We Are Not in Kansas Anymore...

Well I have officially been living in Santa Cruz for over two weeks now and I have to say I have enjoyed myself very much. In my short time here I have experienced some cultural differences from my life as I knew it in LA.
For example... The first time Brandon and I went to the grocery store here we were only going to get a few items so he decided to just go in by himself and leave Peyton and I in the car. Well he left the car running (because it was only going to be a few min...he was just running in...and it was hot and I needed the air on and of course the radio was keeping me entertained...well you get the idea.) Brandon had only been in the store for a few min when this older lady came out of the store and began to put her grocery's away in her van that was parked next to us. I noticed that she was giving me strange looks and putting away her grocery's very slowly but I just kept smiling at her and minding my own business. Well this went on for quit sometime and finally the lady came up to my window with her handkerchief over her mouth and yelling "The fumes...the fumes...your car letting off horrible fumes!!!" Startled and a bit confused I turned off the car and politely said I was sorry. She said thank you and hurried off to the store across the street with her canvas reusable grocery bag in hand. It was at that moment that I realized "I was not in Kansas anymore" or at least not in polluted...hurried...ugly...hot... selfish LA anymore. I took a moment to thank God for where He had brought us. I think I could get into this new way of living. I mean being a new creation in the Lord means taking care of the things He created, right? I have to admit that I am ashamed that this is such a novel idea for me all of the sudden. I guess that is why Jesus often referred to us as sheep. Well this sheep is once again following the norms of her surroundings but this time I believe it is for the better and it is refreshing for once. As of this week I have changed our recycling trash can to the larger one and the normal trash to the little can and I have purchased the canvas reusable grocery bags and intend to use them when at all possible and I have to say that I have not sat in my car with it running since that day. Thank you lady, where ever you are, for opening my eyes to the selfish way I was living! This is a whole new chapter for me and who knows where it will go from here...