Our Journey

This has been a great week!  I have exercised and prayed. I have seen lots of friends and had good conversations.  It’s been a good week with the kids.  And we have gotten lots of tasks accomplished.  But this morning, I’m grumpy.

There is very little left to do here to prepare.  We need to pick up our prescriptions of Malarone and antibiotics, begin packing, and keep having breakfasts, lunches and dinners to say good-bye to friends. With so little to do here, and such a vague idea of what we will do there, I have been obsessing about when we return – where will we live? will Claire Marin adjust to school okay? what type of jobs might Jeff and I get? will we be able to go to the beach with Jeff’s family? how do we transition from a life of direct service to a work-a-day life again? Not that I have any control or idea about answers to these questions either. But that’s where my mind is drawn this week.

The days are growing short here in Nashville and we really have no idea what life will be like in Malawi. Our trip in February was amazing. I have no doubt that we will be welcomed, cared for and loved – and even spoiled – by the people of the United Methodist Church. If it had not been for our kids back at home, we would not have been ready to leave Malawi after two short weeks. But now, considering 12 months 9,000 miles away from what we know as home, Jeff and I wonder what the first, “oh, !@#$! We live in Africa!!!” moment will be.  Will one of us get sick? Will we greivously offend one of our friends or partners in ministry? Will we get homesick? Will we suffer withdrawal from Fido lattes? Will we be bored?  Will we be so busy we can’t breathe? It will surely be something…

But I can only live in the present. So today I will live and walk and taste everything that is familiar. I will enjoy the sights and sounds of Nashville. Appreciate my coffee and the Farmer’s Market. Drive on the right side of the road and feel confident that I know where I’m going. I’ll text and Tweet on reliable networks and blog without fear of blackouts. I’ll hug my friends and talk to my family without the Skype delay.

Today is the day that the Lord has made and I will rejoice in it. Please pray with me that I will see the Lord in each day in the coming year – even when I’m grumpy.