Finding my way in the Commonwealth

This is a short follow-up to my pre-move post (see here) on the journey to seminary. As expected the move up North from Texas was not without its bumps in the road. I knew towing a car over a thousand miles would not be a cake walk, but I was unprepared for the ups and downs that awaited me in West Virginia. There is a certain skill in finding a speed up a hill that won't overburden the engine and an initial speed down a hill that won't break the sound barrier.

The weather is also an unexpected change. I knew the heat would be lessened, but I was unprepared for the triple threat of heat, humidity, and the almost universal lack of central A/C. There is something ascetically profitable I am sure in sweating while doing nothing, but at present my mind is a tad beclouded by the swamp-like conditions usually reserved for Houston and Washington D.C. We are learning about the value of window unit placement, the existence and proper use of basements, and the joys of a finished attic.

Distance is also not the same here. In Texas 5 miles means 5 flat miles; the only variable involved is traffic lights. Here there are no straight roads, everything is at an angle, and street signs come in new, worn, and illegible in inverse relationship to how much you need to know what the cross street is. I can't wait to experience the same roads under snowy conditions.

Classes start next month. Until then we are unpacking, searching out good schools, learning about local produce, sending some children off to church camp, and making friends with the locals. Your prayers are vital to us both now in this time of transition and as the fall semester opens. Please remember us when you can.