Lately

This post is long overdue.  I've been meaning to write it for nearly two weeks, and...haven't.

Chris Tomlin's Unchanging is playing on Pandora.  It's like a lighthouse beacon in swirling mist: my God doesn't change.  He's never overwhelmed.

My mind's been crazy full of all sorts of things - everything from home projects to Sunday School to moving.

And there's my random musings...

I'm feeling old.  Not because I'm scared of my next birthday.  Just because I look around and everyone else is getting older.  For instance, the kids I had in Sunday School as six-year-olds are all grown up.  One is married and has a baby.  Another just went away to Bible School.  Then there was a girl I remember mostly as a high schooler who's now a teacher down in Mexico.  How do they grow up so fast?!

Also, I'm super thankful for friends.  I was laying awake one night thinking of all the wonderful people I've been able to reconnect with since coming back.  It made me realize again that friendship is such an incredible gift from God...to have people to laugh, cry, and pray with; to celebrate milestones together; to encourage and challenge each other; to share this journey called life.  Sometimes just having someone to talk to, just knowing you're not alone, is the best thing to have.

You know what else?  Two years ago this past Wednesday, it was my first day of French class.  It almost seems like that was another life.  So much has happened since then.  I almost laughed when I realized how freaked out I would have been if I only knew where I'd be at the end of those two years!  There's a very good reason God doesn't usually show us the whole plan at once - even if we insist we want to know what's ahead.

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In the middle of last month, I innocently noticed a book on our shelf that I didn't recognize.  Which led to the incredible discovery: twenty four books I've never read.  (And let me assure you, it is a very rare thing for there to be a book in this house that I haven't read.)  Unfortunately, books are my one weakness, and I can hardly bear to leave so many unread.  Less than three weeks later, I'm over halfway through the stack, so I think there will be no danger of them remaining unread when I move.

Most of them are missionary biographies, with a few other random ones mixed in.  I gotta say, while I positively devoured missionary biographies as a kid, it feels different reading them now.  I laughed and cried with a new understanding - I can relate, 'cause I've now lived that experience too (I mean the overseas missionary experience as a whole, not every different aspect of it).

Reading about the incredible sacrifices some of those pioneer missionaries made is humbling.  I wonder if I could have made it back then.  But I also find myself critical at times - critical of their methods, critical of their ministry's focus, critical of the way their stories are sometimes told as if they were great heroes.  Perhaps it's pride that makes me quick to criticize those who've gone before.  Perhaps it's insecurity.  Perhaps it's forgetfulness.

In the end, it's not about any of us anyway.  In spite of their mistakes or failures...in spite of my mistakes and failures...God is faithful.  He is good.  He guides.  He provides.  He does miracles in spite of us, because that's the kind of God He is.

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Of course I don't spend all my days with my nose stuck in a book.  Far from it.

We have friends over, we eat food, we celebrate milestones, we live our cleaning-shopping-studying-corresponding-everything-else life.

He was rather taken with her. :)

Now that is a very full belly!  He has a very international palate for one so young: samosas, carnitas, Auntie's mafé...

(Mafé was on the menu that night, and he ate quite heartily!)

They look so cute and calm, but don't let them fool you.  They bark ferociously and persistently at the least disturbance.  You know what happened the other night?  Mom and I were sitting watching Sense and Sensibility when a dark shadow slowly crept across the living room wall.  It was a possum walking along our back fence.  (The vile creature!)  Well, Toby and Tephra weren't going to stand for such trespassing.  They dashed out and barked.  And barked.  And barked.  Which, of course, didn't do a bit of good.

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Last week was Beck's birthday - the first one I've been home for in several years, and her last one here for a while.

Yeah.  I know.  My brother-in-law is a goof.

A couple days after Beck's actual birthday, we had a combined party for her and Daniel (whose birthday was all the way back in July, but he had to run off to Ireland...the nerve!).  "Party" makes it sound fancy, which it wasn't.  It was just laid-back, like summer celebrations should be.  Chili dogs-in-a-blanket, grilled veggies, chocolate cake, and ice cream...

He looks like a little frog when he scoots. :)

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Lately I've been reminded that God can be trusted to provide, in one way or another.  It's easy to thank Him for that generous gift from someone I've never met, or for the months when my support level is well above average.  It's equally easy to take for granted the seemingly small ways He provides.  Like $29.99 skirts on clearance for $7.50.  Or free notepads and toiletries.  Or someone unexpectedly paying for my coffee.

It almost seems silly to even mention to them.  But if I truly believe all good gifts come from God, then all of them are worth noticing and thanking Him for.

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Mom's going to make another quilt.  With batiks.  (Because of course!)  If you feel this color palate is familiar, you'd be right.  I think the majority of quilts we've made within last several years have relied heavily on greens and browns.  Another fun fact: each of the quilts we've made in the past say, five years (since I started quilting) have included at least one batik, and at least one fabric from previous quilt we've made.

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My morning buddy:

My favorite. :)