Of Now

...because looking back is good, as long as we don't forget to look at the present moments we are given. :)

 

Night falls -

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It was nearly dark when I took this shot and the one above it, but thanks to a flash (of lightning)...

 

:)

 

 

 

These lights give me the curious urge to start singing Christmas music.  I know it's not even September yet, but...

 

Stop me if you can.

 

- - -

 

A (very) drizzly day -

 

It rained nearly all of Saturday, which made a royal mess of everything.

 

But it really cooled things off, so that was nice.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Doesn't everything just look soggy and forlorn?

 

 

 

 

 

She was using a broom to get the water flowing out the drain pipe.

 

 

Work was halted for the day.

 

 

 

 

Splish, splash!

 

 

 

 

 

- - -

 

A good-bye ice cream social at the Mission Sunday -

 

 

 

 

Susan has served here for over twenty years, doing Bible translation, and now she's finally able to hand things over to the indigenous church who will continue the work.

 

 

 

 

 

Now THAT'S a lot of bowls and ice cream!

 

 

Susan's very artistic.  She loves painting or making cards.  I've gotten them in my mailbox from time to time, usually with a little verse of encouragement on the back.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Candid shots.  They make me laugh.

 

- - -

 

The week has been full.  Not necessarily just of things to do, but of situations needing prayer.  A lot of it.

 

I got back from class yesterday with tears close to the surface, when a friend back home emailed to let me know she was praying for me.  (It always means the world to me when someone tells me that.)

 

I pulled myself together to call my Grandma.  It's been months since I've gotten to talk to her, and it's always a treat.  She's had so many surgeries and so many complications (some of them quite serious), and I am grateful for every chance I have to talk with her.

 

"Oh, sweetie, it's so good to hear your voice again!"

"You too, Grandma."

"I miss you.  When are you going to come home?"

 

...Cue tears again.

 

About twenty minutes into the conversation, it got dark all of the sudden and the wind really picked up.  I went to the patio door to look.  There was dust and a whole bunch of plastic bags flying around, then I heard a really loud ruckus and saw the top part of a plastic table go sailing through the air.  It knocked a few tiles off the roof of the building across from me (I don't know if you can see it in that picture - it's above the sliding door on the bottom left) and put a dent in whatever-that-silver-stuff-is before landing on their patio/rooftop.

 

 

 

"Uh...hold on, I don't think I should be standing outside..."

 

Things continued to fly around, banging and making a ruckus as I walked back into the house.  I was almost expecting to hear sirens or something.  "If I was in Missouri, I'd think this was a tornado," I told Grandma.

 

I knew it wasn't a tornado, but it still seemed like a wise idea to camp out in the windowless bathroom, just in case anything broke one of the windows.

 

 

There was water coming under the front door.  I figured out it was probably because the door to the roof (which is directly above my door) was open, and so the water was coming down the stairs.

 

Eventually things calmed down.  My apartment and I were left unscathed (the only ill effects being the water and a thick layer of dust on the floor), for which I'm quite thankful.

We had a good conversation, just not as calm or quiet as I was anticipating. :)

We got to talking about the rapture.  I know I've said it before, how some might think it's a sort of wimpy wish for those who can't handle life in this world.  But Heaven is the true home of every believer - where we ultimately belong - and so we should long for it with everything we've got.  And if trials or tears brings us to that point more readily, that's a good thing.

Who knows.  Maybe Jesus will come back today?

...And that's where I'll leave this. :)