Im sitting here, in the house of my youth, listening to the music of my past and feeling divinely content about the here and now, for it is always nice to return to the places where the concept of home was felt most prevalently in the times before now. I do not know what it is about this place, it just makes me calm and comfortable, and no matter what occurs I know that, for a time at least, I may return and just remember, after all remembering is the most simple thing to do, and it brings the most warmth. I can’t help but smile.
The brunt of the play of my life thus far have been performed on the stage and streets of Bellevue, a small city about 7 miles outside of downtown Nashville, and it is here where I feel the most at home. Granted, it does not feel as it once did, but things and times change and I count my blessings that I may still return and enjoy the same familiarity that makes this place what it is. Yesterday I went to the Doctor, the man that has treated my illnesses from the time I was six, and had a pleasant talk with not only him but the nurses that have been there as well. After that I went and got my prescription at the Grocery store that was once Albertsons, and is now Publix. I met up with my pastor at the Starbucks my ex worked at for almost a year, and ate lunch at the Mexican restaurant my family has frequented too many times to count. I perused the harmonicas and guitars at World Music of Bellevue, and stopped in to feed the alligators at Emerald Bay Exotic Animals & Fish, got some food for the house at Kroger and ran into about 12 friends along the way. All the while, I was just breathing, breathing in the essences of places so familiar and so comfortable that they could be nothing but the place I hung my hat for 15 years.
After getting home I was invited to hang out with a friend that I have known for a little over six years. We caught up, watched a hilarious movie, and just reminisced about all the funny times we have had. It was great! I got home and downloaded a new cd and can say beyond a shadow of a doubt that I am just happy to be alive. What is it about home? What is it that makes a place so ideal, even in its imperfections? I hear people talking about “the old neighborhood” with such a reverence and a devotion that it makes me wonder if God is giving us pieces of heaven now, in our hearts, and in the places that we take our shoes off and hang our hats.
Next month Bellevue mall, the focal point of Bellevue and the one place that holds more memories for me than any other place, is being torn down. The thought of that makes me sad, and even though I know it’s for the best, I am sad to see the beautiful place go. It was there that I worked for Hatworld and Lids and despite the HORRIBLE lack of mall traffic, took my tiny store that everyone hated on, to number 1 in the district and number 3 in the company for two quarters. It was the place I met Aaron Mulroy, my sage Tim, from the bookstore, Sean Yeaworth, and it was where I first met my brother and best friend Josh Sisson. What a place it was! I thank God for Bellevue mall and for all the memories I have had there, and I thank God for the people and places that make Bellevue my home.
So what are my plans for today? I am going to go hang out with my buddy again and take in all that Bellevue has to offer, once more breathing in the essence of home and of comfort and of joy… Thank you God, for all that you give!
New Years blog…
Tags: Blogging, Life, Love, New Years Resolution
It’s New Years Eve! Can you believe it? 2007 has already come and gone and we are about to embark on the 8th year of this brand new 21st century deal… I love it… The fact that time never stops and no matter what we choose to do with out time we are forced to look ahead to something beyond us. I heard a preacher say that hope can not exist in the past, it may only live in the future, where we should be looking. I agree mostly with that thought, and as we move forward I hope that all of us will remember to set our hopes in the Lord first and foremost as we walk through that door, into 2008.
I have been thinking a lot about making a new years resolution, but have finally decided against it. Don’t get me wrong, I believe in setting goals, but doing it at new years is pretty typical. I think that as I enter 2008 my only thoughts will be on doing what I have never fully done before… Selling out 100% to Christ. Lately I have allowed myself to become completely distracted my a myriad of things- friends, women, work- and now I know how wrong I have been. So I am making this year about personal growth and about creating a foundation and a life for myself that will eventually serve as a cornerstone for future endeavors. What does this mean? Well I have been dating steadily from the time I was 16 to now and I think I need a break from that whole world for a while. I have also been working since I was 16, and that greatly hindered my school from high school to college, so I plan on focusing on school and church while this Spring Semester is in session. And believe me, I will get enough of work when I am in Florida for 4 months… 50-70 hr. weeks during my whole stay down there will satisfy any desire I have to be employed!
So what does 2008 hold for me? It is really hard to grasp that my year has pretty much been planned out, but I know it will be much more in-depth that the outline below.
Jan. 14th - May 5th- Semester 1 at MTSU…
May 6th-October 5th- Working for Service Pro Pest Control in Florida
October 6th- Dec. 31st- Mucho Mucho Traveling! (This is tentative of course)
I pray all of you have an incredible and blessed year… And instead of making a million resolutions I encourage you to just live your life day to day, tackling the small things in your life as they come, and giving God all the glory. Talk to you all soon!