Swirling Minds...

I just can't get over the change of seasons... and this year seems especially fast. One day it was frigid, the next quite comfortable (read, above 25 C). Things turned green in a matter of a couple of days. From a thick coat to shorts overnight. It's just..... strange, maybe? We're loving having picnics in the back yard, walking in the sunshine, and throwing a Frisbee in the grass. It's rejuvenating. It's fun.

Garry had a great time in Alberta, connecting with various people in mission aviation. The conference was both encouraging and helpful. He enjoyed getting more insight into where mission aviation at large is right now and what those in the community are thinking about and planning for. He was privileged and blessed by spending an evening with his aunt and uncle.... And this  is where I keep getting stuck! Stories that aren't ours to share, people other than ourselves whose lives intersect with ours in incredible ways. And yet it isn't our story. I can't pass it on. So I try to keep things general, but then the blog is.... blah!

The things swirling around my mind might make for interesting reading, but I think not. The schedules and plans and lack of plans and wondering and strategising are no doubt quite like your mind. Then there are the good conclusions, the grand truth of the Bible imprinted on our lives.... but it sounds trite when I pound it out on the keyboard. 

And so, I've just blogged about .... nothing. Which is why I've been putting it off. But alas, it can't be put off forever if I'm to keep my part of the blogging bargain by writing a blog. So, I'll keep pondering and wondering and sharing my ramblings and realities. And being thankful for an amazing group of people who get on here to check on us, to know how to pray for us, to be supportive of what God is doing in and through us. Thank you:)

Spring...

Garry's loving spring-- the smells, the melting snow, the full ditches. I, on the other hand, find it messy and a bit depressing. It's a matter of perspective: Garry grew up with spring, and to him, spring is a promise of summer. I didn't grow up with changing seasons, so spring is simply today-- muddy shoes and rainy days.

Life's rather like that, isn't it? Hope makes all the difference! If we know that today's efforts lead to something good tomorrow, we are content putting in the effort. If we are convinced we're making a difference, we gladly give it our all. On the other hand, if we feel like our efforts our futile, our work unappreciated, we quickly give up. It simply isn't worth it!

In some respects, all of life is the muddy spring of reality-- a precursor to a beautiful forever. All our troubles are light and momentary, all our efforts small, yet worthwhile. The sun shines some days, but the ditches are full and the roads are muddy. 

We've had some sunny days this week... weather wise and in life. We are excited about the relief efforts in the Philippines that we continue to be involved in. Houses are being built, boats are being built and others repaired, truth is spreading. Things with Moody Aviation are also moving along. This week we turned in another stack of papers in our quest for a US visa. In just over a week Garry is heading to Alberta to network and learn with other mission aviation organisations on behalf of Moody. Kevin has been at Jr Nationals this week in Vancouver, and he has had both fun and opportunities there. Kaleb enjoyed a bit of paid work this week and is excited about his many ventures in movie-making and biking.

Time Management

I've been doing just a bit of study about time management.... and I was reminded that we can't manage time. Time marches on. We choose how to spend it, but we can't stop time, speed it up, or slow it down. We can, however, find peace in this moment. We can enjoy beauty, choose to love, and see the Hand of God in what is happening.

Some times are easier to see the beauty in, some times are harder. We get lost in pain, buried by grief. We are transported by beauty, lost in grace. And yet, at the end of the day, our choice is simply our response. God has ordained the days of our lives, and He alone is God. Our choices influence our lives, change our paths, and are part of our reality. But there are many things that are outside of our control, beyond our grasp. 

These days I feel like I am fighting with time, struggling against the limitations, out of sync with reality. I've been stalled in the process of finding new routines in a new home. I'm tired. And I've been grouchy.

But as I sit here and reflect I'm reminded that good choices are worth the effort. I don't have a choice about moving, it's already done. Things cannot go back to the way they were, I cannot choose to hide in my comfort zone. But I can choose to see the beauty, to experience the grace, to enjoy God's peace,  and to reach out to those around me. Or I can choose the other side of each of those coins. And my choice will determine at least part of how I experience each day....

The power of a song...

There is power in song... and in smells and sights and sounds. Power to not only change our perspective, but sometimes to take us to another time and place. Last Sunday morning I was in Blumenort church, standing just in front of my padded pew, singing along, worshipping. The light was just right, the temperature was comfortable, there was enough space for everyone to be comfortable, the sound system was great, and the music was awesome. Everything was just as it should be, just as it is most Sunday mornings.

As we began to sing "Because He Lives," I was suddenly a young girl, sitting on a hard slat wood pew, singing my heart out to a poorly tuned piano. Swatting biting gnats. Surrounded by friends, all of us hot and sweaty. The air barely moved despite the ceiling fans overhead and the windows that had only screen to cover them. A leader in our mission community had suddenly passed away the week before, but he and his wife had chosen this as the theme song for our field conference. So we all sang, tears often running down our faces. I cried not for the personal connection I had with this man of God, but for his family and our community. I cried for the reality of death and the uncertainty of life. And last Sunday I cried again, this time for the blessings of life that we leave behind as we move on, for the multitudes of opportunities and experiences we as a family have had, and for the simple reality of living in a sin-filled world.

Life's like that, time sometimes stands still and sometimes rushes by. Things transport us to other times and places and we relive our memories. Or we are stuck in the present, caught in our circumstances and chores, sometimes paralysed by indecision or the magnitude of things before us. One day, beyond time, we will see things as they really are, and we will worship the King. Maybe then we will understand our memories and our present, for we will be truly free!

Beyond time travel, we moved last week and are quite settled into our new place. Kevin should be home from Kansas next week. Garry is busy with various aviation and relief-related projects. Kaleb is making great animations and working hard at school, though he isn't thrilled that he got to spend his spring break moving instead of enjoying friends and time off. I'm blogging when I'm not cleaning or cooking or teaching school. I hope you have a blessed day, rooted in the beauty of the moment while blessed by memories....

Moving

It's that time again-- time to move! I'm back to making lists of what can go first, the essentials we need to live for a while, and what can be packed up until we settle down somewhat more permanently. I'm so thankful we don't have to go far this time, just a few miles down the road! This house has been such a blessing, and we're looking forward to the next one as well.... actually, we're moving into a house we lived in 15 years ago, so it's a bit like going back in time!

Garry got home last weekend and it's been so much fun to hear about his time at Moody Aviation and with his sister and her family. He really enjoyed being part of the audit process,  working with a great team of guys, and getting to know people at Moody Aviation a bit better. We're excited about what God has in store for Moody Aviation and for us.... and how our paths may continue to intersect.

Now it's back to the mess at my house.... actually, I think I'm in the process of making a mess at the moment!

Almost week's end...

Some weeks feel short and some feel long. (Profound, I know....) This has been a long week. Late nights. Lots going on. Unanswered questions and unexpected answers to other questions. Long conversations. Lots of dirty dishes and dirty clothes.... but that's every week.

Garry gets home on Saturday and I'm ready to start counting the hours. It sounds like he's had a very profitable time there. I think he's enjoyed himself. He's found answers and questions. He's worked with a great team. He's learned lots. And I can't wait to hear the whole story when he gets here!

The boys and I have stayed busy with life. Kevin is training hard and working. Kaleb is studying hard and doing animation. We've had fun with friends and fun together. And now we'll just be happy to get back to the norms that prevail when Garry is home to help us go to bed on time and be more sane...

Spokane for Safety

Garry's in Spokane for just over a week, attending a Safety Seminar and helping Mission Safety International do an audit for Moody Aviation. I haven't been able to talk to him yet, but I can't imagine that it's anything but good to be back in the aviation world and seeing many friends there.

His trip started a little crazy with a cancelled flight, us getting stuck in the ditch on the way to get him, and another long delay the following day. However, he arrived in Spokane around midnight last night and texted that he was enjoying the seminar today.

Things for us are beginning to take some shape as time passes. Clarity still isn't ours, but we believe it will come in time. Meanwhile, we're enjoying the journey and the opportunities God is giving to be involved in people's lives and aviation in various ways.

Faith about the Future

Sometimes we walk on a well-lit path, a place we can see clearly what's ahead of us. We live in a sense of routine and normalcy that feels safe and known. We feel comfortable with our job and ourselves. We know what needs done, and we spend our days doing it.

Other times we walk in the dark, unsure of where our feet will land, unable to see past this moment. We wonder what will come next and if we'll have what it takes to do it. We aren's sure what God has in mind, and life simply doesn't fit into tidy boxes.

These days we are in the latter. We have seen God do amazing things, and we know He will continue to work. We know He chooses to allow us a part in HIS epic plan, and we trust Him to give us that place. Yet the tangible parts of that are very unclear. We have finished what we were doing, and we aren't yet sure what is next.

So we wait. Sometimes patiently, sometimes impatiently. Sometimes with faith and sometimes with doubt. And while we wait, we do what is closest to us. There is still a lot of clean-up going on after our trip to the Philippines. Tax time is before us, and we've enjoyed sending out calendars to many who have helped us in this journey. School. Kevin is visiting a friend in Lethbridge this week. Garry is planning a trip to Spokane to help with an audit of Moody Aviation.

Pray with us, for eyes of faith, clarity, and patience. Thanks for journeying with us.