Making Home... Again

When I initially chose this blog name, we were living in our 5th place in a year's time, and though we had only lived abroad for 5 months, we were already setting up our 2nd overseas home. Little did I know that God had a plan for us to move another 4 times in the next 4 years, one of them being just a couple weeks ago. "Making Home" has been quite an apt theme for this season of my life.

I just want to share a few of the things God has taught us during this season of unplanned, unexpected, very frequent moves.

GOD IS SO VERY FAITHFUL-- TO US AND TO OUR CHILDREN!
The other day, I happened upon a conversation where someone was having to move for the second time in their children's lives. They were concerned about the psychological impact of moving on their children. And it is something to consider... this is not a "pro-move-as-much-as-you-can" sort of blog post. Having to move, leave friends, set up a new normal, even learn new languages or cultures... it's not easy or ideal or something we would have sought at all.

But one thing I have learned is that God is so faithful. He really doesn't give us more than we can bear (1 Cor 10:13). He is gentle with those that are with young (Isa 40:11). He is faithful to the thousandth generation. Our kids are not an afterthought for Him. He planned their existence, our lives, and their existence as part of our lives, before the foundations of the world. We can trust Him to use all things (even unexpected-- even undesired-- moves) for good.

HE IS OUR PROVIDER
In every place we have lived... whether the 6th floor walk-up apartment in China with the faucet that either trickled scalding water or sprayed freezing water... or the Thai bungalow with feuding, hissing lizards on the ceiling... or our last apartment with the squawking birds that resided in the eaves of the roof just outside our bedroom door and chose the worst times (11pm or 5am-- really!) to squawk... He has given us good and delightful things that did not exist in the other places. Our funny-showered Chinese apartment sat in a valley of sorts and was surrounded on 3 sides with layered ridges of mountains. The Thai bungalow sat above a lush garden filled with amazing trees and flowers, and is where we spent the first four weeks with our precious daughter and allowed us the opportunity to celebrate our older two sons' birthdays with elephant rides. And yes, those squawking birds took residence in the eaves... but those eaves were located above an unusually large enclosed balcony where our children could play soccer and throw balls and get out their energy, even in cold or rainy weather, when we lived in a neighborhood with no park nearby.

He has blessed us, in different ways, in each home He has given. The Father has been so faithful to provide and show Himself mighty on our behalf.

THE LORD WILL KEEP YOUR GOING OUT AND YOUR COMING IN, FROM THIS TIME FORTH AND FOREVERMORE. ~Psalm 121:8
From that home I described earlier-- with the funny shower options--, the place where I first chose this blog name, "Making Home", until today, this verse has been posted on a little card on the back of our front door. It reminds me that there is nowhere I can go where I am out of His keeping and His care. He truly does keep us and lead us, and we can rest in Him. So no matter where He has you, or where He takes you, I just wanted to take this opportunity to encourage you with the ways that I've found Him faithful through our many-homed life. He is good, and (even if it includes some odd details or unplanned locales,) I believe He will faithfully provide for you and your family .

Ponderings & Wanderings

I've clearly not been writing very much lately; life's been a busy blur (we moved again-- didn't see that coming, but the landlord sold our old apmt; and I'm now in the third trimester with our much-anticipated little man)... but I have been reading much. And we did get a fun and colorful Easter picture of our family (hooray!):


Here are some quotes on random topics from things I've been reading; maybe one or more will ruminate in your brain or be a challenge to you, as they have been for me.

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ON HOW WE APPROACH & READ SCRIPTURE:

"When a [Christian] can read his Bible with no spiritual taste, or when he searches it, not with a sincere desire to know the mind of the Spirit in order to [walk] a holy and obedient walk, but with a merely curious or literary taste and aim, it is a sure evidence that his soul is making but a retrograde movement in real spirituality.

Nothing perhaps more strongly indicates the tone of a believer's spirituality, than the light in which the scriptures are regarded by him." ~Octavius Winslow

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ON HOW WE ESTEEM GOD'S WORD IN OUR LIVES:

"The Bible characterizes a genuine believer as not merely an admirer of God's truth, but one who LOVES it." ~From Donald S. Whitney's book, "Ten Questions to Diagnose Your Spiritual Health"

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ON CHILD REARING & DISCIPLINE:

"If a child has done wrong, a child needs talking to; BUT, NO parent ought to talk to a child while that parent is unable to talk in a natural tone of voice, and with carefully measured words. ...If a parent is tempted to speak rapidly, multiply words, or show an excited state of feeling, the parents first duty is to gain entire self-control." ~From Lou Priolo's book, The Heart of Anger

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ON EDUCATING OUR CHILDREN:

"Is the education our children are receiving on par with their potential? ... [and] up to par with who they were born to become?" ~From Oliver van DeMille's book, A Thomas Jefferson Education

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ON QUARRELS AND DISAGREEMENTS WITHIN THE BODY OF CHRIST:

"Watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine you have been taught; avoid them!" ~Romans 16:17

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ON OUR CHARACTER AS CHRISTIANS:

"Christians are Christlike: none deserve the name of Christians that are not so in their prevailing character. ...The branch is of the same nature with the stock and root, has the same sap, and bears the same sort of fruit. The members have the same kind of life with the head.

It would be strange if Christians should not be of the same temper and Spirit that Christ is of; when they are His flesh and His bone, yea are one spirit (1 Cor 6:17), and live so, that is is not they that live, but Christ that lives in them." ~Jonathan Edwards

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ON WEARINESS AND GRACE FROM GOD:

"Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." ~Jesus, Matthew 11: 28-30

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Something I'm learning in this season of life is that the "bar" is high for us as believing mothers... and we are to be faithful, to be steadfast, to be light that shines brightly. And at the very same time, His grace rises even higher, and He is gentle with us. He does not expect perfection from us, and He helps us to be what we need to be. He knows that we are dust... that we are weak and weary and frail. He offers grace in our time of need. God is so very good to us.

Grace and Peace to you!