Reflecting

So, i am sitting here curled up in my pink fuzzy blanket and purple footies on because, yes, i am chilled. Betcha didn't think it would get that cool here five degrees north from the equator.  It seems like the rainy season weather that has evaded us has come. we can only pray that the rain that has also evaded us will come as well, or i fear that food prices will soar this coming dry season.  But all that aside... with the current happenings I have been thinking on a few things and i had a really great prayer time this morning. So...I wanted to share some of my thoughts with you.  :-) Remember, I am trying to write more :-)

Now, while trying to get this second paragraph started... I've had several things happen.  One little five year old came to me in her "new" clothes covered in mango stains, to which she was promptly told to change and bring them to me so that i could treat them and get them washed as soon as possible.  Mrs. Boateng and Lucy showed up to give Indie a birthday gift...ice cream bars, YUM!  Montana said that the chocolate must be American or British because it didn't taste like Ghana chocolate.  :-)

Having my youngest child turn 5 yesterday, was a bit of a reality check for me.  Soon she will learn to read and the school  years will fly by.  Getting ahead of myself you say? I don't think so.  It is times like these that make me stop and assess where we are and where we should be.  i need moments like this to help me focus further out so that i can make the most of where i am right now. Don't you?

I have been thinking about pain, too.  physical pain and emotional pain.  the physical pain has come from my ketttlebell workouts.  When i started them. There was a LOT of pain.  soreness, inability to just move freely without thinking how AM i going to reach down and pick up what i just dropped?! You see i know that if i kept up with the workouts that eventually the soreness would get less, and things would actually start to feel good when i worked out.  I didn't want that pain to be for nothing.  I didn't want the pain  i inflicted upon myself to stop me from continuing on to a greater good.  If i rested too long or waited for the pain to go away completely then the very next time i picked up my kettlebell, I would face that soreness, that pain, again.  So what about the emotional pain? I feel the same way.  I don't want the pain we feel being separated from the ones we know and love to be for naught.   i want to make sure that there is a greater good being accomplished that gives God glory and makes Him smile.  

As we contemplated moving back to Ghana, we considered our kids quite a bit, and talked with them about moving.  Especially Montana, as she was the oldest.  She was the one begging me to stay back in March 2012. Corban had the toughest time getting used to it.  A little surprising, but not too much , as he places a lot of value on his friends.  That quickly changed when we got here and there were the Boateng boys to play with all right around the same ages as our kids.  Jachin has been right on board being here all along. Indie has been my biggest surprise.  She was all for coming here. and she is still OK with it, but the biggest "homesickness " comes from her. She misses so many of her friends and asks when she will get to see them again. enter the emotional pain.   now doubled since i am feeling the pain my daughter feels.  Why does it hurt more like that when it's your kids experiencing it?  makes me wonder, does God feel that way when he sees us hurting?

So where are we?  Well, right now i have two boys who unselfishly spent almost all they earned doing some extra yard work on their little sister's birthday gifts.  i have three kiddos sitting down and happily doing extra math work over their summertime break.  i have one five year old who keeps getting back up on her bike and peddling as often as i tell her so that she can master bike riding.  i have good kids.  i want them to be better.  I want them to have great attitudes in all things, i want them to be thankful in all things, and above all I want them to see how God is at work in their lives.  i have some stepping up to do to get them there, to get me there.  isn't that what Christianity is all about? excelling still more?! Let's press on!