My heart feels so full right now! These recent weeks have been such a blessing to me. We are traveling to see family and friends before leaving for Peru -- in just 9 short days now. (I can't believe it's really here! Wow!) And I'm rejoicing in this wonderful time and opportunity.
We have visited my parents in Florida. That was a delightful visit. Difficult at the end as tears were shed b/c of the distance that will soon be between us. BUT, the reminder that God's "got this" and the fact that we can return home in a day if something comes up helps to quell the sorrow of the distance.
Rick & I enjoyed a marriage retreat at a horse farm in Tennessee near Nashville. Lovely setting: very relaxing and conducive to inner reflection and vulnerable sharing. Met a dear brother and sister in Christ: Ralph & Joni Cook. Such hospitable, and insightful folks. And we experienced a very sacred and blessed time. (Thank You, Lord.) I got to visit my alma mater, Belmont University again! Very neat! (It's so BIG now!)
Then we got to visit some friends from NY who now live in TN, and who have been faithful supporters of our Peru mission endeavor: Bill & Carol Quattrochiocci (sorry if I spelled it wrong!). What wonderful hosts! They showed us several interesting sights in the area! Neat time together! And they helped us celebrate Rick's birthday!
Traveling on our way to Kentucky, I got to check off a "bucket list" item: we visited and toured Mammoth Cave! That was not on our travel agenda, but we realized we were traveling right by it, and so we decided to stop! It is absolutely appropriately named!! Wow! We were in only 2 of the 400+ miles of cave and it was gigantic!! An absolute wonder that is a "must see" for folks! You WILL BE amazed!!
Our next delight was getting to visit Lakewood Baptist Church in Louisville, KY -- a church that we helped to plant while we were in Seminary! It was wonderful to see an established, thriving church worshiping and serving there now! To be able to see and experience fruit from labor is truly a blessing and treasure.
After being home for 2 days, packing more boxes, and giving away some furniture to our neighbors, we headed to New York to visit our oldest daughter and our sending church, Living Water Baptist Church for a "send off Sunday" tomorrow! I was also able to visit my former work-mates at City Hall in Binghamton, NY. It was great to see them again. We also had some fellowship with our Dir. of Missions and his wife, our dear friends Ed & Lyn Hart, who have been with us from our very first ministry in Waverly, NY. They were also our encouragers at the very start of our inklings of a call to Peru!
A twist of events -- an added item to our travel agenda -- was to attend the funeral service today of our dear friend, Becky Hill's, mom. Becky called us while were in KY last weekend to tell us that her mom had passed away unexpectedly. On the same day, we got news that a former church member in Binghamton had also passed away a few days prior. Both of these women were younger women. Thankfully, they both knew the Lord and are now at Home. And our blessed hope from the Scripture is that their lives are not over -- just changed. It was also a very stark reminder that one never knows what a day will bring. We do not know how much more time we have on this earth. We've GOT to make the most of our days.
I'm so thankful that we were able to attend Becky's mom's funeral today. It was the most amazing funeral service that I have ever been to. From the very beginning to the very end, the service was so full of rejoicing and praise to God for His glory and amazing love and grace that He has shown to us, and to Becky's mom, and through Becky's mom. The place was PACKED! It was nearly a 3 hour long service! It was wild to see Becky & her Dad smiling and clapping and praising God during the praise and worship time. Wow! What HOPE! It was such a great reminder that we, as believers in Christ, are indeed people of hope! Thanks to the blessed promises that are ours in Scripture, we can rejoice in what is truly ETERNAL life! Hallelujah! Becky's mom sounds like a truly amazing woman! I was inspired, and somewhat convicted, as I reflected on my own life: How am I loving others? How is my life impacting others? Am I showing kindness and gentleness to others? Is Christ's love flowing through me to others -- to strangers, friends, my own family? Is my focus on God's glory, or seeking attention for myself? Am I trusting completely in God's promises? Do I believe in a big, able God in such a way that I adjust my life to reflect that?
Lots of thoughts. Lots of amazement as I watched this grieving family today rejoice in a God of great comfort. Wow! Such a moving time.
Another weird thing: both of these women passed around their birthdays -- one on the day after her birthday (which was the same as Rick's), and the other was buried ON her birthday -- which happened to be on 9/11. And, the day Becky's mom passed, was also the day that the 3rd child of some fellow missionaries was born! Life goes on. Life is so fragile, and yet ... it goes on. It's just sobering at times to think of how we're 1 heartbeat away from our eternity outside the flesh. And I have to say, I am sad for the recent passing of Joan Rivers and Robin Williams and Truett Cathy. Life is precious, and when it's ended on this earth, it is sad for those whose lives have been touched by that person and who remain on earth without them. I don't know, but from all I've heard, I imagine Truett Cathy is now Home. I don't know anything at all about Robin Williams' or Joan Rivers' hopes and beliefs. I hope they're Home. I know they made us laugh and we will miss their "unspoiled" humor. (I know -- sadly, some was incredibly raunchy and distasteful. But some was just plain funny.) I'm just so sad that Robin felt hopeless, and that Joan seemed to want a Hollywood spectacle for her "funeral." I think about the differences in these lives and recent funerals...
Well -- enough about death. I plan to focus on LIFE! Thank You, Lord, for my eternal life that is found in You and sustained by You and Your grace, love, and power! May more of our friends and family come to know You, and the HOPE that is found in You alone. Praise You, Lord, for making our hearts FULL. May many Peruvians come to know of this blessed HOPE that is found in You! Help us to live lives of LOVE and continue to rejoice with hearts that are FULL!
And one more thing -- we ended this day with some more fellowship and good food and fun with our dear friends, the Roses, who have also been our dear friends from our very earliest of ministry days here in NY! Again, I am just so thankful that I am part of the family of God! These good times of fellowship will continue on into eternity! Hallelujah! We tasted a glimpse of glory today! It's gonna be AWESOME!!
