Roadtrip!

I got the opportunity to return to the Johannesburg area for a women’s conference in the beginning of March.

I had planned to go to this conference months prior to our emergency trip to Johannesburg in December and I was thankful that God had restored my health enough that I could go at nine weeks second post-op.

It was my first time crossing the border without Matt and taking a roadtrip to South Africa with a bunch of wonderful ladies.

Thanks to my buddy and colleague, Liana, we navigated there well and enjoyed a bit of kid free time for a week. Honestly, I didn’t really know what to do with myself with all the free time, but I found some useful ways of enjoying the time.

I even got to visit a dear friend who also happened to be my surgeon during my previous adventure in Johannesburg. Funny how God orchestrates friendship even amongst the most challenging circumstances. While it brought up some triggers, it was such a blessing to get to share a smoothie with a friend who thankfully wasn’t wearing scrubs that day. 😉 She was sick or I would have asked to take a picture together. But I have a feeling there will probably be a next time for a picture. =)

We stayed on a beautiful piece of property with some friends that we partner with here in Mozambique, Palavra da Vida (Word of Life). I even had some added friends join my morning Bible time. The welcome mat was always out! =)

We enjoyed some solid Biblical teaching and refreshment at a conference in Pretoria.

And some fun out with the ladies before returning home.

When we got back to Mozambique, we enjoyed a little time with our team (though we missed our supervisors who are Stateside right now). Matt brought the girls up to the capital where we reunited after a week apart and then after restocking a bit we returned back to Maxixe a few days later.

Of course we couldn’t miss out on a little bit of fun with our teammates there in the capital. =)

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Yay for restock and a pit-stop at the “grocery” on the way home.

It was indeed a wonderful trip and a wonderful homecoming.

March 27, 2019 0

Re-Entering Well

Upon returning from Johannesburg in January, we set to settling back in. My garden had become a real jungle while we were away. So as soon as my strength returned, we set to work taming the beast.

We even found some hiding produce! Yay! (Nevermind the scratch on the table in the picture. We do real life here.)

The “Garden of Eden” quickly came back together and became my favorite spot to enjoy a morning cup of tea again.

Routine vet trips for cat vaccinations commenced, complete with the good ole “hang a cat in a bag to weigh it” developing world fun.

Homeschool preparations happened faster than I had hoped since we needed to get the school year going and I had donated my prep time elsewhere this year. 😉 And as proved true this year again, a cat is ALWAYS available to help.

We also celebrated Christmas

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and two birthdays

Look at my beautiful birthday present!!!

And then three quarters of the way through January, we were finally caught up and able to start the new school year which can be read about over here.

March 24, 2019 0

Lemonade

Despite our last trip to Johannesburg not being ideal, we were able to do some fun things there that I don’t want to get lost in the health challenges justifying our visit.

We celebrated Rachael’s 10th birthday there at a very fun trampoline park with our dear friends.

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We also got the opportunity to celebrate some of our friends’ birthdays, which is always a treat because when you live a country apart those opportunities are few and far between.

We went to a zoo and enjoyed eating at a few restaurants with some of our fellow colleagues and friends.

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The girls got the opportunity to go on a park outing with some colleagues/friends too while Matt and I were at doctors appointments.

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A few mornings this wonderful little girl spontaneously decided to cook the whole family breakfast. She saw an opportunity to serve and she stepped up to the plate humbly and quietly. Her little heart of gold.

And of course this guy poured over our little ladies, playing endless games, and shining as a SuperDad while this mommy recovered.

Yes, even amongst the challenge of that trip, we were able to find MUCH joy.

Together.

Making some refreshing lemonade out of lemons. =)

March 22, 2019 1

Remember

This past Wednesday marked 8 weeks post-op (really 8 weeks second post-op) and I found myself remembering. In gratitude. In overwhelm in some moments. And in honor of my Father who reached down into the depths of my darkest moments and healed me. Here at eight weeks post-op I am finally past 98% of the symptoms and have much freedom to choose what to eat again, no longer based on pain levels thereafter. I no longer feel sick/dizzy regularly and can finally claim that this appears to be behind me. How thankful I have been as each symptom has slowly faded away into a past memory.

I remember.

And I am humbled.

Even when my eyes could not see.

You were always there with me.

These are not my words. This is not my melody. But at risk of being misunderstood in heart, I have chosen to share with you a song that has been healing to me throughout this journey. It expresses something so deep within me that I have failed to find my own words for at times. There have been hours of singing this song in my heart as I walked the Mozambican highway, the sun freshly breaking forth on a new morning. Nothing about this process has been easy, but such beauty my Father has brought from these ashes. I truly can’t stop thinking about His goodness.

So, I invite you into the deep. The vulnerable. The truth of the processing of all this. Welcome to my dining room. Literally. Come thank our Father alongside of me as He has walked through every step of this with me. That He would receive all the glory He is due.

…I remember… what an honor.

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I will never be able to do anything to deserve the Love God has extended down to this nobody through His grace. I cannot earn grace. It is a free gift from the Father, Who desires all of us. Why us? Why restore broken humanity? Why me? My mind is baffled. Yet still He reaches down through the perfect sacrifice of His Son to right our broken relationship with Him – that we may KNOW Him and know Him deeply as we are known by Him. That I could sit at the foot of a huge tree one fall day with tear-stained eyes over my sins, my inability to uphold His perfect law. And that I could approach the Father in the sincerity of my heart, praying my own words, and receiving the freeing gift of salvation in Christ. I cannot bear the weight of my own sin, but the chosen Messiah, Jesus, took my place as the perfect sacrifice. I will never get over this. The Messiah took MY place that I could be grafted into a right relationship with my precious, beloved Father.

He led me to those truths through His Magnificent Word. And those truths have spoken to the depths of me. He defines me. I am His.

What really have I done to deserve Love like this? A Love that He has extended to me time and time again, even in that darkness of an ICU room in Johannesburg. Still He breathed His Love into me, reviving me through His Word.

The following melody is not my own but has captured my heart in the overwhelming astonishment that such a deep Love would be offered to me. Nothingness me.

I am so thankful to get the honor to tell His story in my life. How He drew me up from dark waters and restored my soul. How He sees me. How He loves me. It’s a risk to share this song with you. Vulnerability is not easy. But I am reminded of 1 Peter 3:15: “but honor the Messiah as Lord in your hearts. Always be ready to give a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you.”

My defense, my account, is nothing other than the utter Love of God poured out on this undeserving nobody.

Such a Father.

Such a Love.

Extended to all.

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Soli Deo Gloria.

(All Glory be to God.)

February 26, 2019 1

Back to School

The morning began with this shared message to a few dear friends:

Eden, this morning, was singing an original song, “No One’s Listening to Daddy”. It had one line only, on repeat. But she rocked that truthful melody with raspy, dramatic conviction. And thus began our “back to school” day. Hahaha. #reallife 😂

School may have launched with a rocky start of technology being a hot mess. But everyone’s spirits were high and their tastebuds hungry for learning despite, clearly, no one listening to Daddy as he ushered them into school readiness the first morning.

I love how they devour new discoveries. How they hang in anticipation of science experiments, art projects and pop-up pyramid books. How they squeal as we talk about Old Testament Jewish feasts that we are studying and having this year. How they fidget and giggle about getting to do their DVD reading programs and being old enough to start formal math. Life is just so crazy fun in their eyes.