In Love

Perhaps it is the weather or the fact I got to sleep in on my most amazing new mattress. It could also be that Coke Light was finally restocked in the fridge at Supermercado Jarabacoa or that Oliver, our prodigy art student showed up the other day filled with joy, awe and wonder by his 50-piece set of colored pens that he received for Christmas and his relief that, finally, the art school was back open and he could continue learning how to draw fruit.
It could be that God my Father just feels like pouring out his abundant, radiant, beautiful face on me...
but whatever it is, I am in love.
There have been times in the last 5 months that have been good, where warm feelings have sprung up and filled me, but for the large part, I have felt really dry, spiritually, as I've struggled to understand, accept and integrate into this new culture.
I dunno (and I probably never will) why our spiritual lives move in seasons and while I appreciate every season and what it does for me, this season is my favorite.
"See ! The winter is past; the rains are over and gone. Flowers appear on the earth; the season of singing has come, the cooing of doves is heard in our land. The fig tree forms its early fruit; and the blossoming vines spread their fragrance. Arise, come, my darling; my beautiful one, come with me." Song of Songs 2:11-13
How can I resist such a call? When 'deep calls out to deep' there is nothing one can do but surrender to it. It is times like these, when circumstances haven't changed and there is no possible explanation for why all of a sudden I should be feeling so overwhelmingly enamored with life, that I fall in deeper awe and love with the Lord. It is times like these that keep me going in drought, that keep my soul waiting for Him, longing for him.
My heart is filled with singing. I laughed at the traffic jam in the street today. I thought birds looked especially bright and colorful as I stared out the window and my neighbor's car alarm which always goes off at random hours and usually makes me want to throw and break things filled me with delight today.
I can't explain it.
I'm just in love.

Back

It was a long travel day. But let me just plug Jet Blue for a moment. Posh leather seats, enough leg room to CROSS MY LEGS, personal TV and lots of snacks. I had empty seats next to me all the way and so I stretched out. However sleep evaded me. I arrived in Santiago mid-morning. It was hot and humid-- quite the transition from 43 degrees in LA and New York. I arrived home and was greeted by our brutish Dobermans, who were covered in ticks, and also by several cockroaches. I was not greeted by our dear kitty Shiloh. He got out while we were gone and our brutish Dobermans killed the little guy. Sniff. Such is nature.
I fell into bed almost immediately after arriving,rested a bit and then headed off to have a delicious home-cooked soup with my friend Arlene. Then there was staff Bible Study. It was wonderful to see everyone again, to be welcomed home with strong hugs. But it felt weird. Driving, buying milk at the store, listening to voices singing praise to the Lord in Spanish, all so familiar, yet I felt lost. Not sleeping for a really long time had an affect, but my heart, in many ways, had already started reattaching to American life.
Today, I slept a good portion of the day and really prayed through the transition sadness.
A good friend came at just the right time and I was able to pour out my heart to her. She read me the lyrics of a Spanish worship song and also some exerpts from a book written by Graham Cooke. The theme was about remaining in the hidden place with God, letting yourself be formed by the Master Craftsman, allowing His hammer blows and refining fire purify you so that you may shine and endure even when it seems he is not 'moving' or speaking. I basically needed to be reminded again that "I am crucified with Christ and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me."
Leaving behind family, friends, church and the ease of ministering in my own language is hard to bear, but if I follow Christ to the point of death, He will resurrect something holy and wonderful because He is good.
I am excited to be here. I know God has great things and I am ready to jump in wholeheartedly.
Keep going.
If there is anything I would want to encourage any believer with, it is KEEP GOING. Christ is faithful, He is good and His reward is with Him.
Here's to a new year looking toward the unfolding plans of God in each of our lives as we pursue Him.