One of the most wonderful things about life in Church Hill is the simple, but majestic, presence of the front porch. It is a truly communal place, where people will just gather and sit for hours at a time, and already has been a place of treasured times for me. I love sitting there in the late day, and watching the neighborhood. It's so busy, and there are so many people around. Even if I'm the only person on the porch (which isn't usually the case), it's fantastic. More often are the times when people congregate around it, stopping by randomly. People share stories, or just chill... I love it. We fool around, we lie on the porch, we tell jokes and stories, we talk about serious things. We share our lives, bit by bit, and lots of those little bits are shared on the porch. It's a beautiful part of the community and culture here in Church Hill... because it's not just us, it's everyone, and it's a way I'm seeing that Jesus might speak to us strangers - showing us ways that, even though we may not see it, His presence is here. I think there's a part of love that's certainly shown on the front porch. I dig it. Big time.
