(Matt)
We apologize for the almost two-month gap between this post and our last, but the momentous weight of the events in the interim have given us a need to "set a spell" and gather our thoughts.
The most surprising news is that Matt has been offered and has accepted a tenure-track professorship at a large research university in Texas. We had been praying that our choice would be made clear, and it has become unquestionably clear that this is the "right" next move. We just signed a six-month lease on an apartment here in CA, so it looks as though our transition from California to Texas will begin in early August of 2007. The prospect of starting a new career and having a more stable (read: actually paying) basis for researching and teaching is really exciting, and we are looking forward to finding our place within a new community. The job itself is an answer to prayer; teaching at a big school presents both a blessing and a challenge. I have to admit personally that I am anxious about the process of establishing tenure and getting a book-length work ready for publication, but at the same time I have seen my greatest fears turned into moments of faith-building and trust in the last few years.
What surprises us most about the "good news" is how we have acclimated to the reality of having the next big phase of our life settled, to a certain extent. Our discussions of late have revolved around our sensations of scatteredness and even confusion. We’re excited about the future and at the same time we feel like we’re stumbling around a bit in the present.
This state of nebulousness is not really a bad thing overall. In fact, I know that we will emerge with a greater clarity of vision. In the meantime, at least our blog is back up :)
2 comments:
Yay, TX wins!
Matt;
We have a lizard in our play room for kids to see and touch. I was worried about Larry last week. He looked different. He had lost his shiny bright yellow and brown banded color. He looked dull and gray. I thought he was dying. I was ready to seek medical attention for him but I decided to wait awhile. A couple of days later I noticed he wasn't dying, he was growing. His changed appearance was due to his skin molting. It wasn't long before the dead skin sloughed off and his normal coloring returned.
I wonder if growth is like that for us. We don't feel like our normal selves. At the same time that we are experiencing life with excitement and vigor, we lose part of ourselves. our lives change. small deaths- relationships, comfort, routine, but then the transition is complete and new relationships, new comfort, routine. We have grown.
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