I-Rachel, put wedding details aside & left Craig in Durham to drive East and spend two days/nights with friend Stephanie (previously in Bundibugyo, UG) at her river cottage in Bertie County. It was warm, windy, salt-smelly, altogether refreshing. We (alternately) read, slept, ate, walked, talked. Thanks for the weekend away Steph!
As we move closer & closer to the wedding feast of Dec. 20th, I thought I’d share this. A friend of mine wrote it in a letter to me several weeks ago and I like it.
by Richard Wilbur
St. John tells how, at Cana’s wedding feast,
The water-pots poured wine in such amount
That by his sober count
There were a hundred gallons at the least.
It made no earthly sense, unless to show
How whatsoever love elects to bless
Brims to a sweet excess
That can without depletion overflow.
Which is to say that what love sees is true;
That this world’s fullness is not made but found.
Life hungers to abound
And pour its plenty out for such as you.
Now, if your loves will lend an ear to mine,
I toast you both, good son and dear new daughter.
May you not lack for water,
And may that water smack of Cana’s wine.
GOD IS GOOD
But do I really believe that God is completely good, that in Him there is nothing that is not good? During this past week at Sonship, God continued to challenge me with the implications to this question.
If it’s true…
If I believe that this is true in a way that leads me to trust Him in His complete goodness, then I am truly free. I’m free to love and serve Rachel, even when it’s risky, even when it may hurt. When I see depths of my selfishness, when even the purest love I am able to give to Rachel is tainted, for my comfort or my renown, I’m free to love, free to serve. When we have conflict I am free to move into it with boldness and in truth, and when the conflict is my fault, (probably 95% of the time) I am free to repent, free to confess. Why? Because God is beautiful; He is abundantly good. When I trust this, moving into obedience (loving with vulnerability, loving in spite of selfishness, speaking truth and speaking repentance) swallows up death. No matter what earthly consequence we see, it is ALWAYS worth it.
I am in Waco, Texas with Katie, Kyle & Lillian who is 2 1/2. Katie and Kyle just started their third year in Texas where Kyle is receiving a PhD at Baylor University. Sometimes we’re not sure who my niece resembles more when she makes faces: her mother or myself.
in the Stupe at Wheaton: Seattle-born Javan Miner with girlfriend Jen, New Jersey-born Carol Miner
Together with Nate & Naphtali Mitten (Craig’s fellow Engineering buddy from Messiah) and Tom & Betsy Gill (formerly with ECHO) at our 2 night stopover in Gainesville, FL.
Craig and I are globe trotting. Here are some snaps of our time together in these past weeks. Still wedding planning, still beginning stages of support raising & communicating as we learn more about Mozambique….
When we were with my siblings in Port Orchard, Washington in August, Craig said I wouldn’t shave my head in a million years. Well, to prove him wrong (and a couple other reasons!), my brother-in-law & I got to work fast….
Kenyan food with “Kenyans” at New Mission Systems International in Fort Myers, Florida.
We had time for Twister with my Five Cousins (+spouses) in Barnesville, Georgia – courtesy of Ginny & Bobby Passmore. And the ping pong ball game which no one has heard of but Hawkins.
My Five Georgia Cousins: Melinda, James, Kristy, Ashley, Jordan
