From across the ocean!

I'm happy to say our crate has arrived!

(It actually arrived on Wednesday, but I wanted to share pictures, so I waited to post)

Tanner and I were so excited to see it come, and Tanner's excitement has increased daily as his toys have been slowly reappearing! It's all just stuff, but it's amazing what a feeling of home it brings.
I've been going through the process of looking through each box for damaged items. We're not unpacking everything, because we have to move again in a few weeks. But, since we're all tired of living out of suitcases for the last 3 months, I'm bringing out some comforts!
The favorites so far -
Tanner - his toys and books for sure (I must say I was getting rather tired of the same 4 books, but that said, he's made me read the "Piper" book 6 times already today!
Me - my cookbooks!!!! Followed my wonderfully comfortable bed! Don't worry, it does have a sheet and blankets on it now!
We're so thankful to see a glimpse of the items that made our house a "home." And even move excited that John comes home tomorrow! But for tonight, I'm curling up with the laptop to watch an impossibly girly DVD from the crate!

Sweet Potato Victory

Appreciating the small victories!
We have had an ongoing battle with getting Tanner to eat what we serve him. God is definitely teaching me a lesson in humility, because before kids I would have sworn to never have a picky eater! And lo and behold, I have a picky eater. He has regularly seen his plate of food and promptly burst into tears. He's gone a day eating only a piece of bread. To be honest, it's a battle I'm having a hard time deciding how to handle. I'm not into cooking multiple meals for people's preferences. And I want him to eat well-balanced and healthy. I also want him to learn to eat what is offered to him, so he learns to be thankful.
Anyway all that to say, the other night, he ate all of his chicken nuggets! I know, I told you this kid is picky (he does not like normal kid food - hot dogs, chicken nuggets, cheese - at least he's a big fan of fruit!). But this one night, he happily ate homemade chicken nuggets. To make it even better, I had added sweet potato puree to the egg mixture so they had added health, and they were yummy!
It's the little victories! Celebrate the little things today!

This World is Not My Home....

"This world is not my home I'm just passing through
my treasures are laid up somewhere beyond the blue
the angels beckon me from Heaven's open door
and I can't feel at home in this world anymore"

If you know this song and are like me, you can't help but hear it and start clapping and stomping your feet with a goofy smile on your lips. With moving to a foreign country, I have thought a lot about "home" the last couple of weeks. And I had to admit, there have been several days when my only thought has been "I just want to go home." (said in my head as a long whine) And why? Because home is where we feel secure, comfortable, and safe. It is familiar.
But as I thought about it, that while it may take me some time for the UK to feel as familiar and comfortable as home, I had wrongly made my "home" in Richmond, VA. I found security, safety, familiarity, and comfort more in this world (in Target, Starbucks, my friends, my modern bathroom, my comfortable apartment, etc.) than I have in Christ and the hope of heaven. Sadly, many times my focus was more on things here on this earth, than things of eternity and a longing for heaven. In Ephesians, Paul tells us God has prepared us to sit with Him in the heavenly realms. Why then are we so content with the craziness of this world? God has so much more for us.
Moving overseas has provided not only an amazing opportunity to be part of God's work here, but also the opportunity to be thrown out of my comfort zone into a place where I have to find comfort and dependence on God. It's made me much more aware of where I've placed my value of home.
Where is your "home"? Where are you looking to for comfort and security?
"For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace." Romans 5:6
Where is your mind set on? Is is set on eternal things or worldly things?
The Bible spells it out clearly: "Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in this world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. The world is passing away and also its lusts, but the one who does the will of God lives forever." 1 John 2:15-16
I'll be the first to admit, I have found myself loving the world and buying into the lie that happiness can be found in it. But, I want to be different. I want life and peace that God promises when we set our mind on the Spirit. I want to find my home in Christ alone, wherever this world takes me. Then I can truly find "home."

Unwrapping Tuesday: New Friends, Same Tastes!

I love this idea of "Unwrapping Tuesdays" by giving thanks and appreciating the small things in life! We have noticed many differences in the two weeks we've been here, especially dealing with food we can and can't get. And in the land of tea, I have really missed coffee. Well, let me clarify - many people drink coffee here, but alas the truth comes out. I am not a true coffee connoisseur - I really enjoy the flavored creamer I drink with my coffee (I know, I know - if you could see me my head would be down in disgrace.) And I have to admit, I have scoured every grocery store we've been in to see if they have it!
Last week, I had the privilege of meeting a young mom and her two adorable girls. Her bubbly personality and friendliness immediately endeared me to her. I was also so relived to meet anyone my age with children that carried with it even the hint of a possibility of friendship! However, I knew true friendship may indeed be a reality when she told me the two things she always asks her parents to bring back from the states when the visit! Are you ready:
Canned Pumpkin (what is fall without this?) and Flavored Creamer!
I couldn't believe it - a girl after my own heart! The two things I love (and miss!)from home! I could have jumped up and hugged her right then while declaring my loyalty and undying friendship forever!
Praise the Lord for shared tastes and new friends in the making! It made me realize the Lord knows even our favorite tastes! What a reminder of His great love and personal attention to us!

Judging

Do you have a problem with judging?

This morning I was reading Sarah Young's thoughts for today in her devotional Jesus Calling. Here's what she said:
" Give your mind a break from its habitual judging. You form judgments about this situation, that situation, this person, that person, yourself, even the weather - as if judging were your main function in life. But I created you first and foremost to know Me and to live in rich communication with Me. When you become preoccupied with passing judgment, you usurp My role...Rather than evaluating My ways with you, accept them thankfully. The intimacy I offer you is not an invitation to act as if you were My equal."
I'll admit my first thought, "Oh good, I'm not struggling with judging people, at least not this week. This is a nice thought and one for me to remember for the future, but not really relevant right now." Upon further reflection, however, I started to think of how often I make judgments on my circumstances. In essence, I place judgment on God for what He has chosen to do in my life, which is the same as making myself an equal with God. That is a grave mistake and a sin.
- What kind of clay says to the potter, "Why did you make me this way?" How absurd coming from something as useless as a lump of clay. (Rom. 9:20-21)
- What kind of sheep says to the shepherd, "No, I think we should go this way instead." What does a dumb sheep know over the shepherd?
- What kind of subject dares tell a king what to do or how he's wrong. That's grounds for imprisonment or beheading.
- And what creation tries to inform the Creator of what He should have done with it. Without the power and design of the Creator, it wouldn't exist.

Do you see the absurdity? Have you, like me, found yourself passing judgments upon what God has brought into your life, rather than accepting it thankfully and worshiping Him for it? For He alone is the "blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords" (1 Tim. 6:15) I wonder how much richer our walk with the Lord would be if we lived foremost for knowing God more deeply (John 17:3)and worried less about judging?

Fears and flight

Hello from Sunderland, England! We made it! Despite my lack of presence online, we did arrive a little over a week ago and are beginning to adjust to life (more to add to that later).
My two anxieties over flying were:
a.) If our luggage was too heavy or awkward shaped - I had visions of having to throw out clothes and other items at the airport in front of a line of angry, impatient people and in front of the loved ones who came to see us off!
b.) Tanner would not cooperate on the flight leaving two exhausted, frazzled parents and several hundred irate passengers.

Thankfully, the Lord was gracious to us on both accounts. All of our luggage was accepted, including our 7 1/2 foot Christmas tree (yes, we were definitely "those" people - but hey we're moving here! And we got an unbeatable deal on it!) And Tanner did considerably well for his first flight. He watched lots of movies (Praise the Lord for Veggie Tales and individual screens on the airbuses packed with cartoons). He cried some, but the plane was so loud, I don't think he bothered many people, and to be honest, I didn't care when the time came! I figured it was a relatively short time in the grand scheme of life, the airplane was really loud, and I would never see these people again!
On a sweet note, when we arrived in Dusseldorf, Germany it was so special to see Tanner and this little boy (I think he was Russian) play together. They played chase, and matchbox cars, and even watched some Veggie Tales together. It's amazing how play can span cultures and languages (not that Tanner has much of a language right now, except his own), but neither one cared!

This is Tanner and his new friend. Sorry about only getting the backside - they moved too fast!


Here's Tanner at the airport, looking awake and happy! It's two in the morning US time!