..."Brackish and Incandescent"...: Much to Say

Not sure if I can remember how to do this blogging thing...

Last June, the last post? I guess that I've been in a major "pause" in terms of writing. I struggle to get our monthly newsletter out (email me if you'd like to be added to the newsletter distribution or send me your email in the comment section and we'll get in touch with you)...but it seems that as we look ahead in 2013, there's going to be a lot to write about. In now our fifth year, we made a switch to monthly newsletters, something that was very hit or miss during the height of my blog writing days. Now it is the main communication tool.

We've become comfortable Here.

Not that I'm talking about "comfort" as I once knew in the West, but the type of spiritual comfort that lulls my soul into a false sense of control. The feeling of control that accompanies "predictability."Control was my favorite illusion of the West. If you read the early years of this blog, you'll see how difficult it was to let go of that control and to be present Here, in a new culture, in a new reality. I never really thought it would happen to me again...silly, I know...I thought that once we surrendered to the burden on our hearts and moved to the other side of the world, that I'd remain in some state of hyper-awareness of the Spirit. Ummm...I was wrong.

I think that has had much to do with the radio silence on the blog.

Of course, I do have nine children at home. From the moment my feet hit the floor in the morning, until my head hits the pillow at night...life is full. Writing takes energy. Energy is at a premium.

I guess He thinks it is time to shake things up? Now I have much to talk about...and I have no idea where to start. We've planned to start working with a coach now that we've returned from conference and retreat. We'll talk with her weekly as we try to sort out the transitions of this year.

I think that I'll have things to write about in these coming days as the changes come. Change enables us to see things in a new way. New ideas mean that I must write as I cannot possibly hold them all and make sense of them.

We've got big changes coming at the school that may well mean a change in our employment and perhaps location. The girls will be transitioning out of local school this year as their education can no longer be supported by the school...so we'll begin homeschooling in earnest. We have big medical care issues for The Charmer and The Bruiser this year that will require travel to the specialist. For the first time, we will likely not return to the US this year for furlough. More changes in our family, the number in our home, and our older kids may have changes in their lives this year as well. We're contemplating language school...expanding our mercy projects...perhaps beginning our own organization...and some big changes in affiliations. There are business proposals we've been given, visions shared with us, and just these past three weeks given strong encouragement to begin to write a book.

We are confident that He remains on the throne and in control of our lives.

We went to conference and retreat exhausted and hoping to hear from Him. We certainly heard from Him. We were blessed by so many angels who ministered to our hearts, encouraged us, and challenged us to remain abandoned to His service, no matter the cost. We had the best teaching ever with deep a deep study at conference about the Journey we're on. We savored the stories of saints we met who are working all over the world, each with their stories of trial and faith, struggles and victory. We sang and praised the roof off with our Team and others who gathered with us each Sunday... our hearts are full of joy for all of it.

2013 is going to be an interesting year...

Above all...may we be faithful.