tonight...

the air was thick with fog, the humidity holding the air heavy and still. not even a critter would dare make a sound. even the click of my tongue to prompt my dog Abbey along seemed to be too loud. quiet was the perfect sound. 

i didn't intend on walking the whole loop; the entire mile and a half that goes through the big house neighborhood...it just sort of happened. abbey kept walking on auto pilot, and the stillness of the impending darkness just pulled me along the roadside. along the roadside, trash cans pulled to the curbs for tomorrow mornings pick up. driveways full of boats pulled from the river as they celebrated the last weekend of the summer. not a person was on the street. 

no streetlights flickered on as the night crept in. this neighborhood only has house lights, and they came on, one by one, almost lighting my way.  abbey just sniffed along, drinking from the earlier rain that was still trickling down the gutters. my pace was steady, but not fast - no reason to rush through the neighborhood. i just wanted to drink it all in. it might be the last night i get to walk here. 

i thought about the friends i'd made here; neighbors next door, down the road, around the corner, even on this road. older people that invited me to church, invited me in, offered hospitality. the two and a half years seemed to have gone by so quickly. i thought i'd have more time. more time to make friendships. more time to nurture relationships. more time to invite others into my own, much smaller home. 

i wondered about the next few weeks, the neighborhoods i'll walk through. if i'll make any friends in the apartment complex where i'll live for 2 weeks. my husband has been there 6 weeks and hasn't mentioned anyone by name. i wonder too about our new neighborhood, where we'll move in a few more weeks. we prayer walked that neighborhood, and barely saw a soul. are there women there during the day? will there be friendships to nurture, relationships to build in to. will there be another couple to be friends with there, to play cards and take walks? are there any minorities there; people from other lands that i can build bridges of friendship to? 

so i'm willing. walking away from these streets, this neighborhood and familiar faces in the market place and a church that i love so much. learning to walk a new direction. a new neighborhood. a new culture in some ways. i know that God will come behind me, go before me, and walk with me all the way. i don't need to be sad, or melancholy, about the memories i'm leaving here - they are SO GOOD and show of His goodness and provision in so many ways. i will testify of His glorious ways! He will still prove Himself in my life, over and over again. i'm so grateful for all His provisions. all His gifts. 

thank you for praying me through this journey. thanks for walking beside me. no matter where this road goes.