It was around this time last year that I uttered those words. It's one of those moments that I can say I actually have learned from! Saying those words and having that attitude ushered in a new period in our lives.
It started slowly.....
We were in Angel Fire, NM for the annual meeting in October. My mom and dad always come up in October, and we always tried to make it to Angel Fire if they were there. I was talking with Mom about some things that happened to our family recently. She went to bed, and I thought everything was fine. But Mom came down the stairs about thirty minutes later and asked me point blank: "Matt, how long do you plan to live there in New Mexico?" Erin was at the table with me, and I looked Mom in the eyes and said, "Mom, I will never leave the reservation! I want to stay here forever!" This wasn't an argument or disagreement, but I was convinced our family was right where God wanted us to be, and Mom was convinced I may need to consider other options at some point in the future.
Less than a year later, we moved halfway across the world.
Well, God taught me a lesson! I have generally been pretty good about the whole "if the Lord wills" idea from the book of James. But I have learned to NEVER utter the word never again. While I still don't fully know all the reasons God wanted us to move to Indonesia, I certainly found out very quickly that I must obey, despite what I thought-or what I had said. God is certainly stretching us through a transitional time right now, and while it is painful at times, I take comfort in knowing we are exactly where God wants us to be. In fact, without that knowledge, I don't think anyone in either of our families (here or in the States) would be able to endure the separation we are going through.
So as you go through this week, remember the importance of not being rash or confident in what you think is God's plan. He has a way of changing things quickly- not on a whim, but as part of his plan to use us for his glory. We can't be used if we think we have arrived exactly where we need to be. I spoke rashly with overconfidence. We have learned to be much more dependent upon God's plan instead of our own.
Thanks, Mom, for asking a thoughtful and tough question. It's amazing to see how God uses the simplest things to change our perspective, attitude, and eventually- our lives! God bless ya!
Love to all- mekj
Monday, October 29, 2012
Thursday, October 4, 2012
We are back to blogging
Hello, and sorry for the long delay! We are trying to figure out a consistent day that we can remember to blog! For now, we just wanted to give you a basic update.
School is going well for everyone involved! The boys are adjusting to their new classrooms, and I am figuring out how to best teach my students. The first quarter is almost over already! Kadin has homework often, and I usually have a few papers to grade each night. On Fridays, there's often a soccer game at school, so we hang out and watch the games before heading home. Pray for Kadin as he adjusts to doing homework regularly. He often wishes he didn't have homework, but what kid WANTS homework!? Pray for me as I teach my classes. I want to be sensitive to use teachable moments to instruct the kids spiritually.
Erin has been busy making friends and learning the language. She has tutoring twice a week, and she works on homework between her Monday and Friday classes. She's cooked a few meals, made her own Bisquick from scratch, and learned to ride her motorbike. In addition to tutoring, she attends a women's Bible study and has enjoyed getting to know other ladies from the area.
Relationships- I am playing soccer with about five other guys on a pretty regular basis. I usually sit and watch as my back won't tolerate much playing, but it is fun to get to know my new friends. We play on Thursdays, which would be Wednesday morning for most of you in the US. Erin has made some friends in the neighborhood as well, and she has a walking buddy. Unfortunately, the only day they have been able to walk has been Thursday afternoon. But they enjoy the time walking and talking. It's great to have been blessed with some friends outside of our close-knit BAIS community. Speaking of BAIS, we have made some great friends there too! There are several families with kids our age! One of the reasons we wanted to move was because of relationships. We are so thankful that God has provided friends here. We still miss our friends back home dearly, and always will, but we are excited about our new relatives! Pray for us to have wisdom in our relationships and that God would be able to use them to draw us all closer to Him.
Changes in general- While we have been here almost 2 months, we still find things that we are lacking! It's not a major problem, but when we need something, we cannot simply go down to the store and get it. Case in point- air conditioning for the master bedroom. We know what we want to get, but we have to go to town to get it. Luckily our friends are going to take us on Saturday, so hopefully we can get A/C in our room by the end of next week. While in town, we will also look for hair clippers, as the boy's hair is getting long; standing lights, since the house is still a little dark; a DVD player so we can watch movies while Matt works on the computer; and other miscellaneous items. Clothes are still things we need to shop for too, but we can only do so much during one trip! The biggest change we have had now is transportation. We both have motorbikes now, and they are great to use to get around Kota Baru (where there is not much traffic). I plan on taking my bike to town one of these days, but the traffic is a little daunting. Hopefully we can ride the bikes to church fairly soon, but who knows! The boys like the bikes a lot, and they like to help me wash them on the weekends!
Lastly, we want to thank you for your prayer and financial support. We live in a very dark place spiritually, and at times it can feel oppressive. Please know that your prayers are crucial to the work we are trying to do out here. We truly are not alone, and we need prayer warriors that are willing to lift us up in prayer. God bless you all, and have a great rest of the week! -mekj
Kadin on my (eventually his) motorbike!
Jace lost his tooth the other day! His first one! He was visited by the tooth fairy and given the equivalent of a US dollar. He was very excited!
Jace also wrote his name on his own for the first time the other day! He was so proud of himself!
School is going well for everyone involved! The boys are adjusting to their new classrooms, and I am figuring out how to best teach my students. The first quarter is almost over already! Kadin has homework often, and I usually have a few papers to grade each night. On Fridays, there's often a soccer game at school, so we hang out and watch the games before heading home. Pray for Kadin as he adjusts to doing homework regularly. He often wishes he didn't have homework, but what kid WANTS homework!? Pray for me as I teach my classes. I want to be sensitive to use teachable moments to instruct the kids spiritually.
Erin has been busy making friends and learning the language. She has tutoring twice a week, and she works on homework between her Monday and Friday classes. She's cooked a few meals, made her own Bisquick from scratch, and learned to ride her motorbike. In addition to tutoring, she attends a women's Bible study and has enjoyed getting to know other ladies from the area.
Relationships- I am playing soccer with about five other guys on a pretty regular basis. I usually sit and watch as my back won't tolerate much playing, but it is fun to get to know my new friends. We play on Thursdays, which would be Wednesday morning for most of you in the US. Erin has made some friends in the neighborhood as well, and she has a walking buddy. Unfortunately, the only day they have been able to walk has been Thursday afternoon. But they enjoy the time walking and talking. It's great to have been blessed with some friends outside of our close-knit BAIS community. Speaking of BAIS, we have made some great friends there too! There are several families with kids our age! One of the reasons we wanted to move was because of relationships. We are so thankful that God has provided friends here. We still miss our friends back home dearly, and always will, but we are excited about our new relatives! Pray for us to have wisdom in our relationships and that God would be able to use them to draw us all closer to Him.
Changes in general- While we have been here almost 2 months, we still find things that we are lacking! It's not a major problem, but when we need something, we cannot simply go down to the store and get it. Case in point- air conditioning for the master bedroom. We know what we want to get, but we have to go to town to get it. Luckily our friends are going to take us on Saturday, so hopefully we can get A/C in our room by the end of next week. While in town, we will also look for hair clippers, as the boy's hair is getting long; standing lights, since the house is still a little dark; a DVD player so we can watch movies while Matt works on the computer; and other miscellaneous items. Clothes are still things we need to shop for too, but we can only do so much during one trip! The biggest change we have had now is transportation. We both have motorbikes now, and they are great to use to get around Kota Baru (where there is not much traffic). I plan on taking my bike to town one of these days, but the traffic is a little daunting. Hopefully we can ride the bikes to church fairly soon, but who knows! The boys like the bikes a lot, and they like to help me wash them on the weekends!
Lastly, we want to thank you for your prayer and financial support. We live in a very dark place spiritually, and at times it can feel oppressive. Please know that your prayers are crucial to the work we are trying to do out here. We truly are not alone, and we need prayer warriors that are willing to lift us up in prayer. God bless you all, and have a great rest of the week! -mekj
Kadin on my (eventually his) motorbike!
Jace lost his tooth the other day! His first one! He was visited by the tooth fairy and given the equivalent of a US dollar. He was very excited!
Jace also wrote his name on his own for the first time the other day! He was so proud of himself!
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