My Own Private New Jerseyana

I'm traveling tomorrow to New Jersey, so I will have to miss the first session of Our Relationship with God. I'm helping my eldest sister move my mother closer to where my sister lives. I wonder how often I'll get back to New Jersey after this. I used to love it so much, and I haven't lived there in 18 years, almost exactly.

One of my claims to NJ fame is that I went to elementary school with the daughter of Peter O. Wacker, the most famous geographer of New Jersey in the world. In fact, they lived on our street, even!

My parents sold the house I grew up in and moved to a smaller place not long after we moved West. My father passed away almost two years ago. So now my mom is moving away from the state altogether.

In December I learned that a childhood friend from NJ had passed away, earlier in 2007. It was in some ways unsurprising, and yet devastating. I've been in touch with his brother, who lives not so very far away, and we hope to get together one of these days. Oh, there's so much I want to write about this, and my friend, and yet I think it should wait, maybe until I see his bro.

Tonight on the way home from work, I was listening to Iris Dement's version of this one, on her 2004 record "Lifeline," and it was hard not to tear up. (Fortunately, I was at a stoplight.) It was a comfort in this time of changes and transitions.

Leaning on the Everlasting Arms
Words: Eli­sha A. Hoff­man; Music: An­tho­ny J. Sho­wal­ter

What a fellowship, what a joy divine,
Leaning on the everlasting arms;
What a blessedness, what a peace is mine,
Leaning on the everlasting arms.

Refrain

Leaning, leaning, safe and secure from all alarms;
Leaning, leaning, leaning on the everlasting arms.