The Simple Things...

I can hardly believe that today is my last full day at home! Tomorrow I'll be dropped off at a hotel in Detroit to sleep and get a shuttle for my early morning flight to Haiti. It seems like the last month has been a whirlwind! Lots of goodbyes and "last" events! It is always bitter sweet to leave! Both exciting and a bit terrifying! This time I will be coming home for Christmas, so the goodbyes aren't as bad as usual. Although the Paws with a Cause puppy, Augie (the black one) will be gone when I get home, which makes all of us who know him sad. He'll go off for his training, so that goodbye will be a tearful one. You can see Augie on the right, looking about as forlorn as I feel to say goodbye to him! But the last month has not been all sad. I've had a chance to enjoy fall for the first time in two years! A trip to the apple orchard to pick apples and eat lunch with my two dear friends was a much anticipated and long overdue tradition that we revived this year! I also went to my first high school football game in a LONG time (we won't say just how long) to see my cousin play for West Ottawa! He was fantastic, scoring a touchdown and playing almost the entire game! It was so great to sit in the stands, eat a hot dog, watch the band, and reminisce our high school days with my sister! Another great memory from the last month is seeing the movie "Julie and Julia" with two wonderful friends and then enjoying a night of delicious food featured in the movie with the same friends... boeuf bourguignon, buttered baby peas.... mmmmmmm good! This last month has been a wonderful time with my family and friends and all the places that I love! I've been trying to soak in all the sights, sounds, smells, and feelings of home! I have really learned to appreciate the simple things... scratching a dog behind the ears, fall football games, the changing leaves, picking apples, enjoying a good meal with good friends! These are the things that make life sweet!

Changing Seasons

I can hardly believe that fall is here! It is the first time in two years that I'm in Michigan to enjoy the cool weather (although we've been having that all summer this year), and to see the trees start to change (yes, a few of them are turning already)! I love it! I've missed fall and so many other things about being home!

But... least you think I'm getting comfortable and settling down to a normal life... not so fast! I am enjoying the comforts of home till the end of September, then I will be off again, to Haiti this time. It was a long summer filled mostly with the stress of looking for a teaching job... for those of you in education, you realize what a difficult task that is these days! After encountering nothing but closed doors for months, I began to widen my search. I sent letters of inquiry to two schools overseas, one in Haiti, the other in the Dominican Republic. Within one week, I had been offered jobs at both schools. While this is certainly not the direction I thought my life would be taking at this time, a wise friend pointed out that, it seems for whatever reason, God wants me on the island of Hispanola this year.

I've wrestled with the idea of "calling" as I thought about moving (again) to Haiti. In the past I've FELT the call to go overseas. Emotionally, cognitively, and spiritually, I have experienced a feeling of being "led". This time is different. The "feeling" isn't there as much, and neither is the certainty, but after talking with several trusted people, I'm redefining the concept of "calling". Sometimes God calls us by simply opening doors... our act of faith is to obediently walk through the open doors and trust that He will catch our hearts up with our feet. It may be similar to the principal of giving in the Bible, where your treasure is, there your heart will be too.... perhaps where your body goes, there your heart will follow too.

So, in the midst of this change of seasons in Michigan, I prepare for another change as well. I hope to keep up much more faithfully with this blog, so please continue to check it so you can pray for me and with me on this next journey with the Lord.