familiar faces and comfortable places

On Sunday morning, I drove a bit further than usual to church in Lynden and experienced a familiar place with grown-up eyes. I enjoyed a beautiful sense of coming "home."

Driving up to Mountain View Christian Reformed Church is a trip down memory lane. First, there is the sign with the house I spent nine years of life in, tucked behind it and the much taller trees and bushes in the front yard. There is still a rose bush on the side of the house, but a large obtrusive fence closes in a small portion of the huge backyard. The old tree house dad had to built in two trees is still hanging on the side of the tree (a bit of a dilapidated gray color, rather than the fresh light brown when it was first put up), and a gazebo appears to be added in the small fenced in enclosure. The big maple tree we used to play in was chopped down, and the big hill, I used to be scared to ride bike down seems to have flattened out into nothing.

But, the view is the same. Mount Baker looks down on the area with his long nose and crooked mouth (I've always seen a face in this mountain). The trees are a bit taller, and a few more houses have gone up in the neighborhood, but it looks the same and the neighbors who I grew up with are still living in their homes. It almost seems like a miniature view of what I remember, but, I imagine, that is because I've gotten taller; not because the ground is any smaller.

The church has stayed much the same as well over the last 18 years since we've lived there. There has been an addition put on, but the building I was familiar with still stands with its' white steeple on top, the woods we used to play in still tower behind the building, and massive parking lot for our games of cops n' robbers is the same dimensions as when I whirled my spokey-doke laden purple banana seat around the parking spaces and sidewalks.

And, inside, there were so many familiar faces. Families have grown up. The people who I thought were old in the church when I was there are still around (and still old; or rather, are truly old now). A lot of familiar faces greeted me with recognition, or knew which family I belonged to, but couldn't guess which of the three girls I was. Most wanted to know what brought me through the doors and what the rest of my family is up to.

I made some good re-acquaintances. It's nice to move into a community where I have a loose connection to a few people. I was able to join some family-friends for lunch after church. I had a fun time meeting their new family members and catching up on some of the years gone by. In some ways it's almost like I can pick up where I left off. The day was a fun reminiscence of my past life, which is now my current place in the world.

At the end of the day, and the weekend, it began to rain. The cooler air feels refreshing and clean. While, I don't mind the relief from our warm sun, unfortunately, this weather is due up for the next few days. I suppose, it is Washington, after all!