My 10th NOLA anniversary

“O LORD my God, you have done many miracles for us. Your plans for us are too numerous to list. If I tried to recite all your wonderful deeds, I would never come to the end of them.”
Psalm 40:4

I am coming up on my 10th anniversary in New Orleans. I don’t remember the exact date I drove into town. It had to have been late July or very early August because I had to report to work on August 6th. That date sticks in my head because it is Jasmine’s birthday. I was excited about my job, but that was about it as far as positive emotions. I was terrified, overwhelmed, and so very angry with God. I did not want to be here. All I could see were the sacrifices I had made: giving up my new “Mike-Made” home, leaving behind all of my family, saying good-bye to 20 years worth of friends. I felt like I was dying. I could not imagine being happy in New Orleans. It is a good thing that God is not limited by my lack of imagination. I wanted to stay in Indiana. God did not give me what I wanted. He gave me what I needed. When I look back over the past ten years, I fall on my face before God, thanking him for his tender mercy, his patience, and his loving kindness. Some of the most amazing miracles God does are the ones he does in our hearts! He softened my rock hard heart. I have gained so much living here. I have learned the charms of having a courtyard over a lawn-they are small, its true, but there is no mowing and I can use it in the winter. I miss daffodils, but I get to have pansies in February. I have learned to appreciate football-Geaux Tigers! I have reached the point where I prefer suffocating heat and humidity to bone-chilling cold and driving on ice-covered streets (though I do miss looking at snow). I miss having a driveway, (world’s worst parallel parker, that’s me) but great coffee, live music and wonderful food is all within easy walking distance from my house. A word about our food… my final year in college, right before moving down here, professors, advisors, fellow students would ask about my future plans. I would tell them I was moving to New Orleans. Without fail, they would say, “they have incredible food down there!” I would smile and say,” yes. I have heard that”. But in my head I was thinking, “who in their right mind would move someplace because of the food?” Well, after living here, I must sheepishly admit that I understand that now. I know that we have major problems: crime, government corruption or incompetence (often that is a two for one deal), plenty of social injustice, and we have that hurricane/flooding problem. But there are so many wonderful things here-we have festivals for several types food and for a variety of music. We have parades for just about any holiday. I have marched on Mardi Gras Day in costume, caught a St. Patrick’s Day cabbage, done the Palm Court Strut, watched fireworks on the river, just to name a few. Ten years later, I love this place! And to top it off, just at the right time God sent us to Redeemer Presbyterian Church. He also gave us renters who are more like family than anything else. Like me, they are hopelessly in love with New Orleans. If there is one thing New Orleans needs, its Christians to love her and work for her good, come hell AND high water!