2009 has been, by far, the most interesting year of my life. Every day has been a journey. We sold everything in the States, left our precious family and moved here to follow the call of God. Our motto throughout it all has been, “We only have this one life. Let’s go for it. Why play it safe?” And God has been so faithful! Every time we have cried out to Him, He has answered in the nick of time. He has confirmed to us over and over again that this is what He wants us to do. We don’t know how long He has us here, but we are enjoying every minute. We love working here with so many wonderful people who continually inspire us to abandon ourselves whole-heartedly to His call and to live on the edge. Hear what God is saying and do it! (more…)
Posted in Family on 31. Oct, 2009
Ahhh….a Gigi’s bliss.
My grandkids call me Gigi. I love hearing them call out my name. There’s nothing better. Well, yes there is. Having them sit in my lap and cuddle just can’t be topped. And we have been doing a lot of that since I’ve been back!
I have been on a bit of blogger silence since I’ve been back in the States. Not on purpose but because there hasn’t been a minute to think. We have been involved with a conference in our congregation here since the minute we arrived. I haven’t even had time to post a birthday blog for my 28-year-old amazing daughter, Courtney. (I don’t want anyone to worry their head one little bit. A birthday blog is definitely in the making.)
Wow….I’m in Texas again. There is a stark a difference between the cultures of Israel and Texas. I absolutely LOVE being back, but it is VERY different from Israeli life. Jerusalem life is crazy. Traffic. Helicopters and jets. Loud concerts in the Hinnom Valley. People walking fast. (You never see someone out for just a nice leisurely stroll.) Language barriers. Navigating through the expensive, all-Hebrew grocery stores. And on and on. Yet in a strange way life is much simpler in Jerusalem. There’s no pressure to dress a certain way or keep up appearances. No one judges. If you want to wear the same clothes for three days in a row, no one thinks a thing about it. We have one friend that always wears the same shirt to the prayer room. (He never smells bad, so I know he washes it!) I think it’s so great that he feels comfortable to do that. Television is not a big deal there. Movies are not a big deal. There are not tons of meetings to go to, and, because food is so expensive, it is not assumed that there will be snacks at every meeting. You are what you are, and you are totally accepted.
Don’t get me wrong. I feel totally accepted here in Texas. I love being here with all my precious family and friends. This has been my dream for the last six months and I am relishing every second. I’ve been thinking a lot about it, and I think the issue is that in the States you are faced with so many possibilities and choices….concerning everything! In Israel your choices are limited. You don’t have a gazillion restaurants to choose from. (In fact, eating out is a rare treat, not a daily occurrence.) There isn’t a grocery store on every corner. If you need a new clothes dryer, you only have a few dryers to choose from. You name it….the choices are limited. It’s the main reason why I think life in Israel is simpler and slower. I can focus on my priorities much easier in Israel. There aren’t as many external stimuli to distract my thoughts.
I’m loving my life right now in the super-charged fast lane, though. I am drinking in every minute, every second, taking nothing for granted. God is my quiet center through it all. He keeps me focused on the real things. Loving and adoring my Bridegroom God. Loving and encouraging my family and those around me. Looking for opportunities to start up conversations with strangers that will bring a ray of hope and sunshine to their hearts. These are the things that matter.
I can’t close this post without putting in a pic of my scrumptious family. Yes, I said scrumptious. I LOVE them!
This was taken at the conference last Tuesday night. Preston is the only one missing, and that’s because he had places to go and people to see when the last amen was said. (He is loving being back with his friends!)
I awoke this morning before the sun. Couldn’t sleep. Too much to think about. When I lay my head on my pillow tonight, everything has to be packed for our 7-week trip and the house cleaned and ready for our friends who will be staying here while we’re gone.
I grabbed my throw blanket and went out on the porch just as the light was peeking through the clouds. The morning was crisp and cool, such a refreshing respite from the heat wave this last week. As one of our friends here says, the birds were “tweeting” and singing. I could just barely see the mountains on the other side of the Jordan River. Moses surveyed the promised land from the mountains that I look at every morning. John the Baptist hung out in the wilderness just before those mountains. Jeremiah probably climbed these hills closest to me. The view from my porch never gets old. This morning was especially poignant, because after tomorrow I won’t see this sight again for seven whole weeks. Jerusalem has stolen my heart. If heart is where the home is, then I am home. I know I won’t always be here. Abba has so many things planned for our family. There are rivers to cross and battles to win. There are pockets of darkness in the earth that need the kingdom of God declared and spoken forth over them. But for right now I am relishing the fact that God has graced me to live in the city that He loves. And I will miss her immensely.
“I am extremely jealous for Zion; I am jealous for her with great wrath.” Zech. 8:3
“You who make mention of the Lord, do not give Him rest until He establishes and makes Jerusalem the praise of the earth.” Isa. 62:6-7
When I grow up I want to be just like this precious lady. She knows who she belongs to. What peace! She’s living for the eternal not the present. That’s where I long to live.
“You will keep in perfect peace the mind that is dependent on You, for it is trusting in You. Trust in the Lord forever, because in Yah, the Lord, is an everlasting rock!” Isa. 26:3-4
