Living in the south is a whole different vibe. My family and I have traveled and lived all over the world and have loved it all. But there is just something about southern hospitality. Don’t get me wrong, southern hospitality can mean different things to different people; depending on who it is and the situation. So, before you get your knickers in a twist, I am talking about my experience and not yours.
We live in a very quiet neighborhood. In our neighborhood, in the summer, you can still hear the crickets in the evening, and we do know the names of our immediate neighbors. When we are leaving or entering the neighborhood, and someone is outside, they will take the time to greet us by waving. Some might think this odd, to wave at someone that you do not know. If we are out walking, most will greet us. Very few will turn away as if we are invisible. We live in a place where kindness is extended as normal and not the exception to the rule.
One of the first things that we did when we moved into the area was to find a place of worship. We made mental notes of what we expected and set out and visited a few places. To be honest, at first, we felt we did not fit anywhere. Oh, we are mature enough to know that there is no perfect place of worship. And it is obvious as there are churches on every corner and our communities are still in a mess!
So many assumed that when we came to where we live now that we would start another place of worship because it seemed to be the most logical course of action for us. But we have learned that relationship outshines religion every time, and it is always best to follow God rather than man.
It has been more than a year now and the one thing that I am assured of is that no matter where we land, we are there to make a difference. I must admit that I do not know what that is supposed to look like. But my Lord reminded me of something that He spoke to my heart years ago through a good friend, “I can do a lot through you if you do not care who gets the credit!” And you know what? Being kind is a good place to start!
