One thing that is really important to me when moving
to a new location is finding a community to get connected to. It helps you feel
a little more settled and part of your new environment. So, it comes as no surprise
that a few weeks ago I found myself on my way to a small group through the
church we've been attending.
Casey is in class, so I do have to make it there on my own, but I’m determined to navigate these unfamiliar Georgia roads with the help of MapQuest and my trusty (or not-so-trusty) GPS.
I’m actually super excited, so I leave ten minutes
earlier than I should need to and with a general sense of the location and my
GPS in hand I head out the door. That’s when the GPS decides the location doesn't actually exist. Problem. BUT not to fear, I still have a sense of where I’m
going. Until I realize I've missed a turn and am now a little (or a lot) lost.
I finally call someone from the group (super nice and super helpful) who tries
her best, with the help of the rest of the group, to get me there. I end up turning
on the wrong highway, go in a gigantic circle, and arrive 30 minutes late instead. Way to make an entrance,
right? At least I learned for next week…or so I thought.
It’s now my second time driving to small group. This time,
knowing my GPS has failed me already, I MapQuest the directions and write them down. (Smart, right?). I’m pretty confident of where I’m headed
until I turn left, drive for a mile until I see the turn on my right for the apartment
complex…and it’s not there. By the time I realize I’ve made a mistake again it’s
too late to turn around. I end up driving an extra 10 or so miles in the wrong direction
before making my way back. I know I’m in the general vicinity, so I drive around
hoping to see something familiar. I spot the Lowes that was used as a land mark
the previous week. But now I can’t remember, was it before Lowes, after Lowes
and before the Kroger, or after Lowes and
after the Kroger? At 8 o’clock I finally give up and decide to head home. I
punch in home into the GPS and head
that direction….and subsequently past the apartment complex on my way. (The
amount of exasperation I feel at this moment is almost comical).
They should be meeting for another hour yet, so I
decide to turn around and at least pop in and say hi. But, the excitement doesn’t
end there. I walk up to the door and knock, relieved to have finally found it,
only to discover that I knocked right when
the group was spending time in individual prayer – lights dimmed and soft music
playing, perfect time to announce my entrance. Excellent.
I have to admit, that at each of these moments I felt frustrated
at not knowing my way around and not a little embarrassed for getting lost and showing
up late two weeks in a row. But even in the embarrassment and exasperation, I
have to remind myself to laugh at the situations I find myself in and
appreciate what can be learned. Like I mentioned before, participating in
community in a new place is vital to getting connected and finding support, but
I was still nervous about meeting new people, getting to know them, and letting
them get to know me. Funny how I ended up having to be embarrassed and
vulnerable asking for help so quickly, even if it was just for directions. Nothing
like jumping in with both feet, right?
Life is going to be full of moments like these, when I’m
lost and headed for potential embarrassment. But, I’m looking forward to
laughing and to getting to know the people who will be there to help me find my
way again.
**I would like to add that the third week was the
charm. Not only did I find my way there, but Casey got to join me, and I was
even 20 minutes early. JJJ
And, just because, here is a random picture of me and my toad friend who was camping out at my front door. Isn't he cute?
