Atlanta Mayhem

"Too often travel,"

Currently:

Reading: Study Guides

Watching: NCIS "Playing With Fire"

Listening: "I've Been Everywhere" by Johnny Cash

I've been everywhere, man.
I've been everywhere, man.
Crossed the desert's bare, man.
I've breathed the mountain air, man.
Of travel I've had my share, man.
I've been everywhere.

"instead of broadening the mind,"

So last weekend I went to Atlanta. I was planning on coming straight home to share all about my trip, but after a delayed departure and the unsettling news that my sister got married without any notice. So with no further ado, my trip to Atlanta...

It's funny how this trip turned out. As you read in "Ample",  my trip to Atlanta was somewhat spur of the moment. In fact even though I posted on a Thursday I was going, I still wasn't sure what I was doing until I got into my car Saturday morning with all my stuff surrounding me. Laptop on the passenger seat, GPS plugged in, and some trail mix and water within arms length, my purse on the passenger floorboard.

I literally had to calm myself down several times, on my journey. Well, more accurately, God was calming me. I prayed several times that God would give me direction and peace, since my mom didn't exactly give me her blessing. It was my first time driving more than an hour by myself. I am happy to report, I only made one stop and didn't get lost until I got into the city, and I really wasn't that far off. But truthfully while the journey there was uneventful it gave me plenty of time to think. And then the real story began.

In case you've never been in downtown Atlanta... there is no parking... ANYWHERE. I actually got stuck in a parking lot by three cars coming in different directions around me. They finally moved and let me out to find a legal parking space. It left me in quite the frenzy. And then I went in to a worship practice where they were playing big band. Do you know what it feels like to go from traffic buzz to big band music two feet away? OVERLOAD! When we left I was anxious for what was coming next.

I guess until now I've been rambling. But the truth is this trip had a thousand expectations, but no follow through. Because it's hard to meet expectations when you have no idea what you are looking for. Especially when you, as a type A, plan a spontaneous trip.

But I will say I enjoyed looking at my world in an alternate universe. I settled in with my family, who has asked me to live there. It's weird being a part of something, but not. I sat back for a while observing. And then was attacked by two very rambunctious toddlers, who thought I was there personal jungle gum! It was quite the distraction and made me feel rather loved. Several hours later they were ready for bed and God was working on my heart. The plans God has our higher than ours. I thought I would go there are pour my heart out and get a lot of answers. But I asked the questions and instead of answers from my mentors, God put them inside me. I went to church in the morning. Made some new friends. I had a hard time leaving, a hard time staying. I struggled... with God, with myself, the people around me.

I'm doing a horrible job articulating this trip but I will say at this. By the time I left, I didn't have the answers I wanted, but I had what I needed for the time being. And still wasn't satisfied. But maybe that's the part that we should understand, we should never be satisfied; never stop growing, searching, wanting more.

"merely lengthens the conversation." ~Elizabeth Drew