Thursday 3 July 2008

The 4th of July in Canada

Tomorrow is the third full day of the seminar. Things have been going great. There are a lot of great topics that I have not thought about before. Some of these cultural things would have been so helpful to know in my first 2 church appointments! The discussions have provided a lot of insight into different aspects of mission work for Jeff and I, giving us a lot to think about. We discussed animistic world view today, which was fascinating for me. There is so much information being shared, that we're absorbing it and inspired on how it will apply to our future ministry in Spain.

Tonight has been a much better experience than the past couple evenings. Rather than stay put in the small, dorm-like rooms, we decided to go see a piece of Toronto after dinner. We walked along the boardwalk of Lake Ontario and just enjoyed the cool evening. You can even tell a great difference in the boys this evening. Perhaps less stress among Mom and Dad, de-stresses them too?? : )

I have been really struggling with issue of our life just simply being a chaotic mess right now. Life lived in transition is never fun for adults, much less toddlers. And if you know anything about our family you know we live an extremely ordered, scheduled, and structured life. (I nursed my boys on a very strict time schedule, if that gives you any insight. A schedule and routine has been a part of their life since they were born.) So to have such a flux in what our norm is and not have the power to provide any real order to the chaos for a while, it has really been tough on our family. Today at lunch, I near burst into tears while talking to a former missionary woman who served with her small children and family in Nepal. She talked about how it's a process of learning to give your children into the hands of God, not just yourself. I started crying because I realized that's what God is trying to teach me, I think. These kids are not my own. They are his. And this move is just as much for them as it is for me. My time is not my own, it is his. So the upset of how I think my days should be ordered is part of His plan. So, out of the blizzard chaos I see there will be a lesson to learn.

Anyways...tomorrow Jeff and I give our testimonies during the seminar. (Americans on the 4th, go figure.) And we have an exercise in Toronto's Chinatown as well as dinner! (I am mostly excited about dinner.)

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