What's that they say about "the best laid plans of mice and men"? Ah, yes, they do often go astray. :-/
As mentioned before, the Embassy of Jamaica in Washington, D.C.received my passport a week ago for visa application, approval and stamping. The process was supposed to take 2 days, yet as governments go, 7 days later I remain passport-less with a few other complications to mix in. The long and the short of it all comes down to the fact that I'll not be moving to Jamaica today, but will be remaining in PA awaiting to hear back from the Embassy about when they'll process my application and return my passport. From there it's a matter of rebooking my flight.
Deep down I realize there is something much bigger going on here and a reason why God didn't want me in JA today. Maybe it was to let things settle down again after catching the drug lord (hooray!). Or to let some bad weather pass. Or because I needed to learn or see or try one last thing. Whether or not I find that reason out tomorrow, next week, or 15 years from now is up to Him! Already it's been another lesson in trust and letting go. I'm also reminded of the 23rd Psalm in that "He makes me lie down in green pastures . . . " God knows us better than we know ourselves. If He knows that we need to take some time off, find some R&R, you better believe it's going to happen. I'm grateful that He chose this way instead of some sort of sickness or otherwise!
Yes, there are many silver linings to all that's happened the last few days. Having no car, roommates that are on clinical or at work, and very few easily accessible clothes (without completely unpacking my carefully 3x packed 50lb bags) has literally grounded me to one place for the time being--something that's rather hard to do usually! I didn't even set an alarm this morning. It was beautiful. Besides that I've spent some time in the word, finally finished another book, caught up on some emails, and been playing with designs and updates for FORU's website this morning. Time spent not at all as planned, and yet, in a way so needed and appreciated. God is good. The hammock and a possible hour or two of scrapbooking might also happen today! No worries, mon.
That being said, the name of the game is "flexibility"--and prayer and patience! (Although, I suppose my entire time in Jamaica might very well be dubbed that!) Once I get in touch again with the Embassy I'll likely look to fly out this Thursday or Saturday. Only God knows what will happen for His plan never goes astray ... and for now I'll rest in that!
Even now I've been overwhelmed by texts, emails, prayers, and encouragement from you all! Thank you! You truly are the best! The next time you hear from me I'll hopefully be miles and miles south of Phila.
Much love!
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Not convenient.
This would be the perfect scene for a movie.
A twenty-something female sitting alone next to Baggage Claim A, surrounded by luggage with 9 hours looming in front of her. All because of a last minute flight cancellation due to mechanical malfunctions which led to standing in line, making many disconnected phone calls to agents saying they can't reschedule your flight until tomorrow only for a real agent (thankfully) getting you a rescheduled red-eye flight 10 hours later with a different airline to a new destination. Only to be told, once you arrive at the correct terminal in the correct gating area, by the same security guard checking you through 2 hours prior that now, you can't enter as your flight isn't until tomorrow (12:40am). . . .oh yes, don't forget the splotchy skin, red rimmed eyes, and hundreds of staring strangers. All combined with the building emotions of saying goodbye after goodbye over the past weeks. This is a movie moment. The thing is, if this was my movie, I'd have been rescued (or at least stumbled into) my Prince Charming by now . . . and been (surprise!) bumped to1st class. :) Welcome to the real world. Ah, yes, and what's traveling without a little adventure?! Nothing about this is convenient.
And with that thought I'm reminded of what someone said at church a few weeks ago. . . something along the lines of 'a life of faith is not convenient at all'.
YOU, my many friends, family, and supporters, are the first of many blessings to come to mind. I can't THANK YOU enough (especially those of you I reached in my minutes of panic just now) for the amount of support and encouragement I continue to receive. What's not convenient about you, however, is having to leave you behind! It's been an emotional couple of weeks on both coasts. At the same time this is truly more of a blessing than an inconvenience as I'm so blessed to have so many people close to my heart! In all of this Jamaica prep, I've also met so many wonderful people who would have otherwise been strangers.
Jamaica. It looms in the horizon--- less than 4 days to go! Once there, there will be many everyday conveniences that I won't have, many of which I'm sure I haven't begun to realize. Yet I know every cold shower, hand washed shirt, mosquito bite, cockroach, lizard-awakening night and fish-eating day, every second will be worth it. I'm leaping into something I was called, love, designed, and meant to do. In so many ways I'm still amazed at how things have come together over the last year. And no, it hasn't all been convenient, but things continue to work out, more often than not, better than I've ever imagined.
I've been challenged in new ways these last months and have grown and changed so much not only in my outlook of my life but more importantly in my faith and trusting in the unknown.
Today would be a perfect example of one of the toughest lessons I'm continuing to learn: Letting Go. Letting go of control over schedules and plans. Letting go of my stuff--my car, my furniture, my clothes, my electronics, etc. Letting go of my future--plans for my career, plans for my family, security in a job, financial dilemmas. Letting go of my friends and family on both sides of the coast. Letting go of my fears, my worries, my doubts. Letting go of things and events that I have absolutely no control over. In so many ways it's a daily battle not to hold tight, even just by a finger tip or two, to one thing or another.
Funny enough, the Embassy of Jamaica currently has my passport. The very thing that lets me out of (and back into) the U.S. I discovered last Saturday that, eek!, I need a visa before I arrive on the island. That and that God must have a sense of humor when He's trying to get our attention. Let go. I have no idea if they'll get it back to me in Phila by Tuesday morning at 7am. Or what will happen if they don't. Deep down I know that God didn't bring me this far to slam the Jamaica door in my face. With that in mind, I continue to turn my worries and fears and "what ifs" over to Him . . . again and again and again. :) A extra prayer or two never hurts either!
Kudos to you if you've hung in there this long. . . .this may be the marathon blog! In less than a week I'll have much more exciting news to share, including new ways to contact me and keep in touch. THANK YOU again for being a part of my army of support.
Oh, praise de Lord. I just discovered there's a Starbucks around the corner. . . . Until next time!
A twenty-something female sitting alone next to Baggage Claim A, surrounded by luggage with 9 hours looming in front of her. All because of a last minute flight cancellation due to mechanical malfunctions which led to standing in line, making many disconnected phone calls to agents saying they can't reschedule your flight until tomorrow only for a real agent (thankfully) getting you a rescheduled red-eye flight 10 hours later with a different airline to a new destination. Only to be told, once you arrive at the correct terminal in the correct gating area, by the same security guard checking you through 2 hours prior that now, you can't enter as your flight isn't until tomorrow (12:40am). . . .oh yes, don't forget the splotchy skin, red rimmed eyes, and hundreds of staring strangers. All combined with the building emotions of saying goodbye after goodbye over the past weeks. This is a movie moment. The thing is, if this was my movie, I'd have been rescued (or at least stumbled into) my Prince Charming by now . . . and been (surprise!) bumped to1st class. :) Welcome to the real world. Ah, yes, and what's traveling without a little adventure?! Nothing about this is convenient.
And with that thought I'm reminded of what someone said at church a few weeks ago. . . something along the lines of 'a life of faith is not convenient at all'.
YOU, my many friends, family, and supporters, are the first of many blessings to come to mind. I can't THANK YOU enough (especially those of you I reached in my minutes of panic just now) for the amount of support and encouragement I continue to receive. What's not convenient about you, however, is having to leave you behind! It's been an emotional couple of weeks on both coasts. At the same time this is truly more of a blessing than an inconvenience as I'm so blessed to have so many people close to my heart! In all of this Jamaica prep, I've also met so many wonderful people who would have otherwise been strangers.
Jamaica. It looms in the horizon--- less than 4 days to go! Once there, there will be many everyday conveniences that I won't have, many of which I'm sure I haven't begun to realize. Yet I know every cold shower, hand washed shirt, mosquito bite, cockroach, lizard-awakening night and fish-eating day, every second will be worth it. I'm leaping into something I was called, love, designed, and meant to do. In so many ways I'm still amazed at how things have come together over the last year. And no, it hasn't all been convenient, but things continue to work out, more often than not, better than I've ever imagined.
I've been challenged in new ways these last months and have grown and changed so much not only in my outlook of my life but more importantly in my faith and trusting in the unknown.
Today would be a perfect example of one of the toughest lessons I'm continuing to learn: Letting Go. Letting go of control over schedules and plans. Letting go of my stuff--my car, my furniture, my clothes, my electronics, etc. Letting go of my future--plans for my career, plans for my family, security in a job, financial dilemmas. Letting go of my friends and family on both sides of the coast. Letting go of my fears, my worries, my doubts. Letting go of things and events that I have absolutely no control over. In so many ways it's a daily battle not to hold tight, even just by a finger tip or two, to one thing or another.
Funny enough, the Embassy of Jamaica currently has my passport. The very thing that lets me out of (and back into) the U.S. I discovered last Saturday that, eek!, I need a visa before I arrive on the island. That and that God must have a sense of humor when He's trying to get our attention. Let go. I have no idea if they'll get it back to me in Phila by Tuesday morning at 7am. Or what will happen if they don't. Deep down I know that God didn't bring me this far to slam the Jamaica door in my face. With that in mind, I continue to turn my worries and fears and "what ifs" over to Him . . . again and again and again. :) A extra prayer or two never hurts either!
Kudos to you if you've hung in there this long. . . .this may be the marathon blog! In less than a week I'll have much more exciting news to share, including new ways to contact me and keep in touch. THANK YOU again for being a part of my army of support.
Oh, praise de Lord. I just discovered there's a Starbucks around the corner. . . . Until next time!
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