Thoughts of Home

Friday evening, I’m sitting out on my mother’s deck listening to and watching the wind in the trees. It’s a very peaceful and pleasant evening. As I sit here, I hear a bit of traffic noise, briefly a jet overhead, and I know there is a Starbucks only 2 blocks away. It all seems very familiar in my ‘new’(?) slice of the world. It may be familiar but I don’t seem to fit (on the inside) like I used to. This makes me think of something I wrote in the introduction to a book I’m writing. So I will give you a glimpse into the book entitled 'The Road Home'.

"The need for a home, or lasting reference point outside of myself, came to the forefront when I became a missionary. During those years on the mission field my number of physical homes increased. Seattle would always be home because that’s where I grew up and lived through early adulthood. I still have family and friends there. After a while my missionary host country felt like home in many ways. Having lived in one place for almost nine years, even though a missionary, I felt rather settled. Through God-appointed meetings, a church from another European country, Switzerland, began to represent home as we received teams from this country to support our mission work. I got to know people from the Swiss church and spent furlough time there, as well. Switzerland is such a beautiful country, who wouldn’t want to call this place home?"

I enjoyed and felt so comfortable in Europe generally that I wondered, even though born an American, was I European at heart? I just seemed to belong in those little sidewalk cafes surrounded by buildings, often three or more times the age of the United States, and riding highly developed city tram systems. America though familiar was changing in my absence. I became less comfortable in the States, yet I still could speak the language quite well! There’s a lot less stress in life when there are no barriers to communication. I readily called all three places – home. They each were home in some regard and yet none of them was home"

In 3 weeks I'm off to my next 'home' in Santa Cruz, California. It's always an adventure with the Lord. Continuing to covet your prayers.

Only a Week?!

I've been in the States a week now. But in some ways it seems so much longer. I don't know if that's jetlag distortion or what. It seems strange to not be in a rush. Usually when I'm here I've only got a limited time to get everything done I hope to, because I've got a flight back to Europe. My perspective is different and I'm trying to adjust.
Yesterday was a particularly sad day. I don't really know why but that's not necessarily unusual either. (Sometimes the reasons behind my emotions are a mystery.) It was good to be at church but difficult too. I was uniquely aware of 2 things during the sermon. 1. I could understand every word! 2. It might be a long time before I ever teach like that again. As I type I guess I understand my emotions better!
Well I hope to update weekly, at least. I desire to keep up you informed even through this transition process. Of course this process will probably be several months! I'd love your prayers.

Beginning Transition

As I write – I’m on the plane, having left Warsaw and am heading to Chicago. I’ve done this often enough in the past 9 years of living in Poland. So I can tell you that it hasn’t really sunk in that my part of the ministry work is over. I’ve said my ‘see you laters’ (as I plan on visiting) and I’ve shed many tears. But still …… After some visiting time in Seattle I head down to Santa Cruz, CA to start ‘real life’ in the States. But it’s been a long time since I’ve done ‘that’! It all seems rather surreal at the moment.
In some ways I’m excited because I like new adventures. But nothing is clear, even what I want to do. It’s like a fog. Or maybe that is just prophecy regarding the weather I’m likely to experience in CA!