Friday Five - Love the One You are With

Today the gals over at RevGalBlogPals are asking for 5 things you like about where you live.

Since I don't think this is really any secret anymore I'm going to just say this - my congregation is leaving the ELCA.  I really can't say more about that now (although I expect I will when all the dust settles) other than I am not going to leave the ELCA so I'm looking for a new call.  And I'm quite open to leaving the Midwest so I'm more in a "what do I hate about living here and will be happy to leave" mentality so it's probably a good spiritual exercise for me to get back into the "count your blessings" way of thinking.

1.  Seasons - although I love some more than others, I do love the rhythm of the change of seasons, and the wonderful sense of hope and anticipation when you see a crocus pop out of the snow, or a tiny bud on a brown seemingly dead tree.


2.  The People.  Last year I left my wallet at the pizza place and the waiter found it and kept if for me.  My sister from California (where I'm from as well) told me I need to offer him some money as a reward.  I had a hard time convincing her that would be highly insulting to him.  It was the same thing when I needed to borrow a truck to move my son's bed home.  She wanted me to pay someone to do it.  It was hard for her to get that offering money would be insulting and would not be accepted anyway.  As it happened the folks who loaned me their truck would not even let me pay for the gas I used.    That's the way it should be.

3.  My bishop Steven Ullestad and all the Northeastern Iowa Synod Staff. They have handled these difficult times with grace, patience, and theological integrity.

4.  Iowa Pork Chops.  Impossibly big, cheap and juicy and tender.  You can't even get these in Wisconsin.  And sweet corn, off the truck, picked a couple hours earlier.

 5.  The Ames Figure Skating Club  I've had a great time skating and working with these folks - it's a small, friendly club, they skate and they bring their kids to skate for the fun, recreation and sportsmanship and love of the sport.  It's been such a joy to work for this club because when you ask people to help, they do, cheerfully. 

Bonus - What I don't like  Hmmm...I think I'll just say winter and leave it at that.