Tuesday  October 25, 2011

An uneventful day, for the most part.  I dropped the boys off at school and went home to pick up Karen.  We had breakfast in a bar (we didn’t know it when we went in), but the food was really good.  We then drove around to familiarize ourselves with the area some more.  Our stop at Oskar’s (the grocery store) was routine.

I did make some elbow macaroni for lunch - with REAL butter!  Sounds silly, I know, but it was a real treat.

We picked up the boys at 3:00 and have been home ever since.  I’m delighted that Bill’s Taxi Service is off duty tonight.

I’ve been thinking all day about what God is teaching me as we visit this country: 

• Patience is the first thing that comes to mind.  I have no control over my time or my schedule, and that can be very stressful for me.  So I’m learning to be patient, and that is a very good lesson for me.  

• Grace comes to mind next.  Loving people, even when they’re not behaving the way I believe they should, can also be a real challenge.  God does it for us, all day every day, but I am still learning how to show other people His grace.  

• Love, without a doubt.  I realized today that I’m going to miss these boys a lot when we leave, and I’m already excited about returning to them in January.  This too is an area that needs work, so it’s not surprising that our Lord would put me into a home with 9 or 10 teenagers.

Finally, while I’ve always been amazed at Karen’s inner-strength, I’ve seen a side of her that is nothing short of incredible.  Here we are in a very foreign country, away from family and friends, and she is like a beacon of light in a storm.  These kids will never forget her, because I dare say they have rarely, if ever, been loved like this before.  It is a joy to watch.

Until tomorrow, God Bless and good night.

B&K