Enough time

There is never enough time. I am convinced that whether we stay 3 months or 3 years, there would never be enough time to complete all the tasks we would like to before heading across the ocean. We used the time we had and try not to lament about the people we didn't see, the places we didn't go and the stuff we didn't do. It's all about perspective. Either the time was enough or it will never be enough.

So...we had enough time and it was good. We travelled, visited, played, biked, prayed, swam and shared our lives with those around us. We could always do more but now it is time to just finish the tasks before us. Here we are again, trying not to bite our nails as we finish all the last minute things (which for us ends up being paperwork and tedious tasks – paying bills, sending in medical receipts and ministry claims) and packing our 50lb bags and carryons without sharp objects or liquids.

Our children are eager to return to the quiet routine of village life. Our pace is going to slow down dramatically. Our calendar will be blank for months at a time and our porch will be full. Strangely, the transition to a slower life will not be as difficult as entering the Canadian life –with a calendar on our phone reminding us of all the places we need to be.

We will miss the conveniences of life – the whirring sounds of washing machine and dishwasher and the steady stream of cool air blowing through vents on a hot day. We will miss information at our fingertips and phoning a friend when we want to play or talk. We will miss family and the option to have a quiet, uninterrupted morning.

But, we will embrace God's creation surrounding us for miles in every direction. We will embrace the hungry and the sick, the widows and orphans and those who are lost without a shepherd. And we will speak words of life to them and pray that they might embrace the One who loves them with all His heart.