Another year is almost over for me here in Florida. I’ve now been a Floridian for nearly 4 years! That’s crazy! And since I’ve been here, I haven’t really accepted the fact that I am a resident of this state. I guess growing up in the Midwest for 23 years will do that to you. My heart has been in a place of unrest being thousands of miles from my family. And while the freezing temps aren’t exactly luring me back, the sweltering humidity continues to push me in that direction. I’ve concluded meeting in the middle would be the best… have my cake and eat it too:)

However, with all that said, God doesn’t seem to have opened the doors for a move. So now what? I guess I’m stuck evaluating what it is he wants me to see by being here. hmmm…

Well, I know since I’ve been here I haven’t fully enjoyed the gift of year-round sunshine God has provided. Most of my time here has been spent scoffing at the heat index… the headaches, the frizzy hair, the heat rash, the sunburn… So I guess that means my attitude hasn’t exactly been ‘serving the best’ for me, for others, or for God… alright:(

I do know God is not going to move me from where I’m at until I finish the work he has in store for me. So I’ve got to take this a step further. As I dig deep inside me, I see I struggle with a very stubborn attitude. I don’t gravitate towards a change of heart. Before moving to the Sunshine State, I already decided I wasn’t going to like it. There’s a stigma about Floridians… they’re lazy and nudes and high rollers. My family was against the move, so this fed my frustration with Florida before I stepped foot in its territory.

But God called me here… that’s what I kept saying. So why? After a few years of living in ‘paradise’, I feel like the kid kicking and screaming out of a candy store. God can move me, but I don’t have to like it! What in the world am I doing? I feel embarassed at the immaturity! I know in my head that God is going to stick his ground until my heart moves from where I’ve been to where he wants it to be… so why do I challenge His decision to put me here?

Well, the solution can easily be summed up in words… I’ve got to change my heart! Enjoy the goodness he’s given me, live up the bright side of things. We’ll see how long it takes for my head to get my heart on the same page.