BEGINNINGS

Well...this has been an adventure!!  Just trying to get this "blog" started -- as I thought it would be helpful to give some personal thoughts about our Peruvian missionary under-taking!  So, here is the beginning of a blog -- that I hope will be informative and helpful to share more specifics and give greater understanding of things that we're going through.

For those of you who need a good laugh regarding some other "beginnings" for me, I am joining the 21st century and biting the technology bullet -- in my own small way!  I got my first laptop!!  I just downloaded some songs from iTunes (for the 1st time!!) woot, woot!  (My first download was Parrell Williams' song
"Happy.") and I created a Facebook page for our missions ministry!  (Thanks for your help, son!)
However, we still have flip phones (someone laughed at me at VCU orientation this week!) and I'm still using an mp3 player to listen to songs on the go!!  But hey!  Baby steps -- and it's all working well for us for now!  (Although my phone -- a TracFone -- did not work on the VCU campus.  I had to get way far away from the buildings for it to work.  So we're going to have to think about that one!!)

A side note about all this technology --- I cannot put my finger on it, but ...there is something amiss about this computer age.  I notice that most people are on their computers nearly all day.  What in the world did people do to spend their 'down time' before computers and iPods and iPads existed or were so readily prevalent?  We are so tied to them now.  People are connected to a machine rather than to each other.  Hmmm...maybe more on this later if I can put my thoughts/feelings about it into words.

As I said earlier -- I went to VCU orientation w/ our youngest this week. More beginnings!  She got word that the dorm she is assigned to is not at all to her liking.  It's not even on the main VCU campus.  It's on their sister campus more in the downtown area!  What?!?  They're hoping to go to VCU tomorrow and straighten that out.  But I am so thrilled at her change of heart about it.  The news was at first very disheartening and frustrating.  But today, she mentioned at church that if it ends up being that way, it's meant to be.  I am so pleased at that mature attitude coming from my daughter.  But I too hope that it can be re-arranged. It just doesn't seem ideal at all.  Lord -- we are trusting that You've "got this!"

It is beginning to hit me more and more about how our obedience to follow God's leadership to Peru is going to change so much in our lives.  Not being present with our children -- to hold them, and hug them, and kiss their cheeks is going to be SO weird.  That would have happened whether we were going to Peru or not b/c of their stages of life. Such is the "empty nest" phase of life.  I have to say, I don't think that I will handle it very well at all, BUT I am so thankful that God has given us this new chapter in our own lives to fill our minds and hearts with so much new stuff to learn and deal with and get accustomed to, that the time for moping about missing the children will be greatly diminished.  And, thank God for this age of Skype and e-mail! (I downloaded Skype onto my new laptop last week!  I'm getting prepared!!  :D )  I feel so blessed that He called us to "go" to the mission field in this day and age!!  Those missionaries who followed His call to go years ago -- and even not so many years ago -- lived way more sacrificially than I feel like we'll have to.  When they left family and friends, they left and had no chance to "see" them regularly, or even connect with them on a frequent basis.  We are so fortunate to be going to the mission field in this technological age!!  We'll be able to "see" family and friends and "connect" on holidays and such!!  What a blessing that will be!

The stress is beginning to rise as our time here in the States in diminishing.  It feels like there is SO MUCH to do and to get done before we leave.  We are also trying to prepare for our month long intercultural training in South Carolina.  I will leave my job in 3 weeks.  I'm beginning to get sad about that.  I really like my job and my co-workers.  They are great!  It is been a great blessing to me.  Rick and I put together a "calendar map" this week as dates are beginning to crash together with regard to the things we need to get done.  (ie. we end our mission training class and the very next day is E.'s "move in" date for college!)  We also hope to travel and see family and friends before leaving - so that we can give those hugs and kiss cheeks!!  Dotting all of our i's and crossing all of our t's is going to take some concerted planning and preparing.  Thank God He has our backs and continues to give us direction -- and remind us of things that need to get done.  First and foremost we must remember to be with Him daily.  I was reminded afresh of that imperative when I read Luke 10:38-42 yesterday --  Esp. vs. 40  "...but Martha was distracted with all her preparations;..."  And vs. 42: "...But only a few things are necessary, really only one ..."

So ... I'm beginning to see that this first blog post is getting pretty long -- and wordy!  (But those of you who know me know that is probably going to be typical!)  So I will end it -- and hopefully get it posted!
But do know that I am also beginning to get very excited as this expectation and call of serving the Lord in Peru is becoming more and more of a reality.  It is really happening!  Plane tickets are being bought.  (One way this time!!!  Wow....)  Papers for language schooling are being submitted.  The ball is beginning to roll more and more quickly down the hill towards departure!  These "beginnings" have been a long time in coming, but .... they're here now!  These are exciting and BUSY beginnings!

Hasta la proxima!  (Until next time.      [I think!]  :D )