returning to my roots

I had the amazing privilege of visiting HOME--or at least within an hour of it--this weekend on a recruiting trip with World Harvest Mission. It reminded me of how much I love the Carolinas...especially at this time of the year. I decided I needed a more creative and a more upbeat blog entry (as the last few have been a bit melancholy), so in appreciation of this weekend, here are my top 10 favorite things I found beautifully familiar:
1. Cajun chicken filet biscuits from Bojangle's--if you haven't had them, you don't know what you're missing
2. Sales people who actually ask if they can help you when you enter the store
3. Freshly paved roads!
4. Sweet tea--emphasis on sweet
5. Strangers who smile at you
6. The 2005 4Runner I rented for the weekend (yeah, it's not southern, but I had to throw it in there. There's about nothing more perfect than a road trip through the NC mountains while driving this baby)
7. A million visible stars in the night sky
8. The way the world feels manageable because the towns are small and the population is low
9. That intangible feeling of "I belong" and "this is home" that awakens you with a smile in the morning
10. People who talk like I do [i.e.: join in with saying such great phrases such as "y'all" and "dang it!"]

Needless to say, God gave much refreshment through this "return to my roots." And yet, there was something oddly refreshing as well when I returned to the super-busy Philadelphia airport. I was wondering where all the people were all weekend. !! And I love my friends here.