Mankater ain't so bad

Anyone who knows me knows that last year I undeniably struggled with being in Mankato.  Chris and I went up to the Cities an average of every other week and we didn't feel at home here much (ahem, partly for that reason).  We didn't get to know more than a few people even with trying to be intentionally involved in our church.  It was kind of just the way things were.

It's taken almost a year (and in truth it has only been a full year since I've actually lived here because summer was taken in the Cities for me and in Cleveland for Chris doing his internship) to feel "home" -- and I still mean that in transient way.  My home will always first and foremost be with the people I love (who are by and large in the Twin Cities) and I will always hold affection and admiration for my favorite city of them all -- Minneapolis -- yet I've come to peace with being here. While I was walking I mentally made a list of some things I am keen on about Mankater (Mankato).

1.  People are really, truly unpretentious.
2.  Some people who have lived here a long time are called "townies."  Apparently, the most townies you can see are located at Wagon Wheel Cafe which is a throwback in itself.  http://www.yelp.com/biz/wagon-wheel-cafe-mankato
3.  It's quiet and I feel safe almost 100% of the time.  I don't even worry if I leave my door unlocked by accident.
4.  The hills make me feel like I get more of a workout even if I'm just walking.  Also, they make the landscape more interesting and more beautiful.
5.  There are some cool parks and walking trails around here: Sibley Park, Rasmussen Woods, Red Jacket Trail.
6.  There is a really great college/local radio station which I can tune into and hear almost anything.  I like it because it almost always surprises me and there are "real" people doing the programming. KMSU 89.7.
7.  This exists: http://wowzonefec.com/  It is like a rebirth of childhood/adolescent birthday parties for adults (and their kids too if they have some).  Pretty sweet.

I'm sure I can think of more but right now I'm going to stop at seven because it's a good number, ya'll.  Mostly, I just wanted to explain that I appreciate Mankato and some reasons why.

What does it mean to follow Jesus?

Clearing my head as I took a walk today (good for the body and the soul) in the rather mild winter weather I had some "Jesus" existential questions circling around my spirit: what am I doing?  What are my motives to what I do?  Am I following Love/Jesus?

Some events in my life have forced me to look at the grander view of things.  I see I am part of something immensely bigger than myself.  Part of this is also the fault of reading "Jesus for President" by Shane Claiborne and Chris Haw.  The last section is all about what the praxis (the practical life) side of being a Christian might look like and he suggests things like finding ways creative ways to use renewable resources, being pacifist, etc.  So these questions did not come uninitiated.  The truth is a lot of my life feels very superficial but there must be a deeper meaning behind what I'm doing or I am doing it in vain.  I simple cannot afford to live my life in a trite way.  I need to seek God with every bit of my being and that means that the questions: What am I doing and why? as well as Am I following Jesus with this? are meant to be asked over and over again.