The ever-so-hesitant signs of spring and the calm tree-lined streets of my new neighborhood have given me a newfound hope for the city of Chicago. Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m not sold on the North or even on big cities–I don’t think that will ever happen, but you must learn to be flexible and content with your situation as it comes to you. And I’m just beginning to feel that I can actually handle it…for a little while. They say that a Chicago summertime is what makes you wait out the rest of the year here, and I’m beginning to see why. A little taste of springtime here and there (like this weekend when it was in the 60s!) may be enough to keep you going for months on end. And nothing beats the sound of birds singing in the trees as the sun rises on a Sunday morning, pouring light into the bay windows of your living room. 🙂

It also helps that we have *finally* found a church that has the potential to be our home while living in Chicago. It is no Chalcedon Presbyterian (God has not yet blessed the city limits with such a place), but the theology is sound and the litrugy is something Patrick and I both can relate to (good, traditional hymns for me, anecdotal sermon style for him and a little call-and-response reading for both). It is Lutheran, which is different for me, but not a far cry from the Calvinistic theology with which I was raised and I can’t say that I mind the formal style of worship. The church also supports a school and has a strong community of fellowship groups (Bible Study here I come!) which is exactly what I have been looking for to finally meet a solid group of friends in this city. So….good things come to those who persevere and I am very thankful. (So you’re wondering what the church is? St. James Lutheran: www.stjames-lutheran.org)

All in all, things are looking up. 🙂 Below is a photo of the front of our building (I just pulled it from Googlemaps, so it’s a little blurry), with our door and windows outlined–our apartment includes the first floor as well as the garden unit on the front side:

I will post a better photo soon!