Hard-pressed on every side...but not crushed! 2 Corinthians 4:8

The Truman Show is an old movie now, from 1998, but there's a scene I've been thinking of during our three-month delay.  Truman is trying to escape the island and is faced with increasingly outrageous deterrents:  no flights departing for a month, a forest fire, and a leak at the nuclear plant.

We have faced a number of difficult obstacles during this time:  a complicated but workable way to keep Bruce's retirement plan in place fell apart at the last minute, sickness, a family crisis which tested our faith, even a car driving the wrong way in our lane!

We could look at these things in a few different ways.  We're seeing them as Satan's attempt at derailing us.  But, "What [Satan] meant for evil, God intended for good." (Genesis 50:20)  At every turn, we've been supported by the prayers of friends and strangers.  Important healing and growth has taken place during this delay.  We've been given extra time with extended family, including celebrating Christmas together.  Friends graciously let us live with them.  Other options for health care and retirement became available. 

The list of ways the Lord has cared for us during this delay goes on and on, ways He has used potentially frustrating events to bring about His good purposes.  We're grateful for His provision, and grateful to now be able to step into the new season ahead of us!

Delayed!

Our original date of departure had been Oct. 8...thought we would have everything ready by that time.  Various things cropped up that delayed us - more preparation needed, and setbacks with business - and now the real moving date:  Dec. 30th.

As Rob, the Robin's Nest Board president stated:  "Merry Christmas and a Happy Nest Year!"
And brother-in-law Tom's comment:  "Minneapolis temperature, 1*; Montego Bay temperature, 86*; seems like a good decision."

Six days and counting...

Caleb

 

We recently met this young man at a church where we did a presentation about Robin’s Nest.  Afterwards, Caleb signed his Confirmation song for us (“Lord, I Lift Your Name on High”) and then spoke the three words he can say:  go, God, good.

I’ve been thinking about those three words ever since.  Three words with great meaning for us as we prepare for our mission work in Jamaica, and encouragement for every Christian…

“Go with God, and He will make it good.”

“Go, because God is good.”

We’re profoundly grateful to have been ministered to by Caleb.   

Please pray for his complete recovery from a recent surgery, and for his dedicated parents, Ken and Ruthie.

 

 

 

 

Public Service Announcement

 

Our move out of the parsonage, after living there for 14 years, was a move like no other. 

Bruce and I have moved nine times in our marriage, and each move has generally followed the same pattern:  you’re pretty well organized when you start packing and by the end you have way too many boxes marked “Miscellaneous”.  The deal is that you know you’ll be able to figure it out at the new place. 

Not so if you’re moving out of the country.  We needed to look at every item and piece of paper and decide what to do with it once and for all:  give away, put into storage, take along.  I was faced with a lot of decisions, a lot of emotions, and a lot of unfinished projects!  So…

I’m using my recent experience to make a public service announcement:  Finish your sewing projects now!  Label your photographs now!  Take the old oil that’s in your garage to the hazardous waste place now!  Cut your losses, skip having a garage sale, and drive to the Salvation Army donation center now!  Go to Flylady.net and get rid of your clutter now!

And, when I return from Jamaica, remind me about this post.  I’m a minimalist from here on out! 

 

 

Friends in Memphis

In July, we went to Memphis for missionary training at the Orphanos office.  Orphanos is the organization which will receive our donations, do a lot of bookkeeping for us, and wire us our funds.  They do this for missionaries around the world who are caring for orphans.  They also maintain a website which includes missionary blogs, take groups to serve at the orphanages, and they are prayer WARRIORS on behalf of the missionaries.  This blog could not be long enough to say enough great things about the gracious, helpful, encouraging people on the Orphanos staff.  So, go to the Orphanos website!  Click on the link and learn about all that they do.

David Frazier and Wayne Sneed

One of the main things we talked about in training was cultural awareness.  For example, apparently I wasn't being culturally aware when I told Bethany (staff member) that she was wrong for putting salt on her watermelon.  I mean, who does that?  And when Bruce (a northerner) asked for "regular" tea, they would have served him "sweet tea".  We have a lot to learn...

P.S.  We did not see Elvis.
P.P.S.  There really is such a thing as southern hospitality.
P.P.P.S.  Eat at Corky's if you go to Memphis.  Or, they will ship their barbequed ribs to you.  1-800-9-CORKYS.  Seriously.   

Documents!

 

Here's Kathy at the Plato, MN post office, 2,138 miles away from Kingston, Jamaica, holding the documents we've been waiting for!  This packet contains our letter from the Jamaican government, stating that we've been approved for a work permit exemption. 
We sent in piles and piles of documents (notarized and in triplicate) which assured the government that we 1.) aren't moving to Jamaica to take a paying job, 2.) have college and seminary degrees, and 3.) aren't criminals!
This letter will allow us to get our visa and breeze through customs and immigration when we move.  OK, breeze might be a little too optimistic, but we're one step closer.    

 

Thank you, Lands' End!

I've worn a red Lands' End parka ever since we moved back to Minnesota in 1994, and I made it through many years of winter recess duty (and we go out for recess unless it's below zero!)
It was pretty hard to put my jacket in the recycling box, because my brain can't quite believe that I really am leaving snow, sleet, ice, flurries, blizzards, and white-out conditions behind.  It goes against everything I've known!
Our son, Andy, thinks I should get a red Lands' End rain jacket, to see me through hurricane season in Jamaica.  I'll check their catalog...