Worked with a woman who grew up in Washington State. She went to college,

and studied for a real profession.  So, the school she went to, i believe, is the go-to place - but it's here in Pennsylvania, and i gather, here in Pennsylvania is where the job opportunity had materialized for the young graduate.  So, here she has been.  Bet she still misses her folks, who live some 2,000 (count 'em) miles away.  Bet she misses her siblings, cousins, friends and the community in general. 

Well here in Pennsylvania, she has WORKED and has made something of herself.  She is married (to a man) and this young woman had mentioned that she has a good life-insurance policy, that of she was to die, her husband would not end up saddled with the balance of her student loan.  From what i gather, it's a whopper - the school, i believe, she went to is top-$helf.

Aside all that, she said something that really resonated.  When she came to this portion of the US, she noticed - and still finds herself rather irritated with - the bible-belt mentality that is evidently entrenched in this area.  Where she's from, there's more of a live-and-let-live mindset.  So, she's not used to churchian culture - and frankly, she don't like it.

Good news is, from what i heard from a little birdie, one of her recent clients is a for-real Christian.  Given the situation, there was no preaching, no Scripture quoting - just the calm thoughtful demeanor of the client.  By the way, that little birdie did mention, that the client did say a few things here and there concerning the Gospel.

Hey, i remember, not feeling mere annoyance toward Christians and their Bible, but hostility!  The only temporal thing that kept that hatred in check was, my folks raised their kids to be polite, and NEVER make a scene.  About a year prior to realizing, that i was lost and headed to hell, i was crossing a bridge, on my way to work, and down at the river, was a mennonite family - in their mennonite gear - getting into a boat.  (Yeah I've heard, they've a salvation-by-works gospel, but anyway - another reason to pray to the Lord, they're redeemed.)  Anyway, they weren't bothering me, i didn't even register on their radar.  But doggoneit, they sure registered on mine...i wanted to grab that woman and bite her head off.  (Saint Stephen can fill you in.)