For Such a Time As This

I SO enjoy traveling anywhere but mostly I am changed when I travel far away to distant cultures, seeing the beauty of the people and the lives they live, the languages they speak and the customs they follow.
Any picture depicting a beautiful scene -real or imagined- puts me in a day-dreaming state wondering what the landscape must look like as though I can gaze into the picture past the frame to see what lies beyond. My first thought is, “I want to go there… to hear the sounds, smell the aroma of their foods and flowers; walk their streets and….taste their chocolate”. I’ve spent too much time in my life planning fantastic trips and journeys realizing the odds that this side of heaven I will never lay eyes on that faraway destination. God said we all are ‘fearfully and wonderfully made’ and God gave me this very fun romantic adventurous gene when He ‘wove me together in my mother’s womb’ (see Psalm 139).
I have been very thankful for social media as I can travel with my friends and have seen Greece, Israel, Japan, Brazil and various tropical islands. Though there is so much beauty in my country and in my own state thankfully I have been blessed to first hand see the beauty of distant lands.
In four days I will be traveling with family to India as we have been gifted with this amazing adventure to attend a wedding and once again I will be honored to experience the beauty of another culture. There are so many thoughts and plans that go into preparing to travel especially traveling literally half way around the earth as my globe reveals. Not just the detailed work of a visa, obtaining international data plans for my phone, but leaving a restaurant, a home and family and yes I always want to be prepared that I may die on this trip and want to make sure I’ve cleaned out my dressers and closets in case my family has to come in and may say, “Now why did she keep this…or that..” or “she still has that sweatshirt? I remember her wearing that in high school!”. Truly my life could end walking across the street near my home or driving to work any day of the week not necessarily in some distant country.
My mother asked if I was worried I could be captured by terrorists and though I’m not hoping or wanting that to be my final adventure as so many have sadly experienced I would live (and die) should God so will. We also discussed the planes that have “just disappeared” and I assured her that whenever my life ends I will be immediately in the presence of Jesus and she thoughtfully added, “then you’ll see Dad again” and there is no doubt I will be reunited with my father who has journeyed into the God’s presence ahead of us.
I encourage anyone who has the opportunity to travel away from their hometown to do it; meet new people, hear their story and share yours. I am forever changed seeing the beauty of distant lands or neighboring states each person, place and culture further confirming the magnificence of the God who created it all.
I am praying God prepares my heart for who I will meet along the way on this journey -half way around my globe- and what lessons He has me to learn that I may grow, change and be transformed more and more into the likeness of Jesus.

It started with the treadmill early one morning this past week. I normally don’t hold my notebook when walking on my treadmill, mostly because I normally am NOT walking on my treadmill. This week I decided to do both which apparently is never a really good idea. A very nice walking pace was rudely interrupted when I stepped on the non-moving left side of the treadmill while my right foot mysteriously kept moving backwards. It was then the notebook went flying-I shot off the treadmill spun around, hit a chair that hit a lamp that hit the wall. Thankfully nothing was broken or sprained just a tiny little wound to my pride.
Warm slippers travel with me but this morning they failed me terribly; never mind that it’s not the slippers fault that I don’t pick up my feet when I’m walking in them. It wasn’t their fault when I chose to wear them outside to run to the car while visiting my 93 year old mother. I’ve never noticed the sidewalk raised barely half an inch not far from her front door but apparently my slipper-ed foot discovered it. Yes again I found myself propelling towards the earth and all that I was carrying once again flying through the air.   Responding to a kind neighbor who heard the clanging sound of  my pride hitting the ground  I assured her, ” I’m fine, just tripped, thanks for checking on me” as I quickly walked to my car after gathering up the items strewn about all while assessing my body to make certain everything was still functioning as it should. Next time I decide to wear my slippers I will borrow my mother’s walker to ensure I make it safely to the car.
My older sister Pam said the year she turned 50 she fell 3 times. She recalled a fall in her classroom full of  kindergartners she was entrusted to teach and inspire. She was hoping they would not be traumatized by the memory of their teacher flying through the air ending with an olympic-level  belly flop so she said she quickly jumped up and explained wholeheartedly what a wonderful experience that was- so much fun! Her story reminded me of my nearly graceful fall in Haiti last year witnessed by only one person – that I’m aware of.
So this is the look of aging gracefully? How will I ever make it to 93 like my mother?
Thankfully I have discovered epsom salts, essential oils and a bathtub. Thank you God I survived this unstable clumsy week of being 50…something.

South facing windows

     This is exactly why I said I needed south facing windows; for days like these.  Below zero – wind chill making it even further below zero – and I’m chilled to the bone. 
     What a gift to be able to return home today and see the bright afternoon sun shining through our windows and being able to grab a chair face the window and feel the healing chill-melting warmth of the sun.
     I have a friend who told me she was going on a bike ride with her especially designed bike created to handle frozen lakes and snowy trails.        There is nothing within me that makes me want to ever do that. In deciding which house to buy this last summer I almost passed by this beautiful home built in 1900 just because it did not have an attached garage. Without an attached garage, it meant that I would have to walk out the door of my house and walk down the sidewalk-outside in the elements… in the cold… snow or  rain before I could get to my car in the garage. I decided I would be able to manage having a garage not attached to my house only because I know I have a remote starter that I can press after I push the button to open the garage door. Yes,  I can start my car while standing in my house and it will be warm before I get there.
     Back to my friend with her bike. I have no doubt she has been enjoying these winter months including these very cold days. She has chosen to embrace the beauty of winter by getting out and enjoying it unlike myself who prefers to enjoy it through my sun-filled window.
     Yes there is a part of me that realizes I am missing the fullness of the season that I am in. To fully accept and embrace where I am probably means taking the risk to get a little cold. Seeing the snow covered trees in the distance is not the same as feeling the snow crunch beneath my feet and looking up to see the beauty of freshly fallen snow on the branches above me. 
     What a gift to be able to fully embrace the season and the life we’ve been given! 
     I may NEVER embrace long bike rides in any of the four seasons of the year like my friend. Yet I can choose to embrace this season… this moment, to feel the chill and then feel the warmth and step out of my comfort zone to be all God intends me to be to touch the lives of those He sends my way and be changed by those who walk (or ride) into my days.

Waking up on a frigid Wisconsin winter day in our 60 degree home is by choice because we turn down the dial to sleep cozy in a cool room under mounds of blankets during the winter months. It seemed like a journey this morning to walk down the hall go down the stairs through my foyer and living room to turn the dial back up to a warmer 68 degrees. My thoughts quickly, as they often do, turn to my friends in Haiti who live without a dial on their walls to adjust the temperature in their homes – if they have a wall…or a home. Should I feel guilty that my life is easier?
Lingering in the shower while I crank the H-dial to a hotter just less than scalding temperature and it lasts all of 3 seconds because of my guilt in knowing the reality that many who not only don’t have hot water they don’t even have enough water to drink to be properly hydrated – ever.
Breakfast today offered me an abundance of choices yet I opted for the last flakes of two different cereals I picked up from our local organic grocery store with the milk from my refrigerator. I sit cozy and warm at my table perfectly tucked into my bay window; I turn on the nearby lamp to better see my Bible for this mornings inspiration. Yes, I have been blessed to attend school, be able to read, own a Bible, have electricity at the turn of a switch.

I don’t live every day with every moment in abundant guilt yet it seems to happen in waves and I am clearly in one of them now.

I recently came through my first bout of flu. I prayed for healing yet I know my medical provider is a phone call or short drive away in my vehicle…in one of my vehicles… also knowing I have health insurance… because I have a job.  Unlike my friend in Haiti who recently required emergency surgery for a ruptured appendix yet the hospital would not even start without full payment up front; the equivalent of 1800.00 US dollars when the average Haitian may make 200-400 in a year!  Not only that the anesthetic didn’t last as long as the surgery with him waking up and the doctor having to finish stitching him closed while he was tied down! My Haitian friends’ prayers for healing and mine somehow seem different when they may have no other option for healing and I know I do.

How odd that here as an American I have to learn how to be content with more when so many have so much less yet they somehow seem to be more content than myself and most Americans I know. It’s true and you only have to travel to Haiti to experience this reality.  Someone was once asked if they thought of themselves as poor. Their response was ‘no’ because they ‘have many friends’.  Relationships was the basis of defining wealth and poverty.  Here I was thinking it had to do with electricity, running water, enough food and a home and things.  I had learned to define wealth by materialistic measure and they defined wealth in terms of relationships.  I have learned so much from my Haitian brothers and sisters and this is why I just have to keep going back; I once thought I was helping them and now I am certain they are helping me.

I am still struggling to learn this contentment also realizing that by God allowing me to have more I am in a position to give more whether it be time, money, or things.  Giving to people with less things isn’t bringing them happiness or bringing them wealth but it is sharing in what I have and in return they teach me contentment and I witness a relationship they have with our God in a way that I can only hope to achieve as I sit here in America…blessed beyond measure and learning to be content.

Wilda made Rap today; a coconut treat! I even helped a little- yes I did Randy, hard to believe I know!

   MAF pilot praying for safe flight.: http://youtu.be/kjvhMVE5fkI

Loved having rain nearly every day though with the lack of sun the solar panels were not obviously soaking up much from the sky. Rain is wonderful and needed though the cloudy days did drain the batteries. Well, today the sun did come out and it is very hot!! Cho is the Creole word and yes, when everyone asks me “Kouman ou ye, SuAnne” I have to respond truthfully, “Mwen cho!”. For my last full day I will be posting random pictures as I am trying to see and do a little of everything as I never know when I might be able to return…..

Dadithe’s doll clothing packaged for me to bring home.

                      Daina’s doll clothing that I am excited to be bringing home with me.

Krischelle handles the organization’s finances. This is her walk-up bank window!

In the heat of the day it appears that I am the only one not wise enough to get out of the sun.  Not really… I discovered that many have gone to their gardens as they are growing well with all the recent rain, the kids have all gone home after finishing their school day. I saw many clothes on clotheslines today as everyone was apparently waiting for a sunny day to do their wash.

Soon I hope to be picked up by Mme Wisely to go and see her garden. “Picked up” in Haiti means she will walk to get me and then we will walk together to her garden….