Home again, home again...

Wow, I have some serious catching up to do! Today isn't a day I feel like catching up, though, so just  a few thoughts to share this afternoon. Garry is at his cousin Everett's funeral this afternoon.... loss and pain, the suffering of living in a world that is bound by sin. I had so hoped to be there, but I couldn't go. So I am home while my heart is with them. 

It has struck me again since Everett's passing that God weaves so many colors into the tapestry of our lives. And so often simultaneously... joy and pain co-exist. The heaviness of Everett's passing.  An amazing weekend sharing stories of what God has done among unreached people groups. The remembered pain of Mom going to heaven last year. New friends and unexpected opportunities. Goodbyes in Arizona. Gorgeous scenery. Heart connections that draw us deep into what God is doing. 

And at the end of the day, the joy and the pain are both grace. Unexplained gifts of God that draw us to know Him more, that pull us out of the temporal and into the eternal. Some of the gifts are more pleasant, some we'd rather return. But each one is lovingly given by an omnipotent Father. Today I want to embrace each gift, savor each moment. Live, truly live!

The Westward Road...

It's been a fun 5 days, driving through beautiful country and spending time with family and friends! Stories... joy and pain, opportunities and challenges. The deepest stories are once more not mine to tell. There are, however, some stories I can tell.

Driving through the mountains as a family, reminiscing about the amazing things God has allowed us to do. The pure fun of surprising Garry's sister and her family in Osoyoos, BC.... showing up at their door in the midst of a move! The boys mountain biking in BC and Spokane. Time with Dustin, buying groceries and figuring out internet. More McDonald's meals and dollar drinks than I'd care to report. A gorgeous rest area where we played some soccer. Sharing meals with Alan, Fern, Shandi, and Sadi. Coffee and mini-golfing. Amazement at what God has done at Moody Aviation in Spokane... and remembering what a tragedy it seemed when the Elizabethton program closed, yet the growth that has inspired. BBQ with Jason & Jen and their kids. Late night coffees. Dinner with Cec and Joyce. The list is long.... blessings that we have experienced over the last days, evidences of what God is doing and His love for us, His kids.

This morning the guys are working on the van, hopefully replacing a rear wheel bearing. I'm enjoying some time to connect with you, the many people who follow us via this blog. The friends who pray for us and journey with us. The boys are looking forward to another bike ride this afternoon, and Kevin's hoping to fit a run into the day. Then we're planning some time connecting with friends before our time in Spokane is finished.

Tomorrow we will head south to Arizona, looking forward to seeing many more friends and continuing on the journey of enjoying God's work in various places. We are truly blessed to be His Body, His church, and His children!