Friday, September 29, 2006

Baby cries


I'm riding in a car with a friend, her sister and her niece, and the whole time the niece (affectionately nicknamed "Porkchop") is crying--that wet, sloppy sobbing that calms to a few snorts, and then she remembers what she was doing and picks up again. Nothing is wrong--she just doesn't want to be in the car seat one whole row behind her mama.

Well, I'm in the know, and it's all good: we're heading downtown to meet her other aunt for lunch, and Porkchop is going to be so happy, so well-loved-on and well-fed. But Porkchop doesn't have the capacity to grasp that at 9 months. So, she keeps on with the sloshy sobbing and we get to giggle and coo at her to try and calm her down.

Even in that moment, I knew this was the perfect picture of where I'm at. During this waiting time before Peru, I catch myself sniffling and whining, wishing I was "there yet". Yes, I do have more perspective than Porkchop because I've learned about the love of my heavenly Father, and I have the adult faculties to understand the concepts of preparation and journeying. But, this picture works for me because, on a grander scale, God knows where I'm going and why, and He is ultimately responsible to get me there in one piece...and it's really His show once I get there. God is growing in me the faith in Him that I'm convinced Porkchop should have in her mother. And I can't wait 'til I get "there".

Thursday, September 21, 2006

O my WORD!

I have to admit I wasn't really prepared for how overwhelming it would be to visit the Wycliffe USA headquarters in Orlando, and the SIL and Wycliffe International headquarters in Dallas (see pic above). I guess I forgot for a bit how much the mission and vision of Wycliffe is the same as what God has given me - to see the Word of God heard and understood by every person. I didn't prepare myself for how intense it would feel to be right in the middle of a huge work God is doing to get His written Word to the people of the world still waiting for it. If you can stop and visit either of these centers, I recommend it. Through art, displays, museums, hands-on activities, and media presentations, they tell the story of the need for Bible Translation and how God is enabling us to meet it. (Find out more at http://www.wycliffe.org/wbt-usa/home.htm)

Wednesday, September 06, 2006

What am I up to?

Wed-Fri: Finalize car settlement details, train on computer software for dictionary, catch up on emails

Sat 9/9-Mon 9/18: In Florida and Texas for Wycliffe orientation and visiting SIL Headquarters and GIAL (Graduate Institute of Applied Linguistics), meeting with Linguistics Advisor at University of Texas at Austin

9/19: Start packing, Schedule goodbye/missions info gatherings, Finish immunizations, Etc!

10/15: Target Departure Date!
Falls in the Cascades from our all-school trip this summer