They're Back!!!

They're back!! Those brown rectangular taped objects are back into our lives with full force. Our boxes finally arrived from there sea voyage,or cruise if you ask Anya's stuffed animals, we expected them sometime next week and were happy to see them early. We greedily threw open all the boxes last night much like a child on their birthday to see what presents these traveling boxes have to offer us. We exclaimed with joy as Toronto Maple Leaf souvenirs popped out of the boxes, the Tim Horton's coffee mug was hoisted onto our shoulders an paraded around the house, the long lost books were caressed with joy and the conversations overheard between my daughter and her various favorite toys were priceless. There was much joy!



Today my plan is to stay here and sort and organize as much as possible to turn this house into our home. Yes, these things are just things and we could do without, but I have to admit that just drinking out of my favourite coffee mug while blogging this morning feels different, feels like home. I am grateful that we are feeling settled in the strange new world of Bahamas, I am thankful that God is helping us put down some roots. Our stuff that arrived is not the cause of these roots to be put down but I feel they are a symbol for that. Drinking out of a favourite coffee mug does not make me call this place home, it is the feeling of contentment that is arising more and more that we are indeed where we need to be.

Shine on My friends!

Just being makes me itchy.

Well, it is happening and I need to fight it. I knew that once we were mostly settled in and comfortable with where we were I would start to get the itch to seek employment faster than I wanted. Looks like just being me, makes me itchy to be something else. I promised myself and my family that I would not start looking until September. I know I need the recovery from the heartbreaking move, I know I need to get Anya feeling more connected in her community, I know I need to get to know my new friends at our new church (and there are lots!!) I know I know I know..
I have to be honest and say I feel slightly embarrassed that I have such an amazing place to do this in, not many people have the opportunity to stop work and figure things out. Sure there is a huge cost to that but I know God has called me to do this and I need to honour this opportunity. What I think is happening is that my old definition of who I am is wanting to be validated. That somehow I am feeling less than valuable without a position. I knew this was going to happen but I did not expect it to happen this quickly.. after all I have only been on the island for 13 days. So I write this blog as a way to challenge myself to slow down, to stop and take the moments right now for what they are, a gift from God. A gift where He has given fewer distractions in order that I might see Him better and in turn know who I am in Him more clearly.So for the next little while I am led back to the verse that was so clearly given to the MacPhails as we contemplated our transition.

Jeremiah 29:11-13
For I know the plans I that I have for you declares the Lord,
plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.
Then you will call upon Me and I will listen to you.
And you will seek me and find me when you search for Me with all your heart.

I will continue to push aside my restless itchiness of just being, and sit with the uncomfortableness that comes with being me. I will choose to call upon the Lord and not the want ads, I will seek God with my heart and I know I will continue to find Him for He promises to listen. shine on my friends