, and we never outgrow grace. We will see what new perspectives, new challenges, new visions this new window of mine shall bring.