One moment in time...

So many thoughts running through my head.
Life is an interesting journey.
And at times we stop and take a moment to reflect.
It's humbling at times.
We learn (hopefully!!).
For me there have been many many things lately that have stopped me in my daily tracks.
Many reminders of what matters in life.

I keep learning things about who I am.
When I keep hitting walls due to my lack of language skills...
I realize that the person I like to be is suffering.
It opens my eyes for those that at some point have moved to a new country, and spent their lives there, and never have fully learned the new language.
I can now see how that can happen.
If your daily group of people speak the language you know, and you have very few opportunities to use the new one, well, the progress will be slow!
At times I feel like I'm standing at a busstop... waiting for someone to pick me up.
It feels like I'm getting nowhere, and it gets frustrating at times.

Then life goes on.
And things happen that help keep my own needs at a realistic level.
A young father has an accident at work and narrowly escapes death.
A young family loses a baby.
A middleaged woman loses her father and one of her sons in a matter of a week.
The list could go on with daily reminders of how short and unpredictable life is.

Today we attended our new little Goddaughter's baptism.
A joyful day when we got to celebrate God's greatest gift.
After attending this nice time with good friends, we went to see my Hubby's grandma who's 83 and in a nursing home.
Here she is at the end of the road, such a contrast after just holding the little bud who just started her journey!
She's been in and out of the hospital lately due to some infection.
She was tired.  She didn't really say anything.
But she saw us and there was a tired smile in her eyes.
This precious lady became a young widow and a single mom of 6 kids when she was only about 40 years old.
She has held the family together with her big heart and humorus and loving ways.
It's not often you see kids being so loving to an elderly as her kids are.
What you sow you shall reap.
Well, her love has paid off.
Every day her sons that live locally come and see her.
They make sure she has taken her medication, that she eats, and often she gets a treat from one of her sons that he lovingly feeds her.
She had a stroke last year, so slowly it has become harder and harder for her to help herself.
Her mind is not clear, and I'm sure this journey is hard for her, knowing how dilligently she took care of her kids and now being so depending on them.
When we said goodbye I couldn't let go of her warm and soft hand for a few minutes.
I felt heavy tears roll down my cheeks, as she looked me so lovingly into my eyes.
We've never been able to sit down and chat because of the language barriare, but sometimes words are vain.
Sometimes you just know.  You can feel love and care.
I don't know when the last time I tell her goodbye will be, it might be pretty soon.
I do know what she gave though.
Love.  Lots of love and forgiveness.

These moments sure help to keep things in perspective.
I feel so blessed and fortunate to have these moments in my life to keep me reminded of what matters.
Love and forgiveness.  And you don't need to know the same language in order to share that.

Have faith

This is a true story, with a happy ending.

A bit over a year ago one of my favorite families had to accept the sad news that they had lost their home.  After the dad lost his job a few years back, and they fell behind on payments, this was the outcome in the end.  Far from the only ones these days.  He was working when they lost it, but the bank was not willing to negotiate.
This family had 11 kids at the time, and the hard task of finding a new place for them was on their "to do list".
It's not easy to tell a potential landlord that 13 people in your rental will not wreck it!

The months went by, and for Christmas gift they found out that God was again blessing their family with another child.  This incradible mom felt new strength from this, feeling that in this dark time of heavy trial, they had a light to look forward to.

Another month or so went by, and they finally found a rental place that seemed like a good place for them.  In March they were moved in, and things seemed OK, but sad news came around this time, the dad lost his job, again...
With a 12th child on the way, and living in a rental home that unfortunately turned out to NOT be a good one, losing his job felt like a terrible blow.
This mom who never complains, felt that this finally got the better of her.
Many, many friends prayed for them, and she got her strength back.
At the end of the school year, her parents opened their doors for them, and the 13 of them moved in to their house.  Still no work lined up, although the dad worked hard on finding one.

Summer break came, but before it's end, the dad lost his own dad.  His dad had been sick for  quite some time, but it's never easy to say farewell to one of your parents. 
Finally on the 1st day of September a beautiful baby girl was added to the bunch.  The family was extatic, and the mom felt that this is what life is all about.  A new baby reminded her to stay focused on the things that really matter.

About a year had gone by since they found out about losing their house, and God saw that it was time to end this trial.  At the end of September the dad got a great job offer, and now this wonderful family can start looking for a place to call their own. 

These are the kind of people I look up to.  Who don't despair in the darkest hour, but keep their heads high and keep trying, and who let God guide the their lives in a humble way.

Good luck dear friends, you are not forgotten, and God will always be with you.