Morsels

Wearing a traditional "meri"
blaus ("woman" shirt)

Just a few glimpses into some of my thoughts and experiences of the last week.

~I did not expect my first real wave of doubt to come as we were preparing to board our flight out of the USA. After all, this flight is ‘the moment’ I had been waiting for almost for 15 years! But as the frustrations and fatigue of the day set in, I found a part of my mind saying “What are we doing? Why are we doing this? Is this a bad idea?” ….oh I should include that a significant part of this questioning was due to a growing anxiety I was experiencing at flying in this exceptionally large aircraft (that has only been around for a few years). And indeed, I ended up having some very interesting conversations with the Lord throughout the flight, as my anxiety kept me from sleeping through the rather turbulent sky for 15 hours. (I knew it, I SHOULD have asked my dr for a Valium prescription, haha!)

~Despite the unexpected wave of doubt, once our feet were on PNG soil, I have felt quite at home, and able to ‘go with the flow’. The heat and humidity haven’t been discouraging, the traffic and atmosphere of the town haven’t been surprising, and the ants haven’t caused me to snap. Hehe. Yet. I think the most “fun” for me so far was when I discovered that a few hundred of the ants got into my bag of rice.(!) So we decided to put the bag in a container in the freezer to kill them. Whenever I need rice, I measure out what I need and soak it, and filter out the dead ants. Woohoo! (But Noe brought me some ant bait from town today after he helped another tribal team with their supply buying, and one of the families generously gave us a bottle of Ant Rid… so the bait is currently working its magic, and a few days will tell if we’ve made a dent or not!)

~Every night the geckos come inside and inhabit our windows (to kill other creatures). We first saw two of them when we were playing “Take-Off” with the girls before bed a couple nights ago. The girls decided to name these two “Todd” and “Olaf”. Too fun…

~Jocie is gradually getting over her fear of the ants. Last night she even laid down in her own bed at bedtime… for about 2 ½ minutes! But that’s progress! Today she looked at the table at a morsel of Cheese Twisties (these are like Cheetos… but NO, they are nothing like Cheetos. Eat some for us, American friends!!), and she watched as several ants broke off pieces of the morsel and carried the pieces away. We decided they were having a potluck. (See, it’s all about perspective. Well, much of it anyway.)

~My husband is amazing, and has been so helpful not just for our family in this transition, but for others on the center. Currently he’s out in a nearby village helping put up a thatch roof for a house. He got to go snorkeling yesterday with another missionary, and on their way, they went through a village where he met some men who had befriended some of our missionary friends, Jon and Taylor. These tribal men were excited to finally meet “Noah”, the “Mexican”. And they’re excited to meet our family. In the next few days, we look forward to taking the girls into a village to meet some folks.

~Surrounding our house, we just learned, are lemongrass plants, ibica (like spinach), a chili plant, a pineapple growing in the ground, and nearby the house is a tree of “Captain Crunch Berries” (that’s for you Bekka), and a plumeria tree! The girls and I, and the Crabtree’s girls, walked over to that tree earlier today and gathered some of the blossoms from the ground. We made a little bouquet in a bowl for a table centerpiece, which is now giving our dining a room a wonderful aroma!

Last night's dinner - homemade tortillas, refried kidney beans,
rice, and cheese. Yum!

Well I hope you enjoyed some ‘morsels’ from life here. It’s a bit scattered, but that’s how things are a bit currently. J I’m hoping to start Naya’s 1^st grade in the morning, unless there’s something else on schedule that I’m unaware of. For now, I’m off to start dinner. Going to make up some white sauce to put on noodles, per Jocie’s request. Wish me luck!

The One who called us is faithful.

Tomorrow I will move to another country, with my husband, two daughters, and some luggage.

It is a very surreal feeling. The rooms that a week ago were bursting with disorganized chaos are now echoing with emptiness. The suitcases that looked big enough for me to curl up and hide in for a brief nap now have corners of clothes begging to escape.

The fundraisers are through, the open houses are done, and the goodbyes are being felt. I know it's harder for those staying, in part because we've been so busy that I haven't been able to wrap my brain around it. It's been a blessing to experience such love and support from so many people as we head out into this new chapter.

As I picture myself walking down the ramp onto the first  (of 6) plane tomorrow, I have thought several times to the moments years (and years) ago when I knew I would be doing this (!). The first was in early high school. I had just learned about people groups around the world who had no Bible in their language. I sat at my desk in English class, and 'knew' in the deepest part of my heart that I MUST be involved in this! After all, He gave this command over 2,000 years ago! And we're still trying to get the job done... :) How could I not be a part of this?

The second moment I reflect on is from Ecola Bible School, about 10 years ago. I had learned about New Tribes Mission, and became further compelled (if that was possible) to GO and be involved in Bible translation and church planting. I remember walking from my tiny dorm above the dining hall, across the long parking lot toward the gym, feeling excited and nervous all at the same time. I remember looking up toward the sky and saying boldly (and nervously) to Him, "I am going to go! Will I go alone? Or who will you send with me?"

And now, 10 years since then, here I am! Tomorrow I will go, and I will go with an amazing, like-minded husband, and two beautiful daughters. We have the joy and privilege as a family to grow together in our walks with Him as we take His Gospel of grace to a people who has not yet heard!

It has been nearly 15 years since I knew I wanted to step onto that airplane. And the One who called me HAS been faithful- and tomorrow I will step onto that plane with joy, excitement, (and everything in between) and HIS strength.

How does it feel to take off from your hometown airport, knowing you will likely not see it again for years? It's surreal! But the One who called us is faithful. So we breathe in and out, and we walk in Him.

How does it feel to say goodbye to your parents, grandparents, family, friends? To step off of their porches for the last time in a long time? It's difficult! But the One who called us is faithful. So we breathe in and out, and we walk in Him.

How does it feel to consider all that lies ahead in this next year (language learning, culture learning, climate adjusting, time zone adjusting, lifestyle changing, etc...)? It's amazing actually (and we know there will be good days and difficult days)! And the One who called us is faithful. So we breathe in and out, and we walk in Him.

How does it feel to be a part of this task? It's the greatest joy imaginable. The. Greatest. Joy. And the One who called us is faithful. So we breathe in and out, and we RUN JOYFULLY in Him!

Losing My Mind!

Ah, THOSE moments!

I don't even know what day of the week it is, or what date.  I had to open the little clock on the top of my computer screen to check ;)

If you see this happening this week... feel free
to laugh. But then maybe let me know? ;)

This morning I woke up, took my iron supplement, waited a grueling hour to finally have some coffee during which time I finished sorting the girls' clothes (which ones to to Madang, which ones go in the crate for our tribal home), then took the clothes and other items to be packed into our crate. We spent all day packing our crate, and in the afternoon, my mom called to ask where some clothes were for the girls for their overnight tonight at a friends' house.

I had to ask her to wait a minute. As I waited for a revelation about the clothes, nothing came, just my mental eyes staring at a blank wall. AAH. I turned around and stared at the suitcase I had brought for the crate, trying to figure out what I put inside of it... finally it struck me that the clothes I had brought with me were for the crate. So... where were the clothes for Madang? "Ahh, they must be at my mom's house", I realized. I asked her "Are there piles of clothes on the couch?" She said no. AAH. Thinking, thinking... "What did I do after I made those piles of clothes!?" She offered that there were bags of clothes on the floor. "No, those are for Goodwill", I responded. Then she said there were two suitcases with clothes in them. BINGO! "Get some clothes out of there!" I said, feeling triumphant finally!

Phew!!

We need a personal guide next Monday so we get on the right plane, for sure!

SO excited to get to PNG. So much to do in the meantime... but so many people blessing us with kindness!

Jumble

Got to find a modest swimsuit. Still looking for cotton 'skimmies' to wear under my skirts to keep the bugs out. Need to pack our crate. Need to pack our suitcases! What are we taking on the plane? Do I need snacks for the kids? Oh- and I need to finish Naya's Kindergarten. I hope I have all I need for her 1st grade. The handful of boxes of random paperwork and this-n-that's that I need to sort through. Oh and all those random vitamins. Need to mail the various books we've borrowed from people over the last few years. Got to get to the bank to deposit all our loose change. Noe still needs a pillow. Oh and we can't get much in the way of underwear so we all need to get more of that. Have to meet the financial planner again to sign for our retirement account. Oh and what food am I providing for the open house this Sunday? Do I need to bring any long pants/jeans for the colder climate in PNG? How many pairs of socks anyway? How much is stuff REALLY gonna mold? Where is that little box I use to so carefully wrap my teacup? I was going to mail myself a care package as someone recommended, but I haven't found the time. :( Too late now. Oh and we just printed newsletters, gotta find time to input the rest of our friends' addresses and get all our envelopes stuffed and stamped and mailed! And why is my to-do list still not shrinking? I thought we had a free night, but I was wrong. How do I best use each hour? I'm so tired too- do I have time for a nap? Or should I have more coffee and nap on the plane? :)

I WILL be on that plane in 12 days, with my to-do list empty and my notebook ready for language and culture learning and adaptation...

Despite the crazy glimpse into my brain that I just shared (yes, glimpse.. I could've gone on and on for hours), the 12-day countdown reminds me that no matter what happens each hour and each day, it's all in His hands, and what gets done will get done. I don't have to accomplish it all perfectly. It will be what it will be.

As one of our instructors in Michigan said,

"Work as if it all depends on you, 

but know that it all depends on God."

It Runs

Every time we flush the toilet, it runs! And runs! And runs.... And RUNS :( :( :(

It didn't take long for me to laugh at myself, however, at what a silly nuisance that is. I love seeing His hand at work - seeing opportunities for growth in my heart and mind. I can hardly imagine the many 'opportunities' I will have, such as a toilet that runs and makes me stand there jiggling the handle repeatedly until it resolves itself. There are definitely moments when this toilet defeats me. (I know what you're thinking. Really? Toilet talk? Great...) But He gives me the encouragement to just take a breath, close my eyes, and breathe in His joy in spite of it.

Not instead of it. For the frustrations of this life are very real. (He said it Himself - "In this world you will have trouble.")

But in SPITE of it. (He said it Himself immediately following His last statement - "But take heart! I have overcome the world.")

Thanking Him in spite of my heart's great "sin-cancer" does not mean I deny that there is great pain and sorrow. But my thankfulness is this: "Thank you that You are YOU, and that YOU are always with me, that You know it, that You have done it, and that You have promised to complete the work You have begun in me. THANK YOU."

And this thankfulness draws my heart into His heart, filling it up with His tenderness and joy, and it runs over abundantly!

Keep running if you must, little toilet. You will not get the best of me! :)