the good, the bad and the ugly

Whew.  I've been waiting for the Lord to help balance my emotions before getting on the blog!

Our return already has just been crazy full of lots of highs and lows, great time with friends and inward struggles.  

It is insanely hot, and pouring sweat 24/7 and being unable to escape the heat is going to take some getting used to again.  Everything in the house was growing with mold due to the high humidity and the house being empty.  Every toy, every sock, every pot and pan, every shoe, everything.  Things you would never think mold could grow on.  Our house didn't have power for long stretches of time, meaning all our frozen beef, all the mayo, jam, etc...yeah, really gross.  

Shay (the dog) is looking really awful (I mean really), and we're trying to nurse her back to health or face the painful reality of having to perhaps put her down...she is in so much pain she can barely walk.  Our cat is really sick, which has included massive amounts of continual diarrhea, and our screens are so worn out and decaying that when we put the cat out to prevent more messes, she just bursts through a different screen.  

Add a thick layer of grime to everything, a million loads of laundry to get the mold out, and the cockroaches and rats (and I'm sure tarantulas) that have moved in in our absence.  Everyone looks to mom for "What's for dinner?" and until this afternoon when we stocked up on food, the answer the last 6 meals has been "mac-n-cheese" and a can of cranberry sauce that somehow made it through the mold storm.  Add the news of a major break-in and theft in the men's dorm a few weeks ago, which included the son of the head of security. 

Picture all this, then a crying heat-rashed baby and a very curious, getting into everything Lily.

I won't lie to you, I've had my quick-to-wimp moments of:  "I don't think I can do this.  Why do we do this?  It shouldn't have to be this hard!  I miss grandpa's house and Meijer and carpeting and air conditioning and restaurants.  Someone get me a shower and take me out to dinner and a movie in a cold dark theater!"

So our re-introduction to this land and life and calling that we love has been a little ugly. 

But then there was church yesterday, where we discovered a major burden has been miraculously taken care of (Thank you, Lord) and a few dozen dear friends whom we were SO glad to see and who were SO glad to see us.  A great phone call with Gertha.  A great visit with Kerline last night.  Catching up with the community yesterday afternoon.  A good talk with Belo this morning.  A great meeting with Lucner and Paul a few minutes ago.  So much confidence and excitement in those two!  Good friends all around us, all anxious to hear about our families and our time out, anxious to meet Sofie and catch up with Lily.  Good news of lots of good ministry happening.  Good news about lots of different students.

And as we walked around the campus last night, trying to find a breeze and get out of the house, seeing the buildings and praying over them...just brimming with hope.  I can almost hear the guys playing soccer, laughing uproariously.  I can almost hear Lucner, Guenson, Matt teaching the Word loudly, can almost hear the students singing bold praise in beautiful harmony to the Lord.  I can't WAIT to see what the Lord has in store for this upcoming year and can't WAIT to hear more stories and testimonies of what He has been doing while we've been out.  His faithfulness and trueness to being Himself remains.

It's just rats.  And sweat.  Diarrhea and mold.  Not going to flower that up for you.  But that's why we're told to store up our treasures in heaven, huh.  No moths or dust or thieves or rust, but beautiful things that bring Him glory and that truly matter....kingdom things.  

I'm committing (and probably recommitting at least a few more times today alone :) to let go of the earthy crud, to deliberately let go of the materialistic longings, and store up all these beautiful moments and allow Him to use this to bring us closer to Him.  

And there goes another roach. 

Recommitting.  

Thanks for all your love and prayers!

Lily, happily rediscovering her "bathtub".

Sophia, the daughter of Matt's highschool friend who was born exactly 2 hours earlier than our Sofia.  Alex and Jenny so graciously housed us in Fort Lauderdale Friday night and took us to the airport at 4 am Saturday morning.

Lily finally got to spend a bit of time with Sarah and Becca while we ate with Dave and Ann the day before leaving for Haiti.  Lily had SUCH a blast that she bawled when it was time to leave.  Ahhh, this picture makes me want Panera.   

Recommitting.