To be found worthy of my calling

We left Spain on Friday. As we flew above Madrid the landscape was all browns, dotted with bits of green which are the olive trees or grapevines. But, mostly brown. Loads of sunshine. Clear skies for a long time as we gained altitude.

Then, an hour and half later, we started to descend. London was covered in a thick layer of clouds. Thick layer. But when we broke through, it was all green, like a patchwork quilt of greens, dotted with sheep. Cloudy, rainy and cool. And I was happy to be back. Happy to be in my own home, but also happy to return to this green lovely place, despite the weather.

Last night we had to sleep with all the windows closed as it was downright chilly! This next week the high is to be 65 F. The high! Sounds good if you are in a heatwave, but in reality, it feels quite chilly. We are all sitting around in sweatshirts and sweaters. We went from 100F in Spain to 64F.

All this difference in temperature reminds me how different this home is from my other home- Alabama. How different the culture is - how I miss my friends and church. I figure this land needs a little warmth - and a lot of Jesus. Can I be salt? Can I, as broken and sinful as I am, convey Christ to those around me? Luckily Christ is in control, not me. His name will go forth, unhindered, despite my mistakes and distractions. How I pray to be found worthy of my calling.

Goodbyes to Alabama

While I was in Alabama I tried to live in the moment and really see and feel things that were distinctly "home" to me.
I listened to the crickets, frogs and cicadas. Each morning I would look out the window and all except one day were sunshine, blue skies. I sat out on Jenny's front porch in her porch swing and felt how the humidity truly wraps itself around every part of your body. (I wish I could save that feeling for the middle of the winter here. It is just the opposite here - there almost always seems to be an underlying coolness to the air. Our house in England is almost always on the cool side.) I also napped on Jenny's porch swing after eating a red Popsicle. I drove in Alabama with the windows down (when possible) to smell the trees - the pines. I took in the dogwoods and crepe myrtles, as well as the kudzu. I listened to the birds -(very different from England's grumpy crows and magpies.) I walked barefoot in thick cool grass. I slapped mosquitoes. I watched salamanders. I stood still in the dark between the Boykins and Claytons houses and saw a lightning bug. I loved the loud dramatic thunder storms. I also loved the sweet familiar southern drawl - especially in the children. I loved being somewhere where I sound like everyone else.

So I say goodbye, Alabama and all that it is to me.

I will miss my friends, my church, my family.
I will miss spicy BBQ, homemade fries, onion rings and sweet tea refills.
Cold watermelon. Fresh tomatoes.
I will miss lunch at the Summit, giggles by the pool and Sonic happy hours.
Swimming like a kid. Swimming with my kids - all five of them together.
The music at our church. Elizabeth at the cello and Connie on the violin. Beautiful worship.

Yesterday I had to go by the doctor's office next door to my house here in England. I was talking to the lady at the desk and when I was done, I turned to leave and the three people in the waiting room were looking at me. At first I was puzzled, then I remembered. My accent. I am different. I smiled and left. Sweet home Alabama.

At home sick in bed

Well, I would love to have some time off, but not at home sick, with a fever. I am better than I was yesterday, but still feel pretty crappy. I am bored!!! I have lots to do - as Christmas is in three days, but I just feel really bad when I get up. Jonny is here, so I don't have to worry about cooking - he and Paul will deal with that end. Bethany Kemp arrives tonight from Germany. She is our funny friend from Bethany College (no relation) and has spent the last two Christmases with us. She is with YWAM in Heirrenhut (SP???) Germany. She may also be bringing a friend. We won't know until Scott picks her up tonight at Birmingham airport. Bless her, she always flies into Birmingham airport, which is only about 20 minutes from our house.

I still have cookies that I want to bake and a couple more gifts to buy. Wahhh!!!
I really left buying gifts until the last minute this year - but we never know how much we have to spend until mid-December anyway. I really hope I feel better tomorrow. Right now my head hurts, my nose is all stuffy and I feel dizzy and clammy. Lovely. I really do not want the kids to get it. Christopher, my germ phobia child, is avoiding me, but Peter keeps coming in, jumping on the bed and asking me if I feel better yet. Bella, the wonder dog, has kept watch over me, no doubt ready to perform proper red cross maneuvers in cause I fall into a coma or start to seizure. I am sure she could run next door and get the doctor if I needed her to, Lassie style. I do rest easy knowing that we live next to the doctor's office and Dr. Whittaker would walk over if one of us was bad enough. Maybe.

Ok, I am going to go back to sleep or faint. Merry Christmas.

I feel guilty for not doing more with my photos as the window on my blog thingy tells me I should. I feel guilty!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Blah blah blah. Humbug.

Yeah, we have been busy, blah blah blah. But that is not why I have not been able to blog: Our laptop is on life support, any breath could be it's last, so we have assembled a desktop computer from all different parts from all different places and donors. Think Wall-e. But it works and I am back in the blog business.
All the news here is about the credit crunch, how it is effecting the "high street" ( main street) sales and how gloomy our future is. Zimbabwee is also in the news and they want that Robert Mumgabi (?) guy out. Gordon Brown (current unpopular prime minister) said that the british need a "can do" attitude to get through the financial crisis, and the local news mocked him for saying it. Poor guy. He does have a really scary Scottish accent. He should narrate Stephen King's books on tape.

We are doing well. Jonny is here for the holidays. We are warm, full and have friends and family that love us most of the time. God is good and His Son died for my sorry self. What more could I ask?

Eldest

Today I have to say goodbye to my eldest - Josh, aged 25. He is going back to Korea to work and be with his serious girlfriend, Jisook. He has agonized over the decision to go back so soon and not stay for the holidays. He and I have had several deep conversations about him leaving. I have cried privately and with him as I will miss him so much.
Each of my sons occupy a room in my heart. When one leaves, as Josh did for college six years ago, it is like the light in the room in my heart goes dim. They are still very much adored in my heart but now they are far away, living out their own lives and adventures. They are not a part of my daily mayhem and madness. I used to gaze at Josh's childhood pictures as I dusted them and say. "where are you now? What are you doing? I miss you." I broke down the first time Josh walked away from us in an airport on his way to school in Minnesota. I cried so hard it scared me. He was my first born, my baby boy that came with much celebration after two years of three miscarriages. I am very proud of the men that both he and Jonny have become - strong, hard-working, God-fearing. We can argue, cry and laugh (oh can we laugh!!) All my sons are my finest achievements of my time here on earth.
So, today, again, I have to watch Josh walk away from us in Heathrow airport. When will we see each other again? I am not sure. I know God will watch over him.

Poor coconut

When you go to buy shredded coconut at the store it is called, tragically, "desiccated coconut."
That's a little harsh, don't you think? We were discussing this at dinner and had to add some substitute words: decimated, decapitated, desecrated, devastated, and Josh's suggestion: defecated. None really add appeal to the poor coconut. I think they should go with a kinder and gentler adjective such as: flaked, which brings to mind happy snowflakes. I do notice on the bag that it is a product of a muslim nation. Maybe this is a sinister message to all infidels -" don't mess with us. See what we do to mere coconuts? No mercy!!!"

Or maybe not.
Poor coconut.