A New Year’s Look Both Ways
I'm convinced my neck will be sore tomorrow. No, I haven't been doing any strange exercises or sleeping in an awkward position. I've simply been doing what most of us do this time of year—looking backwards and forward so much that I'm starting to feel like an owl!
The transition between years always seems to trigger this response in us, doesn't it? We find ourselves simultaneously reflecting on the past year's events while peering anxiously into the unknown future. It's like trying to watch two tennis matches at once. It's exhausting but somehow impossible to resist.
As I look back over 2024, I can't help but smile at God's faithfulness. Sure, there were trials. My health issues didn't suddenly disappear, and our ministry in Wales continues to be challenging. But nestled between those difficulties were countless blessings: new friendships formed at the chapel, breakthrough moments in Bible study, and even Tess learning not to bark at every dog that passes our bungalow (well, almost).
Invisible Lines and Impossible Standards
Have you ever felt like you're walking through a maze where the walls keep moving? Or perhaps trying to follow rules written in invisible ink? Welcome to the club! I've spent countless hours trying to decipher the unwritten social contract that seems to govern every interaction, only to find myself stumbling over invisible lines I didn't even know existed.
"Remind me about these things, but don't be a nag."
"Show initiative, but don't overstep."
"Give me all the information, but don't get bogged down in the details."
“Work hard, but don't overdo it."
"Rest, but don't be lazy."
The list of contradictory expectations goes on and on, enough to make anyone's head spin! Even in our spiritual lives, we often find ourselves trapped between seemingly opposing directives.
"Pray with faith, but don't be presumptuous."
"Trust God completely, but plan responsibly."
"Pour out your heart to God, but don't gripe or complain."
Helpless But Hopeful
At the time of this writing, it is three days before our biggest community event of the year. I’ve been planning and preparing for weeks, hoping to iron out every wrinkle so the day will run smoothly and successfully. But you know what the Bible says about man's plans, right?
About a week and a half ago, my back decided to throw one of its fits. This wasn't its everyday pinch, sting, and ache. This was lying flat in the bed for an entire week! Yup, a whole week where I couldn't work on the mountain of things that needed to be done. Oh, how helpless and frustrated I felt.
After a visit with my osteopath, I finally started feeling some relief and could start pecking away at a chore here and there as long as I took long rest and stretch breaks in between.
Crying Over Spilled Sand
Because of our house’s limited storage space, the seasonal flower arrangements from the chapels are typically placed into totes and stored in our attic. The problem is that the totes large enough to hold the arrangements are too large to go through the attic doorway unless they’re turned sideways. As you can imagine, this is not the best practice and usually results in my having to “tweak” the arrangements once they come down from the attic before displaying them in the chapel.
Recently, however, the arrangements that came out of the attic needed more than a simple adjustment. Half of the vases had fallen over, dumping their flowers and sand inside the tote. The result was a gritty, mangled mess that took several hours to rework.
God’s Rescuing Hand
Last week, we received a long-awaited response from the UK government concerning the appeal set forth by our sponsors. The news wasn't good. The request was denied, and our sponsors' license was revoked. What does this mean for us? From the time of that decision, we have 60 days to set up a new sponsorship and get a new visa or leave the country. You know those rollercoaster rides at amusement parks? Yep, that's exactly how our emotions have been taking us for a spin lately. Anxiety, stress, and frustration have been our not-so-friendly companions during this journey.