Season in Review

The end of the year and the start of a new one culturally brings about the desire to review. For us the current season of life started about a year and a half ago.

Loss…

This past season of life has been full of loss. We’ve lost loved ones to death. Joey’s mom. His uncle. His aunt. My grandmother. And we’ve walked with several friends through the losses of their loved ones. There has been an abundance of other types of losses too. Leaving Congo brought about the loss of teammates, the loss of our home, the loss of the known, the loss of friends, and the loss of our identity to some extent. Other situations since have brought the loss of other relationships. When I think back on this past year or so, the reality of all the loss stands out in my mind and sits heavy on my heart. It has been challenging to process these losses and in many ways we are still grieving even as we move forward.

Reflection…

This past year has also been a season of great reflection. Seeking God’s direction for our future. Recalling the hand of God in the past. Particularly, the events of our move from Congo to Lesotho brought on reflection. What had God done with our time in Congo? What had he done in those around us? What had he done in us? What does he have in store for the future? God has blessed us with some small glimpses into things he has done these past 10 years with MAF. It is encouraging and strengthening as we look to the future and strive to follow Him into this new season of ministry.   

Peace…

In the midst of the loss and reflection, God has allowed us a season of peace. It has been unlike any season we have ever walked through. I still find myself surprised by moments of calm when His presence and goodness have been unexpected and overwhelming. It is like knowing someone and suddenly finding a new side of them that you knew existed, but you have never been around for.

Gratitude…

We have found ourselves grateful for it all…the losses, the challenges of the past, the pain, the joys, the opportunity to glimpse God’s hand at work. Gratitude in the midst of heartache is hard. For years we have fought to lead our hearts. Sometimes winning and sometimes losing that battle. Right now it feels like we are resting in gratitude.

There is a song that Joey heard years ago when in the midst of a challenging, heart breaking time. It was sung by a little girl and made an impact on us. It came to mind again this summer on a day of grief. It may seem like an odd song for such times, but it has come to be the song for us for this season of life.

Favorite Photos from December

Surprisingly, Eleanor was not at first a fan of solid food!

"Levi, can you smile for the camera? I am!!!"

We had the joy of going to three Christmas services and everyone enjoyed getting to wear their special outfits multiple times.

All the kids (except Eleanor) got cozy items for Christmas that will come in handy more in July than currently in our 85 degree weather.

Not MY favorite photo, but some people thought you would all enjoy seeing me try and demonstrating to the girls how to hoola hoop. It has been way too long! Joey is actually the best in the family.

It was fun shopping with the girls for Christmas presents. They are finally old enough that they knew exactly what they wanted to get Dad for Christmas...fancy coffee and Oreos.

Everyone enjoyed a Christmas day nap. Dorothy was kind enough to ham it up for a good crazy hair photo.

The most recent three year old enjoyed a good cowboy ride to bed!

Favorite Photos from November

A parenting first for us...Dorothy lost a tooth! Appropriate for the season, she is now missing two front teeth.

What's an anniversary without a unique twist? Our 12th we celebrated with the flu, which I got while at a conference in South Africa. Joey proved that he is still willing to go to great lengths to be there for me. He packed the kids up, crossed the border, and drove several hours to come and bring me home. (sigh) "My hero!"

Hey, they are almost all looking at the camera!!!

Thanksgiving was a really hard day this year. Missed my family A LOT. However, we were blessed to be able to spend the evening with friends. Thankful for good food and fellowship.

Although both girls are learning to read on their own, everyone still loves a good story time...me too.

Our little Eleanor has started trying different solid foods. She is always a little wary at first, but always decides the new flavor is a good one!

New Friends…Metal Ones

One thing I love about working on airplanes is when you get to work on the same airplane over and over again. For the first year or two in Congo, I did most of the flying and maintenance on our Cessna 206, aka Charlie Uniform India (CUI). After a while, I became very familiar with just about every detail of that airplane. And if someone else worked on the airplane and replaced something, like the alternator belt or the spark plugs, I would notice it right away. There is something comforting about a familiar airplane.

I don’t know our Lesotho airplanes yet. But recently I began getting acquainted with Charlie Mike Hotel (CMH). As part of my maintenance review, I did an engine inspection on CMH. It was a lot of fun poring over the engine, looking for any problems (broken wires, oil leaks, or any other damage). It was like meeting a new friend for the first time, but instantly feeling like you had known each other for a long time. Maybe that’s a little sappy, but it sure was fun getting to know a new airplane!