Lessons learned even though I am not in high school

My apologies on my absence.
Did the principal not send a substitute blogger?
Oh man....
That's right, this is not high school.

Goats tromping down my street....

I've been busy packing our home of 8 years in order to come back to America. And I have been learning many a lesson in the season of uncertainty.


1. I hate dust and dirt. Every piece of furniture we sell reveals an empty footprint on the floor. I run right over and sweep up the months, or in some cases, years of dirt that had been hidden. I can't stand it!

2. One family's trash is another one's treasure. Case in point--my folding kitchen table was low on my "cool furniture to sell list" but one lady with a very small efficiency apartment had been praying to find one like it.

3. Trash bags can get heavy really fast when cleaning out drawers.
             3a. our dumpster is farther away than it looks
             3b. there is nearly always a cat or two inside the dumpster
                    i.    cats jump out when you throw stuff inside. beware!!

4.  The Amman hills, breeze, and smelly sheep all are sweeter than they were last month, since I know that I am leaving soon.
              4a. friends, too, but not in this order necessarily.

5. I improvise for many things with plastic gladware/tupperware that once was only relegated for food. Now for anything---holding keys, mail, money and even serving macaroni! Multipurpose has a true meaning

6. God still meets me for my personal quiet time, even though my couch is gone. I can sit anywhere.

7. All a person really needs is one coffee cup, washed over and over again.

8. I was overly dependent on my electronic devices for happiness. When I sold my iPhone, I was out of sorts for nearly a week. How can I praise God without listening to music from my phone in the mornings? Uh oh. Lesson learned.
             8a. I won't elaborate on when my computer broke and I couldn't email. That threw me down    another notch.
             8b. Trey's PS3 broke and we realized we were certainly learning much about living simply

                     ***putting in a good word for old fashioned pen and paper and CDs. maybe hymnals and guitars, too. ....They don't break as easily as computers do.

9. God will provide for us, over and over again--as sure as the sun rises, and it does every day. Right after the mosque calls the neighborhood to pray before sunrise at 430 am.

10. I am richer than I ever imagined I could be, especially after resigning from a great job in eye care and selling a custom home in a secluded neighborhood off the Brazos river in 2004. Rich in love and experience and things money could never buy. I am so thankful....

More later friends--

This blogger has to get off the borrowed computer and get to bed (aka mattress on the floor)

Every day has lessons to learn. Even if we aren't in high school.

Jesus Wuz Here

Time to go on a date with one of the kids---

Let's see.  Camryn has been asking to go eat Spring Rolls (random I know, but you should know Camryn) on a date with me. Ok. AND let's add something else.

A road trip!  To see the northernmost Jordanian city that overlooks the Sea of Galilee!  (modern name UmmQais)

ruins of...best guess??

She was excited to go, but honestly, the Spring Rolls sold the deal for her. The car ride was sweet, through the hilly countryside in North Jordan.  Once we arrived, we began climbing old rocks of the ancient city, built over 2000 years ago. Ruins of buildings, colonnaded streets--these still remain.  We found lizards and wildflowers, but where is the view we came for? The Sea of Galilee?



Finally we walk close enough to the downhill slope to view the sea. Cam asks, "Can we at least put our feet in the sea before we leave?" Sorry, honey, but no.  That land is heavily guarded in between Israel and Syria--no toe dipping in this millennium.

I was moving slowing, thinking about Jesus being in this land, even for a brief visit.  I was imagining the pigs running off the mountain side after Jesus cast the demons out of the sick men.

Camryn was loving just meandering, and climbing stuff. 

a colonnaded street

We did eventually leave and head back home for Chinese food and Spring Rolls as a finale to our Biblical sight seeing day. She told me it was a great time and was especially thankful for the 2 Spring Rolls all to herself. Usually, in this family of four kids, we share quite a bit.


 

Ahh, the view to the sea, with Israel across the sea to Israel

As I read more in the Bible about this occurrence in the Gadarene region, I was sad to find out what the last verse says.... 

He came to the other side ( of the sea of Galilee) into the country of the Gadarenes, two men who were demon-possessed met Him as they were coming out of the tombs. They were so extremely violent that no one could pass by that way.   And they cried out, saying, “What business do we have with each other, Son of God? Have You come here to torment us before the time?”  Now there was a herd of many swine feeding at a distance from them.The demons began to entreat Him, saying, “If You are going to cast us out, send us into the herd of swine.   And He said to them, “Go!” And they came out and went into the swine, and the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea and perished in the waters. The herdsmen ran away, and went to the city and reported everything, including what had happened to the demoniacs. And behold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus; and when they saw Him, they implored Him to leave their region.       Matthew 8:28ff

 

The people were so afraid of the power he demonstrated that they begged Jesus to leave their region. Well, he did. He got back on a boat and went back across the sea to Capernaum and the surrounding areas. He continued miraculous works across the sea, where more people rejected him, yet some did accept.

Phooey. Jesus left from this area quickly, but not without performing a miracle. A few here understood His power. A few.

May they ever multiply......