Lovely and Not So Lovely

I have had to learn how to be a changeable lady, at least on the outside.  Our travels around our diverse and beautiful country, have led us into may different sub culture and climates.  Each has brought it's reward and challenges.  Somehow I don't think it would be quite as complex if I had only myself to look after and think about. So here are my current list of loves and learning to with's living in Longreach QLD.

Loves:

The weather is predictable and mostly sunny.  Each day is warm, or at least warms up to a reasonable temperature.

 

The sky is so big and blue and at night the stars are evidently more bright and numerous.

 

The country is big and wide and flat and the sunsets are breathtaking.

 

The people are friendly and just drop around and say hello.

Everyone is keen to help you out and get to know you.

The school is fantastic and Jack is loving it.

Everything is within walking distance or five minutes drive.

 

My home is full of natural light and is airy, catching even the slightest breezes.

Our new church family is awesome.

Learning to loves:

The mosquitoes are eating us alive and we need to remember what insect repellent is and how to use it.

Using evaporative air conditioning means we have plenty of cool air but it gives me a dry throat ii I leave it on at night and I talk all day sounding like a 'two pack a day smoker.

Everything is more expensive out here, so budgeting is a challenge on one wage.  Cost of living is one of the highest out of all of the places we have lived.

The heat can be searing and the middle of the day will be spent indoors in Summer.  Temperatures reach close to 47C in the hot months.

I often think of the disciples as they travelled from place to place and how they learned to live in what ever areas they stayed.  They were able to adapt to the culture in which they lived, dined as the community dined, worked as they worked and yet still they remained centred in God.  So it is with us, though we may live in the city, the country, the hot, the cold, with the wealthy and the not so wealthy, still we are who we are.  And as we live, love and linger, we too are changed and change others.  Each day we have a choice to live purposefully where we are planted. 

Each home has it's challenges, though in Longreach the good by far outweigh them. If you could name one love and challenge in your own home, what would it be? I'd would love to hear them.