reflecting

We've been here for almost 3 1/2 years. Somedays it feels like just yesterday we boarded that LONG flight with our little 2 year old to come to this foreign land and other days it feels like we've been here several years. When I think about our growing family, I realize that we've been here a while and that I've changed, our family has changed and things in the States have changed but God has NOT changed! Praise His name! I remember about one or two months into language learning in Lopburi, Thailand I had the thought "FOUR YEARS! What were we thinking?????!!! I can't survive this for FOUR YEARS" But, God gently reminded me then to take one day at a time and not think about it as "FOUR YEARS!" And, now almost four years later, it has flown by. Those first six months were rough, I am not going to lie. (you can read my posts from that time if you don't believe me!) And, we've had our moments since then. It's just that those moments get fewer and farther between, again, praise the Lord! He truly does give grace to sustain us in each and every situation He calls us to. I think of the many, many missionaries who have served here in Thailand but also all over the world for their entire lives and four years to them is a drop in the bucket! I feel like a whiny little brat when I think of the their track record compared to mine!

My parents recently (this morning!) sent these pictures of their home and consequently the only home I knew growing up. I LOVE this house. When I saw the snow picture (first snow of this year) I teared seeing that place of sweet warmth, knowing that inside I never once was COLD because of the warm coal fire heating it up but more because of the warm love my mom and dad lavished upon me. How fortunate to have grown up there in small town, America and to have parents who loved me enough to set limits on my life and teach me discipline, but more importantly they taught me the importance of trusting God in good and bad times, knowing that God works all things out for His glory and our good and to have a fear of our Lord and to depend on Him in prayer for everything and perhaps mostly, I learned to love, to really love others, even when it costs us a lot and causes us a lot of hurt and pain, we are called, as Christians to love. Are they perfect? No, they would be the first to tell you that. But, they love the Lord and they seek to love others with His love.

So, how does our being here nearly 3 1/2 years and my home come together? Well, as many of you probably know, we are scheduled for furlough in about six months time...and these pictures make me VERY excited to enter this home of sweet rest and familiarity where they know me so well, so well that I can be my silly self and no one cares because they know "that's Crystal." =) It makes me excited to think of my children playing in the snow outside the warm walls of their grandparent's home, building snow forts and having snowball fights and when they're done they will come inside and take off all their cold, wet clothes and thaw out with a cup of hot cocoa, telling all the battles fought outside in the snow. Yes, I am excited. I admit it! There will be many firsts for our kids in the States and though we will miss Thailand terribly, there is much to look forward to. It might be early, but would you please start praying for us for this transition coming up in our lives. I know kids are resilient and they are going to do great, but maybe, you could pray for Paul and me?!

*thanks to mom and dad for the pics of the house in fall and winter. we all LOVE them!