To make up for posting April's calendar a week late, I'm posting the May calendars a day early. Scroll down for links...
Spring is finally coming to Indiana (albeit a tad chillier than I would hope), and the trees, flowers, branches and bushes are beginning to bloom all around us. I love this time of year when everything bursts into a pale pink and green haze, the skies are blue again and the sun shining makes every day feel so fresh and new.
This May marks a special milestone for us: we have officially been living in Indiana for a whole year! We closed on our house in early May of 2014, and moved in just in time to enjoy the summertime. It was a frenzied time, transitioning from city to country, starting new jobs, moving to a new location with a dog and a baby -- and, a year later, I couldn't be happier with the move. We have been truly blessed by family and friends in our new home. We are settled into our house, our jobs and our church. The new routine is certainly different from what it was two years ago when we were still two DINKs (double-income-no-kids) living in the city. But I wouldn't have it any other way!
I remember struggling for years after I moved to Chicago, trying to settle in and feel comfortable in that new environment. As a newlywed with my first post-grab job (which took at least 2 months to find!), there were plenty of things to keep me busy. But it still felt so lonely and disorienting. I never realized I was a country girl until I moved to the city! And then, about 3 years in, I finally hit my stride. We had found a church and I was attending a small group Bible study of amazing women, my 9-to-5 kept me busy during the day and most evenings we found time to enjoy the many activities Chicago has to offer. But it still felt a little off -- like I was just keeping pace with an identity that suited the moment. I constantly had to remind myself that God had placed me there for a reason. Even now, looking back, those reasons are so clear to me and I am very grateful for the time we spent living in the city. It is a good reminder to me that God is teaching us and growing us even when we feel like we're just barely keeping pace.
So, May's calendar is in keeping with that theme. A reminder to "grow where you're planted" can sometimes be very timely. The verse from Jeremiah is a message that was given to the Israelites during their exile in Babylon. I bet they felt pretty uncomfortable there... but God told them to settle down and make the best of it. No matter the situation, God calls us to make the best of it. Exceed expectations and thrive, in any circumstance. I hope your May is filled with plenty of growing and thriving!
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