It has been a roller coaster season in our family. I can't even say "in our household" as we bounce between houses, RV, hotels and who knows what could be next! Yup, roller coaster... and not the kiddy kind you find at the county fair. Nope, the kind with signs like "If you have a pace-maker you may want to consult your doctor before riding this ride". But God is still in control.
I thought I would share some of that rawness today though. The dingy side of what most see as glamour in a missionary's life. I know I used to. But it is not all glamour. It is more like glimmer... the glimmer of hope when the road is rough and bumpy, knowing God has never failed us and he never will.
The rough side is the financial roller-coaster, the constant concern over well-being of all family members (mom and dad included) and just how are we going to fit the math and spelling in when a steady desktop is as fleeting as the sunset on these various horizons.
The glimmer when help comes from the unexpected, when the family truly-deep-heart-talks and prays together to find peace and when, yes, the lessons get squeezed in (even if not as regular or conventional as this mom would like).
And in all these ramblings, I also find my thoughts on how the holidays don't completely feel like the holidays this year... not in a bad way though. Simply a transforming way. No big tree of my own, no shopping, no baking, no parties or traditions or plans. I have tried to throw lights up where we are and enjoy others' decorations a little more! We have been blessed with some unexpected experiences in others' traditions. But, mostly, God is using this time to remind me of Kingdom focus vs. Kringle focus. My resign statue packed away in storage has new meaning: Santa bowing and praying before the manger. Thinking I knew how to put the King first... I am realizing he was actually in line all this time.
So, this roller-coaster post is simply a tumble of thoughts and hopes that you might read and find; we all have our rough patches of life, our transforming patches, and even in the holidays when imperfect places pop up, remembering that Glimmer, that hope, keeps us always close to Home.
Joy is in this place because, even if home isn't a consistent 4 walls surrounding us, it is always 2 Arms surrounding us.
God bless you this holiday season and Merry Christmas.
No comments:
Post a Comment