Saturday, August 4, 2012

Back to Life, Back to Reality



 It is nice to be back.

The welcoming crew was wonderful....a sweet scene of cousins who hadn't seen each other all summer, running and jumping on one another.  The smell of clean air and sanitary bathrooms were something we ALL rejoiced over.  And yes, after the last mango larvae was picked out of my dear little Sophie's head....and my hub's back (as shown below).....we all settled down for a long winter's nap. I mean, summer.

We lived a missionary's life for two months.  We caught of brief, brief glimpse of what it means to live life overseas (with children).  The people we met were inspiring (young interns managing an NGO while navigating their way through a foreign country, faithful servants who really do wait on the Lord, families gracefully tackling the challenges of adoption, marriages that inspire you to make changes in your own marriage right now, plus a few hundred more examples.)   


 So how was it?  What did I learn?  What was I shown?  What did I see?

We are tackled with these questions with the expectation of a quick answer.  The quickest answer I can give is not with words.  It simply must be with my life. Our life.  My hubs and I, our daughters, our marriage.....the joy in us that is produced only by Him, through seeking Him in His Word (or via really awesome, amazing challenging podcasts we've been listening to!), reading challenging C.S. Lewis books (yes....my author hero), and keeping in touch with those who we've met that gave us the heavy doses of inspiration.

It's easy to get back into this reality.  The America full of endless consumption.  The "I gotta get's...."  "I gotta do's..." the "schedules".......it's also easy to get cynical and think none of it really matters. Y'know...in the grand God-scheme of it all.  What does matter is that the cup put before you is one that you take not just with obedience, but with a submitted, connected heart.  Whatever that cup is.......until the next one is given.

I gotta say this selfishly. I love what was brought forth, brought back into our life. It was a spirit of grace.  Grace in my marriage, grace in parenting, grace with myself.....Knowing we fail. Knowing we are not perfect. But knowing we are perfect in Christ, and we are living this very temporary life according to His plan and by His grace.  Knowing we need to cling to the Vine, the source of joy and peace and contentment.  Knowing that we will do it together. Not fearfully living. Not trying to be in control. But by living this life the way He intended, not trying to be radical, just living it IN Him.

Thanks to so many people. You know who you are. You know it because I'm sending you a vibe right now. Right. Now.  Can you feel it?.....Good.


"Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me."  John 15:4

Our First Few Minutes Back at Home!

 
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