It's Raining In California.

On Sunday, and Monday for that matter, my stereotypes of sunny California were blown to pieces with wet, sweet smelling, rain. To which I posed the question: "It rains in California?" Yes, indeed it does. For this east coast child, I am quickly realizing that I have many pre-conceived notions about life on the west coast. Here are simply a few thoughts.

First, I thought California would be a lot more transient. I thought there would be people who had lived all over the world, or the country for that matter, who came to California to find the promised land. Quite frankly, I believed California would be more like Denver, where it was hard to find anyone who grew up here. To be sure, there are people from different parts of the world and the ethnicity is very diverse. But, there are a lot of people who are from here and have stayed here. Which, in many respects like people from the northeast. People love where they grew up and remain there, making a life for themselves from womb to tomb. Additionally, a lot of people I have met are very Calicentric in their thinking... not have traveled outside the great state of California.

Second, I pictured California beaches with lots of people laying out and tanning. While this may be the case in Southern California, this is definately not true of NorCal. While there are beaches they are definitely cold and windy.

Third, I thought people would be friendlier in California. The opposite is the case. I would say that the social skills of the general California public are more in line with the northeast rather than Denver. People don't really want you to talk with them. They are private... or prideful depending on your definition.

Those are just a few misconceptions I had. And while they may be true... there are certainly a lot of thinks about Cali that fit my expectations. For example, the language is definitely cool and hip. I keep hearing the word "Hecka" being used a lot. Hecka is essentially another way of placing emhasis on what you are saying. For instance... you could say that it was a "hecka good concert last night." Everyone out hear has an Apple computer, iPad, and iPhone... pretty much Apple is helping to currently define popular culture with technology. The weather is great... even though it rained one day.

On the day that it rained my good friend Chris preached a message about the new humanity from I Peter. He spoke about how each of us... if we have been redeemed by Jesus... are on a mission to helping saving a dying world with the Gospel of Jesus. He spoke about the diversity that is in California and put forth the challenge to get out of our comfort zones and serve the Sovereign God who made the world by bringing him glory. Later I thought, it doesn't matter where you go in this world... God is on the move and is in the business of saving people. Even in the midst of a rainy California day, God is still at work.

I hope that wherever we live we are seeking to bring God glory if we know Jesus. And that the Gospel is central to everything that we are.