the line

We wrapped up a lovely time in Fort Myers with Matt’s parents, brother and sister-in-law, and our niece and nephew…we had awesome food, went swimming, went to the trampoline park (it was a rainy week!), had a great church service Sunday, went on lots of walks and bike rides, had tea parties and date night, and all had a lot of good family time together!  Matt’s parents took the days off work and the cousins were mostly off school, and we had fun bouncing between his parents house and brother’s house.  

By bedtime last night everyone was emotional, just like our last evening in Kansas.  Why do we have to leave again, when are we going to see them again, and Nora adding to the mix with “But I’m going to miss my FRIENDS!!!” 

It is just not easy. Wasn’t and isn’t and won’t be. Our family is so all splayed, our homes so diverse that you’re always missing someone.  We are trying to encourage our girlies to be grateful for the precious time we do have in each place, with each person, and as we all sang Oceans again at bedtime last night, that we’d keep our eyes above the waves and trust Him as He leads.

One of those totally unexpected ways that the Lord met us this past week was on Sunday evening, when we went out with Casey and Laura for dinner.  After an awesome meal, we decided to walk around the shopping district to help our food settle, and we were only about 2 steps in when Matt heard a family passing us speaking Haitian Creole.  Being Mother’s Day in Haiti, Matt greeted them in Creole with a “Happy Mother’s Day!”

The mom, dad and three grown children were more than a little shocked, and for 15 minutes we all stood on the sidewalk laughing and talking, realizing that they are from a town not far from us, that they know several of the same people we do, that they used to go to a church one of our adjunct professors pastors, then on to what their life is like these last four years in Ft. Meyers, what our life is like these past 11 years in Haiti.  

By the time we headed our separate ways, there were kisses and good wishes and hand-holding all around, and as we continued our walk with Casey and Laura, it had been a refreshing reminder of some of the sweetness of life in Haiti…a sustainer to keep on trusting Him in the midst of travelling trials. 

“You don’t KNOW those people?” Casey and Laura asked, noting how warm and animated and kind the group had been.  

Which is just how it IS. 

A beautiful, heart-wrenching, happy and devastating place to live, where far more people are leaving than coming, where community is quick and faithful and where…this encounter reminded us…He’s surely equipped and called, formed and filled us to be.  

That fine line...even when it’s hard. Which is quite often.

Lily continues to struggle the most, continue to pray for her, and for grace and understanding and wisdom for Matt and I as we try to shepherd and disciple and love on her in the midst of a LOT of very different days, different places, different people, different experiences, different emotions, different schedules.   

It is a hard, hard line when far from home (and the girls' home culture) to find and follow while everything is so uprooted, that line between grace and discipline, between choosing the things to hold firm to and the things to let go, between what is most important and what can wait a few weeks, between our standards and world standards they're seeing and asking all about.   

We have lots of good things to look forward to and we’re pressing on!  Five am Thursday morning brought on another flight, this time from Ft Myers to Philadelphia.  A friend is picking us up, taking us to the generous Dutton’s house, where they are letting us use their car the next few weeks. We’re in a hotel for a few days, while Matt spends Friday and Saturday doing a wedding rehearsal a few hours away, and then a wedding for his cousin and her fiancé, catching up with lots of his dad’s family.

Sunday morning Matt’ll be preaching at Seeds of Greatness Bible Church, both services…if you’re in the DE/PA/NJ region, we’d love to see you there, and worshipping with our SoG family is always SO good and encouraging!