Getting ready to go!

This is my first blog of which I hope there will be many, chronicling
my first year in Montana on the Flathead Indian Reservation.

There are many factors to take into account here. I'm moving from a city of 100,000 to a hamlet of 700, from the West Coast to (I can promise you it's different) the Midwest, from my church of 18 years with over 2,000 attenders to one where a good Sunday is 35 people. Please add to that the difference between a place where everyone's dad works at Boeing to a ranching community, where the police have a directory of cattle brands so they know whose cow is lost on the side of the road.

And finally and most importantly, I am leaving the diversity of the Federal Way area to a diversity that's new to me, where the break down is 60 percent white, and 40 percent Native American. Oh, throw in a little Amish too (awesome cheese!).

What I'm trying to say is, I need help. The coming months will of course be a challenge as my God leads me in navigating through all these things, and a woodstove. What I am asking for here is both your involvement in reading this blog and staying connected to my journey, and also praying for me. I'll be honest and say I dislike being lonely.

So, Hillside on the Rez will be a quick and easy way of keeping up with what God is doing and how I am handling it. Fun and calorie-free.

This last trip to Montana was in the company of 20 or so friends; Jr. Highers and leaders from Northwest Church. Some fun dynamics? Being there with my best friend of 10 years, Becca, my boyfriend's parents, Dave and Julie and of course 15 or so Jr. Highers that I got to know on this trip. I have to tell you, I don't know why everyone's so pessimistic about America's youth.

One highlight of my time there was looking for a place to stay. It seemed like everywhere we turned we heard "oh, it just rented." Boohoo. I went to see an apartment down in Indian Town, and though it was cute as a button it certainly didn't scream Montana. When your windows are underground (it was a basement apartment) you don't necessarily get to experience the great outdoors.

The next day we saw "the place on Hillside" that I had heard about a month before from one of the girls in the Real Estate Office. I was sure this place wasn't going to work. I was starting to get discouraged and had heard that the front acreage of the place had a lot of junk in it. I'm not the "fixer-upper" type. Well, I would be, but my non-existent arm muscles just won't allow it.

Well, Jan (of Jan and Corb, the pastors I am serving this year) and I went to check it out and low and behold, the inside was the cutest, sweetest, coziest place imaginable. All pine paneling and one big open room with an entry way and a bedroom right off. The other awesome thing is that half of the house is a huge shop, big enough for a car and a dog and cords upon cords of wood (needed for the infamous woodstove) and lots of extra space besides, for say...a youth event??? Everything was just perfect. And all the stuff out front? They're moving it. And the acre or more in front? They're going to have someone mow it as included in the rent. And the 65 acres out back? Well, they're leased, so cows, but I get to walk through it any time I'd like. And the view? Well, I can't even describe that. You know the beginning of the Sound of Music where it's just shots of Austria and all the mountains for like 5 minutes? The view from the front door is like that, except you could never take it in in any amount of camera shots you could give it. Oh, and the price is right too.

After we left I got more and more panicked that they weren't going to pick me, as other people were interested too. But when we finally talked on the phone they were so happy because they were sure I wasn't going to pick them! Isn't that just like the Lord? We're always stressed the most about exactly what He's already taken care of.

The only thing left to do is fill out the application and sign the lease. Could you be praying that it all goes smoothly?

Well, now you know why this blog is entitled Hillside on the Rez. There's a lot more to share, but I assume that the most important stuff will come once I get there. Please come along with me and feel free to comment. Bye for now!

Elanor