Alaska Plates

Years (many years) ago I remember standing in line at the DMV in Lake Grove Oregon. It was then and there I surrendered my blue with yellow letters California license plates for yellow with blue letters Oregon plates. I also remember feeling like they took a piece of my soul when they took my plates. I so identified with being a Californian. I was thoroughly Californicated. It was who I knew myself to be. But I got over it, in time.

Years later, relocating from California a second time, this time to Washington (the State; not the DC) the changing of license plates came with little emotional turmoil. By that time I had resigned myself to never seeing the sun again. But (after five or so years of complaining) Washington grew on me. I became a Washingtonian, a proud Northwesterner.

This week I exchanged our Washington plates for Alaska plates. Truth be told, I'm pretty excited about it. Truth be told, I never liked the Washington plates anyway. Washington is the "Everegreen State," so why not a stitch of green on their plates? That would have made too much sense, I guess. Instead the State of Washington chose a white background with a very light blue Mt. Rainier and red letters. Reminds me still of the old Houston Oiler's colors. Never much liked the Oilers.

Now we have Alaska Plates. We're excited to have them because we're excited to be here. God is going to do something in/with/through us, and we're excited to find out what. The Alaska plates are classy in their simplicity:  yellow background, blue letters, state flag (also yellow and blue.) Makes perfect sense to me.