I'm leaving Minnesota on July 19 . . .

On July 19, I will be leaving Minnesota and driving back to California. Recap: My boss here, Tim Behrens, decided to leave the University of Minnesota and take a job at Genentech in South San Francisco. Tim offered me a post-doc position at Genentech, and I accepted. I will continue to research the genetics of lupus in Tim's new lab.

I have been in Minnesota only four months, but I have had an amazing, wonderful, grace-filled time here. The research I do is really interesting and fulfilling. All my co-workers were friendly and mature. The state is really beautiful: the city is beautiful, the landscape is beautiful, and the many, many lakes are beautiful. There are many strong, Bible-centered churches here. The people here have taught me a lot, just by their example, of who a Christian can be and what he can become--especially inside.

As I think ahead, I can't help but think fondly of many people here. I feel I have made some very dear friends; at least, the friends are very dear to me. As I look back, I am humbled by how unsure I was about coming here in the first place. I don't even remember what I was afraid of.

Oh yeah, now I remember. :-) But, I should have taken to heart what the Bible says:

Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world-- the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions--is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever. (1 John 2:15-17)

"Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me." (John 14:1)

There were many pics and events I didn't mention in my blog. Here are some of my favorite Minnesota pics that I didn't get to before.