Fresh Perspective

It was another typical Sabbath day for us.  We were sitting in Indonesian church.  Sweat trickling down our backs, and our legs.  I look over at Jacob and Nathaniel while we are singing a hymn in Indonesian.  They are just moving their lips, in a made up “I want to fit it and act like I care”, in song.  They don’t know the words.  They can’t read the Indonesian hymnal.  I’m proud of them, and catch myself wondering how this will impact them for their lives.  MK’s……. The service carries on.  About a quarter into the sermon, my mind can’t keep up translating, I loose the meaning.  So I read my Bible.  Glancing up to catch the pastor’s eye, every now and then.  Encouraging Jacob and Nathaniel, who are giving me, “How much longer?” look.  The service ends, but then they will go right into a communion service.  Foot washing, in third world cultures it is so much more meaningful.  The cool water is so refreshing....

Its Saturday evening.  We’ve just finished a lovely week with the Ashworth side of the family in Breckenridge, Colorado.  Not liking to travel far on our day of rest we spent the day at Campion Academy where a camp meeting was held.  For me this was a taste of heaven as I met my friend DeeAnn.  DeeAnn and I have prayed for each other’s children over email for approximately 4 years.  This was our first time to meet in person.  It was SWEET.  Very neat to have DeeAnn tell my children, “I pray for you”.  I look forward to telling her boys that one day.  YES! Then we drove less then 3 hours, to get out of the Denver area.  Darron had pre booked our motel at the LAST town in Colorado where there was ANYTHING.  BURLINGTON, Colorado.  Even the check-in guy at our motel admitted that he was culture shocking in this town after living there for only 5 weeks.  Wanting to grab a little bite to eat, I popped back into the office to s...

Spending a week in Breckenridge, Colorado this summer(with my parents and brothers family) we were faced with many mountains and the challenge to conquer.  Hanging out at 9,500 altitude at our vacation home took our bodies part of the week to get acclimated.  We were quick to get winded.  Tired.  By Thursday we were ready to face the challenge of our first four teenier.  There are over 50 mountains in Colorado that are greater then fourteen thousand height.   We decided that the mountain would be Mount Quandary.  It is the 13th easiest in Colorado and close to our home where we were staying.  Though, the sign at the head of the trail warned us that “NO four teenier is EASY”.  TREMBLE.     Our group consisted of all six of us Boyd’s, my brother Nick and two of his boys. I was the only female.  I can’t let these guys have all the fun, without me.  The mountain meadow flowers were so refreshing and delightful....

This morning, as I was running, I waved to a worker on campus and missed seeing the uneven cement.  The next thing I knew my body was falling in fast but slow motion through the air.  Tumble. Crash.  I hit the ground, on all fours.  As blood trickled from my knee scrape and I assured the dear lady sweeping outside that I was fine and I reflected:  ever since I’ve arrived in Papua I have hit the ground running. Kitchen shelves are restocked.  Market produce has been bought, and washed.  Staples have been made.  5 or 6 meetings have been attended.  The Sophomore class came over Saturday night for a bonfire and meeting.  9 guests have come over for meals.  Friends have been greeted.  Prayer group has been started.  Clinic schedule is out.  Statistics class goes on.  Boxes have been unpacked.  Dogs have been dewormed.  Baby parakeet died.  Darron took me on a date.  Meals have been made.  Di...

9 years now.  Every summer.  This is a MUST DO .  MUST GO .  Skipping is not an option .  It’s talked about all year.  Activities are decided amongst friends in January.  Registration is in February.  Count downs are watched.   It’s Summer Camp.  Cohutta Springs.  Whatever they do, they are doing it right…..because they have my boys’ complete loyalty.  So from wake boarding and great food.  Awesome friends.  And honor cabin, year after year.  To challenging worships.  To new friends and old friends.  To a million things that I as a Mom know nothing about .  YAY!  I love it for them. This year, the camp directory (Rob), hopes to visit us in Papua to plan a preliminary mission trip for young adults.  Many of Rob’s counselors spend time overseas.  We are extremely excited to be hosting this possible event.  Thanks Cohutta and Rob and staff for DOING IT right.

Darron and I were gifted with over a week to ourselves.  Thanks to generous friends and relatives who provided housing (see: http://iwillgoruth.blogspot.com/2014/08/the-woman-of-shunem.html ) and child care. One of the highlights was driving up to the Chilhowee mountains, where the sparks of love were flying 20 years ago.  Allow me to reminisce a bit. It was spring break.  Darron and I had been on a few dates together.  Enough to know that there was ….. interest .  I returned to college early, to work.  Darron, to write a paper.  I was cancelled due to low patient census.  I knew Darron was in his dorm room, writing a paper (what a waste of time on a beautiful day).  I called him to see if he wanted to go to the mountains with me.  Do you think he said, “No, I have to write a paper”?  No way. We both remember the day clearly.  Dementia has not clouded these minds yet.  A walk to the falls.  Lots of sharing....

Have you ever experienced the hospitality of the “Woman of Shunem”?  You know who she is, right? We have read the stories a hundred times to our children when they were pre kindergarten age.  The Shunamite woman is the lady in the Bible who wanted to add a room onto her home for Prophet Elisha. So that when he passed through on his long journey, he would have a place to stay.  “Brick upon Brick, with mortar between”. Last summer and this summer, the Woman of Shunem (ika: Carol), has given us her home for over a week.  Everything spotless.  Special foods just for us in the fridge, freezer and pantry.  No expectations.  Just for us to come and be.  While she completely trusts us and leaves. Carol spent many of her adult years overseas.  So she understands the perspective of the furloughing American. This is such a gift to us.  Words don’t express how much we appreciate a week in our “old home town”, alone.  Where everything is fa...