Rush

Finally, sitting at the gate! I have left this poor blog vacant for so long. No excuses, just a very blinding pace for several months. So much has happened. Some good, some unsettling. The last few weeks have been consumed with Creole classes and packing preparations. The rush to the finish line of this trip has been one extraordinary run! But God’s faithfulness is and continues to be a marvel and joy to us. We arrived at the airport this morning a few minutes late but the team was already firing on all cylinders. Ray was checking baggage, Brandon was the muscle, and we just flowed right into the process. We had one extra bag to check today at the steep price of $150.00. The AA ticket counter personal were wonderful to work with and on the final bag she announced she was waving the fee! I was shell shocked. The airlines have never given me anything. Finances have been tight and one of the prayers I have been praying is that we would have enough on this trip to accomplish what we are too accomplish. I have learned it’s in the little things God comes through the biggest sometimes, and this was one of those incredible moments that I brushed up once more against the divine sleeve of God. I’m glad in my rushing I have maintained awareness of the presence of His gentle and watchful care. Sometimes I wonder at the pace, I wish to pull back the reigns, to slow to a more casual gait. But as I sit and ponder now climbing up through the clouds, pressing our way south to the land of the impoverished,
I am reminded that soon enough I will no longer be up to the rush. My eyes will weary of seeing as the decay of time lays claim. My body will surrender to the force of gravity that pulls and drags each day. I refuse to be morbid, but I also refuse to not be real. That is why on days like these I also refuse to begrudge the rush. The alternative is…well…morbid! How’s that for perspective! We also have to be careful sometimes that it is us doing the rushing and not God. He is never in a hurry, is never late, nor early, He is always on time, always ready, always has His plan. Some perhaps will argue that rushing is in large part due to poor planning, and that can be partially true. But God equips all differently, some are geared for rushing because they can. And God loves to push us to our limits and beyond. So I’m a runner, and while I sometimes get out of breath, I love the racing! Not all I travel with are this way, and together we will make a great team, some are the home run hitters, some are great base runners, some are great coaches, some are great equipment tenders, some are good at stat entry. We have it all, and today, we begin the journey of another great God adventure to His field called Haiti. Claudy after teaching Creole classes for 2 months is going home with us. He has provided such an amazing gift in language training for 26 American students the last few weeks. I think he is happy to be returning home, especially now that winters chill has bit him a couple of times. His brother who works in customs is going to meet us in Port and see us out of the airport. This is also another great and timely gift. We will not have to pause at customs, nor have any worries about the difficulties that we have encountered there over the years. In doing some calculating, this is now my fourteenth trip, and I would be remiss not to ponder the faithfulness of God and be humbled.
In moments like these I am pushed to the sitting position, forced to a different awareness, to a calmer state of mind. I am forced from the drivers seat, the pilot takes over, and I’m along for the ride. A gentle reminder that I’m always along for the ride of life. I love these moments of awareness. And so D-day has come, we are under way, and covet your prayers for every step we take, every hug we share, every project we embrace. On a different note, I think I have the cell phone comment posting problem resolved. I worked with Alisa this morning, changed a setting and ran a couple of tests, and it looks like it worked. I do moderate the comments because I have the blog fully open for posting to keep it simple for all who are not tech savvy! So if there is a delay in your comment going up, it is simply due to the moderation process and when I get internet to check in. Blessings to all!