I Wanna Go Home

So you have probaly all heard the song "I Wanna Go Home" by Michael Buble. Well let's just say that it's not one of my top 5 right now. Everytime I hear that song, I have to skip it. That is truly how my hear is feeling: I just want to go home.

Last week my mom sent me pics from their quest up Mt. Kilimanjaro for church. When I was flipping through the pics, I came across one of the pics that mom took of the road. Really to the common eye it probably means nothing. However, when I saw that pic I started bawling my eyes out. You see last summer, I spent about 3 weeks in this truck. I went through pot holes, bounced over countless miles of gravel road, thanked the good Lord for paved roads, packed luggage in and out of this truck, squished in the back seat and trunk with my 3 sisters, and sometimes nationals. Oh the memories I have of just the short 8 weeks I spent with this beloved SFC vehicle. Yes, I do long for my family and that is what this is about, but isn't it interesting that something so insignificant can trigger an entire memory bank!

No I did not grow up on the mission field, but I do know that for the 14 weeks (6 weeks my first trip & 8 weeks my second trip) I was there - that was home. Those peopel were my people and are still my people. The way they have church (even though at times terribly long) - is the way I long for church in North America, their menial diet of rice and beans - I crave more than once a week. You see home is really not where your house is - it's where your heart is.

My mind cannot help but turn to the verse in Matthew 6 that says "For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." I don't know if it's correct or even possible to invert the words and say where my heart is there will my treasure be. Regardless, that is how I feel. My heart is with a people who are not my skin color, who know not the language I know, who will never understand my culture - nor I their's. But this one thing I know is that one day we all will celebrate together in our HOME for the treasures and sacrifices we have laid up. For it is true - where your treasure is - there will your heart be also!!!!

Firemen Don't Eat Goldfish

As you all know I am a nanny - going on 4 years now WOW!!!

Today was the typical chaotic lunch hour with 2 kids coming in from school, screaming because their field trip to the "punkin patch" got canceled, the baby climbing out of his high chair doing the monkey bars down the side of the wall. You get the drift that life is NEVER dull at my job.

Since Halloween is the long awaited holiday that my nanny children love, remnants of last year's costumes are being pulled out of the closet to be recycled and examined to see if new ones need to be purchased. Well this year the oldest boy (3yr) is determined he is NOT going to wear an old costume. He is going to be a firefighter end of discussion!!! We have talked for many days about what firemen wear when they go out to fight fires - we have read books about firemen - we have gone on the internet to look at firefighter gear. This has been a huge process. Well last night, his mother broke down and bought him a brand new costume. He was so proud of this firefighter costume that he actually slept in the pants last night as PJ's, and he was awake this morning at 6 am waiting for me at the door with his "fireman helmet, jacket, and a MIZZOU tiger tail as his fire hose." Oh did I fail to mention that he HAD to wear the helmet to school and his teacher let him wear it all morning long!!! HILARIOUS!!!!!

Now back to lunch time . . . my sweet boy whom I could not live without, marched in the door from school (still with the helmet on), went straight to the closet and put all the gear back on (as he was dressed at 6 am). Since lunch was delayed, I was passing out small handfulls of goldfish to all the kids while we waited on grilled cheese. The baby had some on his tray, sister had some, and I asked my boy if he wanted any, and in the most grown up voice he could find he stated, "FIREMEN DO NOT EAT GOLDFISH!!!!" Of course I laughed with his mom over this, but the thought never left my mind.

As I was pondering his statement, I thought how many times have I gone into prayer to make my requests known to God, and I end up telling HIM how HE has to perform. I make statements to which I do not even know the facts to. I state the circumstance according to the way that I see it, and do not even find a way to look at the picture from a different angle. I tell HIM the current situation concerning my finances, and the way HE can fix it is to give me a certain job, or I am sick and I tell HIM to provide a way for me to go to the Dr. instead of giving HIM the choice to heal or not. I am going to be honest - this has really perplexed me all day. God is God all by Himself and HE does not need my help. HE sees the end from the beginning - HE is the Prince of Peace - HE is the Lily of the Valley - HE is the Bright and Morning Star.

The things you can learn from a 3 year old and how they can be applied to day-to-day living is incredible. Give God credit for knowing all the facts - for know exactly how the puzzle is put together & for knowing what the picture looks like even before all the pieces are put together - for knowing which door is going to open even before there is a door to even look at. God is God all by HIMSELF & HE does not need our help or input!!! Just remember I learned today that "FIREMEN DO NOT EAT GOLDFISH!!!!!!"

Crazy As A Straw

As you can tell by now, I have thoroughlly neglected this blog for like the last 4 months. One might say that it has become dusty and in dire need of a good house cleaning. Well folks I have done just that - I have cleaned up around here. I have added a few things and took some away. Hopefully this redecorating project will inspire me to write. It is not that I have not had anything to write, because I constantly have thoughts that run through my head. However, life has been so crazy these past few months with hospital visits, surgeries, family visiting, school, new jobs, - just stuff that is life. Yes, I know that none of this is justification for neglecting my blog, I just felt like no one would want to read about my life that is crazier that the most crazy straw you have ever seen - you know the one that your kids get in birthday goody bags that usually get broken in the dishwasher. The kind of straw that goes straight from the cup of milk and then all of a sudden it curves to the left, then back to the right, and if you're super cool you can get the straw that looks like a pair of glasses. Folks that has been life lately - going every direction opposite of what normal should feel like. I know this sounds like a rant and rave session and it really is not, but just understand life has been super crazy. Please forgive me for not leaving you with valuable tidbits. Through this entirely crazy time, I can say that I have visibly seen the hand of God working and providing in the most obsene ways possible. I have joked here of late with some of my friends that the crazier my life gets the greater HIS faithfulness comes through. Exodus 14:13 has been my rock to hold on for the past few months, ". . . stand still and see the salvation of the Lord . . ." No matter how many loops life has, take a moment to stand still!!