Culture Shock

About a year ago, my wife and I moved to a small town in the southwest corner of Montana called Dillon. We quickly learned how unpopular our Southern California heritage made us, but in the past year we have come to love our little town. Yes Dillon is small compared to nearly every other place I've lived, but there is a quaintness I have never before experienced. The word I think I'm looking for is picturesque. Even when the frigid air blows, the ground freezes and the temperatures drop low enough to kill a car battery, there is something so cozy and beautiful about it. I explain this only to set the stage for a recent experience I've had visiting our old home in Southern California.

It was our second day of vacation and we were having a gathering of sorts at a close friends house. As we got in the car to disembark, for a brief second, I wasn't sure where to go. After a quick reboot of my Orange County map knowledge (no technology required) we were off. Then it happened again, I hesitated to pull out at a four lane road. Of course, this wasn't just any four lane road. This was a road I traveled every day while living in Orange County. In fact it's not (comparatively) even a high traffic intersection. After waiting quite some time I pulled out and made my way across town. It took a few more turns, and then I got my "California driving spirit" back. Though my friends in Dillon might disagree, I think a part of me filed my Southern California driving in the back of my mind for safe keeping and it took a little bit to find it in the cluttered stacks of other things my brain maintains on a daily basis.

What's more interesting I think is that I began to notice other things. I made a trek to LA and realized I felt somewhat fearful while walking down the street. I don't remember feeling that way walking in LA before. I found myself staring at new construction, (which is always going on in Southern California) fancy cars, stores, restaurants, people, almost everything with a tiny bit of confusion and awe. It wasn't until my visit to see old friends at a software company where I was formally employed, that it hit me. I've been experiencing a mild form of culture shock. All the newness, the crowds, the hurriedness of life, it was as if I'd never seen it before. But how could this be? It wasn't even a year ago that I was a part of this craziness. Yet today, it feels as if I'm one of those tourists that carries a camera around his neck and looks for movie stars at every restaurant and stop light. This used to be home and now it's...well something different.

This culture shock was of course was a mild version and I'm pretty sure that I have since gotten over it. Nonetheless, I am a tourist in a place where I spent a a fifth of my life and though I feel as though this should seem odd, I have now realized that it isn't all that odd after all. You see there was a guy named Jeremiah who lived a long time ago. He was a prophet over Israel. You see in Jeremiah's day, the Israelites were taken captive by the king of Babylon. When the were exiled to Babylon their God made them a promise. The promise was that he would restore them to their original land in 70 years. What I love so much is what God said after his promise. He said "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." (Jer. 29:11 NIV) What an amazing thing for their God to promise.

In some ways, I think I can identify with the Israelites. You see, I'm not sure I ever really thought of Southern California as my homeland. If you've known me for any length of time, you know that my response when asked where I'm from is sually "the south". That's not to say that I didn't love living in Southern California. It's a place where I experienced more growth spiritually and emotionally than any other. I have friends and family that I deeply love here. I miss so many things about it that one would be hard pressed to find anywhere else. You see the point is, I now recognize that Southern California was never supposed to be my home. Like the Israel I was brought here for a time. In that time God was gracious to me. He brought me wonderful friends, powerful mentors and a beautiful wife (also worth mentioning the Greatest dogs anyone could ask for). Beyond that, I have loving family here that has been a tremendous support. So if all of that exists, why isn't Southern California my home? Simply put, God doesn't want it to be. I have to trust that God "knows the plans he has for me".

So here's the million dollar question, Wherever "home" is, whatever you're supposed to be doing, none of that has to matter. I don't have to spend all my time worrying about that. I know that I have hope and a future because God promised me that. So regardless of what culture I'm in, be it the South, Southern California or Southwest Montana, God has promised me a bright future with lots of hope. He promises it to "all who believe in Him and are called according to His purposes. (Rom 8:28 NIV)