Hold on Tight!

When I was a kid, we had an amazing sledding hill behind our house.

That's back when I liked winter; when snow was fun.

We would hike up the hill, jump onto a sled, and whoosh, down the hill we went. The faster the sled went, the more fun we had. Gravity plus snow made for many fun afternoons.

There were a couple things about those rides I learned very quickly. 

For example, there's no stopping once the sled started its descent. Oh, you could jump off. But that usually resulted in a painful dismount with only the cold wet, snow to stop your forward progress.

In addition,  trudging up the hill coupled with the  the exhilarating ride down would leave participants exhausted and lethargic. After a few trips, a mandatory rest period was necessary.

You may be asking yourself why is she telling us about sledding. What does that have to do with Morrison Academy or Taiwan?

Well, actually nothing.

Except that is exactly how I have felt the last couple weeks.

For months, weeks, and days I counted down the days until Abbi flew home. 

Her arrival signaled the last two weeks of school.

That was like being at the top of a huge sledding hill. The view of the coming summer was magnificent. I was ready. I was excited.

So I jumped onto the "sled" and started the descent to the end of the school year. But, once it started, it quickly  picked up speed and careened almost out of control. Jumping off was out of the question. 

There were meetings, appreciation banquets, dinners, sports awards, barbecues, talent shows, report cards. The list goes on and on.

Last Friday, I completed the last day of school. Like my childhood sledding days, I lay at the end of the ride, exhausted and lethargic. Happy, of course, that the end was here, but too tired to jump up and celebrate.

That's why this blog has been silent, unattended, absent.

But, never fear! I am now rested and relaxed, so here are some videos and pictures for you to enjoy!

Jake at the waterfall.

Abbi jumping.

Abbi and Jake climbing up the waterfall.

We visited one of our favorite waterfalls the Sunday before the last week of school. The hike to our destination was quite a workout, but well worth the effort. The scenery was beautiful and the weather perfect for getting wet!

During that last week of school, we went on a field trip to the Science Museum and had a Pool Pizza Party of which I have no pictures. I forgot my camera for the first, and was too busy swimming and having fun on the second.

I did, however,  remember my camera the last day of school!

They look so calm and in control.

But they really are not.

No words needed!

Who is happier? The teacher or the students?

Final chapel- Our God Is a Great Big God

After the final dismissal at 10:30, I worked another three hours cleaning and organizing my deserted classroom, before needing to prepare for the evening's commencement.

It was so nice to attend a graduation where one of my own children wasn't wearing a cap and gown. This was only the second time in our five years here at Morrison, and I am ok with that.

The next morning, I lay exhausted at the bottom of the hill. The school year was officially over. 

It had been quite a ride, full of laughter, joy, and love!

But, for now, I think I will just rest here at the bottom.

Just Not Ready

Today was the perfect day to hike to a waterfall.

So we did.

Maybe hike isn't the correct word to describe our journey. It's more than a hike. 

In Taiwan, its called river trekking.

No matter its name, its quite a workout for this short, half-blind, middle age American!

Parking above the stream, we first had to make our way through the weedy and bushy slope down to the river. When I say river, do not picture an expanse of water. Do not think of America's broad and water-filled Mississippi or even the Ohio River. Those are flat land rivers.

The river I am speaking of is in the mountains. Its borders are hard to define due to all the large boulders and rocks that have tumbled down from the higher ground. The water's course often divided by these landslide deposits. Shallow, it rapidly flows through small and big obstacles.  Often the only passable route is through the water. Clear, cool, deep pools of water often await those willing to climb, crawl, leap, and navigate through nature's obstacle course. A course whose end you can only hear, not see.

I love the challenge.

I shouldn't, but I do.

In case you don't know, I am short; very short. I have the stride of a second grader. River trekking occasionally calls for stepping, sometimes jumping, across large expanses.  

Another challenge for me is my eye sight. With a small field of vision, I usually see what is directly ahead of me. This makes knowing what's around me difficult. It also makes following someone impossible.

Another result of a small field of vision is the loss of depth. Most people don't know this. Neither did I until I suddenly started tripping down steps on a regular basis. Depth perception requires a large field of vision. So while river trekking, I am never sure how far down my next step truly is. What my eyes think is only a few inches can actually be a few feet. 

But, despite these hurdles, I still enjoy the journey.

Maybe that's because I am not alone.

God has blessed me with an amazingly patient husband.

Carl, holding my hand, instructed, guided, steadied, and pulled me along the way. 

As a mom, I pray regularly for my kids. 

I know most moms do.

One thing I have constantly prayed for all three of my boys is for God to bring godly men into their lives. Godly men that will mentor and guide them into their adulthood. Godly men that will challenge them to be the men God designed them to be.

They have an amazing father, a godly man., who loves them dearly, but at times, children tend to not listen to the guidance of their parents. 

Besides praying, I have always put my sons in the position to be around such men. When they were younger, it was our church family. Later when we moved to Taiwan, there was an abundance of godly men in their lives. When Nick and Ben both chose to go to Oklahoma Baptist University, I prayed God would continue leading Spirit-filled men into their lives.

That's why this picture brought tears to my eyes.

An Almost Whole Heart

In recent years, I have discovered the airport to be both the happiest and the saddest place on the face of the earth.

I rather like the arrival hall while truly detesting the departure gate.

Thursday evening found us at the happy place- the arrival gate.

And my heart became a little bit more whole.

After a ten month separation, these two were reunited.

Having grown up in a missions active family and church, I knew missionary kids grew up and left for college. When we left Ohio and moved to Taiwan, I knew my kids would do the same: grow up, graduate, and move back to the US for college.

But knowing it and living it are two different things.

For the past three years, I have been living it, and might I say, its not easy! 

It is moments like these that sustain...

Silly times of togetherness.

I was curious to see how our hair colors compared.

Abbi made it home, just mere hours before Jake's 16th birthday arrived.  He chose one of Abbi's favorite places for his birthday dinner. Pho has become a family favorite- delicious, filling, and affordable!

Old enough to cut his own cake!

Needless to say, while my heart is more full, there are still two large pieces missing. 

I think they are in Oklahoma!

Yes, Lord

My weekend began with sad news.

An OMS missionary suffering with cancer passed away.

In his lifetime, Phil served the Lord in both Haiti and Taiwan. And if you know me, both those countries have played a significant role in my life.

My dad first met Phil during a short term mission trip to Haiti. I am not sure of the year or any other details, because I was just a young child at that point. In fact, it wasn't until I was in my adulthood  that I truly understood the impact of these two men and their hearts. 

Phil was a handy man, a problem solver.  

The Haitian field had been given an old radio tower. With that tower the gospel could reach thousands upon thousands. Its signal could climb the almost impassable mountains of Haiti. The signal could reach towns and villages where no missionary had gone. That signal could reach the hearts of dying men and women.

But, the field lacked the proper equipment to put that tower together.

Phil did not allow that to stop him from using his gifts from the Lord.

Instead of giving up and listening to the experts, he said, "Yes, Lord".

He devised a plan.

That's where my dad enters the picture. Every year, he would spend two weeks doing whatever the field needed him to accomplish. He wasn't a doctor, or a preacher, or even a carpenter. He was a simple truck driver.

But his heart was the size of Texas. 

After arriving on the field, Dad heard of Phil's plan. All he needed was someone willing to climb up the first section, bolt in the new section, and then climb it as another section was lifted up.

Phil was very tall. Dad was short, but they both knew how to say "Yes, Lord."

That's what Dad did. He raised his hand and volunteered to do it.

 

There was a drought at the time. Many Christians were praying for rain. The men assembling the tower were praying for the rain to hold off just a little longer. As the final piece was attached, rain clouds gathered. God was able to answer all their prayers!

My dad is the short one!

When I came to Taiwan my very first time, it was with my dad's blessing. He told me to look for the tallest man, and that would be Phil. He was right. I had the opportunity to serve with Phil for 6 months. For several of those months, I even got to be his neighbor,

After Dad's stroke, I had the opportunity to lead a group  from our church to Haiti. Phil's son Ted was a full time missionary with the OMS field. Together, we visited that tower. What a blessing to stand where my dad had stood. A blessing to realize that almost thirty years later, the message was still being sent out. 

Two men, not giving up, not allowing the world's perspective to affect their obedience. Two men, while opposite in stature, were united in their hearts.

Its so easy to allow common sense to direct our choices, our obedience. Its so easy to listen to the naysayers and allow their words to override the call of the Lord. Its so easy to play it safe, to follow our plan. 

If Carl and I had done that, we would have missed out on one of the biggest blessings of our lives. Not only us, but our children as well. Their lives would not be the same if we had not followed the voice of God.

Trust me, there were many questioning our sanity.

But, we had only one option.

And that was to say, "Yes. Lord."

I could end with that declaration, but there is a final thought floating around in my head.

What about you?

Are you willing to say "Yes, Lord"?

What is God calling you to or away from? What task has He set before you? What desires has He placed in your heart?  

Those two words may be the hardest words of your life, but if its God's will, they will be the best words you ever spoke.

Just say "Yes, Lord".