Finding Faith in the Battle

Last weekend we made a road-trip, and it was hard to find a radio station that played something other than country music. I told Chad he could deal with the Top 15 Countdown, but the very first song that played was,  If Heaven Wasn't So Far Away  by Justin Moore. "Yeah, and losing them wouldn't be so hard to take, If heaven wasn't so far away"   We were both in tears within seconds, with the kids bewildered, so I changed the station. Why do they have to make their songs so stinkin' sad??? Fast forward to this morning. I had a dentist appointment for 2 fillings. Not the ideal way to start the day, but I've had far too much experience in the dentist chair, so I took it in stride. I had 30 minutes to spare after dropping Anya off for school, so I went in for coffee. And thanks to my new iPhone, I had access to a Bible with the swipe of a button. I sat, anonymously, in a new coffee shop and had a devotional time. Which led to prayer. Which led to heart-

When we told people in Kenya we would be in the US for almost 7 months, they said, "Such a long time." When we gave the same dates to people here, they lamented, "Such a short time." We have had moments of feeling it both ways in the months we've been back, but no matter, the hour-glass is almost exactly half-empty now. And so, I thought it was past time to share some observations about the best and the worst parts of life in America, from someone who is experiencing them afresh! The BEST: 1. Butter in sticks, with Tbsp divisions labeled. Pure brilliance. It's way better even than sliced bread--I'd cut my own bread any day over trying to mash butter into a measuring spoon, and then have to clean them out again! 2. Exercise that isn't life-threatening. I'm in Central Oregon, jogging on paved roads with minimal to no traffic, taking in the mountain views with every step. In Nairobi, jogging is really more like a death-defying game of "

We haven't celebrated Labor Day in years, at least not in September. International Labor Day is in May. But we've learned in our time in Africa...the best way to fit in is to "do as the Romans do," so we celebrated this Labor Day in style! As in, a 5 bedroom mansion in the wooded resort town of Sun River, Oregon, beside the river, complete with hot tub, bike paths, and access to a water park. We ourselves did not splurge on such a holiday; my parents treated us and my two brothers' families, called it our early inheritance. It was a lovely way to spend some inheritance...together! New additions Geneva, 6 months, (affectionately called 'my Neva' by Omara) and Bennett, 4 months, were a joy to be around, and our 4 rascals were incredibly well-behaved. Of course, it helped to have 8 adults around riding bikes, playing games, and generally making each of them feel like the most important person ever! The older kids all went on an 8-mile ride, we saw deer a-ple