Final Hours, Farewells to Friends

Forty-eight hours from now we will do what we've done so many times before: meet at the international lounge, hold hands with family, hug friends, cry and board.

Saturday the usual cleaners and movers were there to bail us out and toss the mustard and kill whatever new life form had hatched in the frig. Meanwhile others played "traffic jam" in the Joyner's basement. What are friends for? Loyalty in face of insanity. I am sure that is one of their many functions.

Indeed few people are as blessed as we are when it comes to friends. There are so many people who participate, move, haul, pray, fast, cry, love and stick with us that they are as much a part of this as we who physically show up in Papua. People see us. They don't see all of those who make it possible.

Truthfully, I hate the final hours. I would rather get on the plane and go. I don't want to cry any more. I don't want to say good-bye for the fifth term and pretend this gets easier. Actually, it gets harder the older I am. We have many things ahead which have their own challenges.

We got a bit of news yesterday, the minor stuff of logistical headaches. Our truck has been in a shop for six months and we didn't know. This is not extraordinary, but we have to replan every thing we just worked out for during the last few weeks for how we can possible get done all that needs to be done in the time we have. I am hyperventilating already.

There is a verse in Psalm 37 that says, "Do not fret, it only leads to sin". That verse gets me in trouble as I am laid back by US standards but a middle aged female international "fretter" in that incidentals like knowing where I might live in two weeks is a stress point to me. I was never big into camping. Give me Vivaldi, a nice restaurant and a fine book and I am right at home. This might prompt you to ask how we have managed to do what we've done for 21 years and the answer is 'grace'.

I have thought much lately about the personality of Jesus. What did He seem like to others? We have remade Him into our own model. We think He cleansed the temple without raising His voice. We think of the verse "For the joy set before Him , He endured the cross" and forget the joy is a perspective, not an emotion. Yes, I've heard it say it is an emotion, but I guess that it depends on how one percieves it. He sweat drops of blood and begged His Father for an alternative as He faced the "joy set before Him".

There are many questions I have for the Lord when we get home. For now, it's enough to say, He has gone ahead of me in every way. In every joy, sorrow, emotion, parting, transition, all this He has done. He has crowned me with His love, righteousness, loving kindness. He has blessed me with good family and good friends who have not faltered.

Well it's now 48 hours and 28 minutes till we leave for the airport. Maybe I will write again tommorow. I need to find my socks and the hair gel got tossed. See, I have a goal this afternoon.