Megan returned home after 3 months serving in Ethiopia just before Christmas. We were thrilled for her to be back home with us and we loved hearing story after story about her time serving in Ethiopia. As a mom it is still amazing to look at Megan and see a beautiful woman chasing after God instead of the little girl I use to be chasing. This trip that took her away for three months really made me realize what a blessing she is to our family- from her constant singing, her help with the younger kids, her love for Jesus and all of the laughter she adds to our home was greatly missed. We are thankful that she was obedient when God called her to serve the least of these in Ethiopia.
After she returned Megan started college this semester and was chosen to be a part of an exciting program called Heroine Fellowship. (www.heroine fellowship.org) For the next several months she and a few other young women will be studying many aspects of social justice around the world. This is a huge honor for her to be a part of this program and she is really enjoying having a mentor and studying issues such as HIV Aids, clean water, orphan care, sex trafficking, and several other global issues. She will be working with organizations around the world being educated on and learning to combat these issues. The team that she is studying with will be going to Haiti in July and she can't wait. Megan's heart is for the least of these and this opportunity is an amazing blessing.
In January we added to our family again but this time only for a few months. We decided to bring an International student into our home and it has been so much fun! Adriano will be with us until the end of May and I already know that is going to be a hard goodbye! He loves soccer (and is really good), beats David at FIFA on the x-box and enjoys some competitive ping-pong with our family. It has been a joy to watch all of our kids welcome him into our family and it has been especially neat to watch Lemi make sure that he feels at home. I am sure that it is still very fresh to Lemi what it feels like to be the "new" person and he has made sure that he feels cared for and at home. Our family has grown to ten and it is full of activity.
As for the rest of us it has been a very busy season. Jacob was on the school football team this fall and the basketball team this winter- This was on top of all 4 younger kids playing basketball and soccer. There were weeks when I felt that we lived at the gym or on the soccer field- yet I was determined that as family we would have dinner together each night. Some nights we were eating at 9:00pm but as a mom I know the importance of family time each day and that is one thing we will not give up no matter how busy we happen to be.
I am realizing more and more how quickly these seasons of life are changing and I am trying to enjoy every last second. I know that faster than I can imagine the days of having children at home will be a distant memory and so I pray that I am faithful today with where God has me. Just the other day I reminded a younger mom to cherish this time with her preschool age children and she laughed just as I did a few years ago. I realize now that just as those older moms tried to warn me- the days turn into weeks and weeks into months and soon these precious years are gone!
Ecclesiastes 5:18-20:
Even so, I have noticed one thing, at least, that is good. It is good for people to eat, drink, and enjoy their work under the sun during the short life God has given them, and to accept their lot in life. And it is a good thing to receive wealth from God and the good health to enjoy it. To enjoy your work and accept your lot in life—this is indeed a gift from God. God keeps such people so busy enjoying life that they take no time to brood over the past.
