Three and a half weeks into our time in the States and I think we're all looking around like, "Well, this was nice! Are we done yet?"
I know it's just a phase but this week I can feel my whole little family kind of pulling their hair out. Heather keeps starting to cry about little things. She is missing my folks, who are away this week. She is missing Jesse. She is missing Portugal, Barbara, Jenelle.
When Colin came in from school yesterday, hungry and in need of a snack, I offered him some lovely yoghurt from Trader Joe's. He was a little disappointed in it. "Doesn't taste like Portuguese yoghurt," he said.
It's normal that we're all feeling a little displaced. The first three weeks have been full of getting ourselves up and running here but we're far enough along in that now that we're not consumed by that task. We suddenly have time to feel homesick.
We may not have a home of our own just now, but we have SO MUCH to be thankful for...
I'm thankful for such a nice place to be displaced in. I'm thankful for my parents' comfortable home and comfortable selves. I thankful for Sue who smiles and laughs and throws her life open to me. I'm thankful for Rachel, my sister-in-law, who has the kettle on when I walk in. I'm thankful for Dan and Kathi who drive 200 miles in one evening just so we can have dinner together. I'm thankful for the people at Genesis who make us feel that we are a blessing. I'm thankful for credit cards and TARGET stores :-) I'm thankful for the oldies radio station that plays fun tunes that make me smile.
Yes, there is much to be thankful for. God, the wild and journey-leading God, pushes, prods and leads us on....
But He doesn't just go out before us. I feel him alongside of us as well.
2 comments:
I've been wondering how the "in-between-ness" was going for you all - especially the kids. We are headed "home" for about four months in November as well, and I wonder how it is going to feel being there for that long, especially with the new little one. Maybe we'll have to call you guys for advice on how to be thankful and be "present" while thinking so much about what is next. One thing I was wondering is how other people react to your "in-between-ness". Do you get a lot of "so what are you doing here" or questions implying "why aren't you working now"? How do you deal with those sentiments - or do people understand the in-between-ness pretty well?
Yeah, i know excatly how life in the states can be like that! It's really hard to get used to sometimes. We're praying for you guys over here.
It's funny, right when i read about yogurt from Trader Joe's i immediately thought of the yogurt we had every morning (well.. for two weeks) on cereal at your guys place: even before i read on. Tell colin, that i definetly agree: Portugal yogurt is better than trader joe's yogurt.
Post a Comment