Chilly already

It's really autumn. Chuck turned the heat on this morning; seems too early! My creative card-making friend sent hand-cut snowflakes last week. When one stops to think, there's comfort in the reliability of the seasons, isn't there? I spoke with Jeremy in Niger yesterday. He sounds very contented. Their town has only 2 paved roads and erratic electricity, but the cell phone works. Go figure! The kids in town seem to speak little French, mostly Songhai mixed with Gourma and Housa, so Jeremy is finding communication a challenge. Pray for him. I think he'll learn a lot of language.

I did finish a first draft of the entire magazine yesterday. What a relief! Now I can work on finding photos, getting approvals, and refining the writing. (One of my lines when I teach new SIM candidates about communication is this: "There is no such thing as good writing; there is only good re-writing.")

You know that I read a classic devotional, Streams in the Desert, every day. Yesterday's reading is worth repeating. Don't misunderstand; I'm not feeling near death right now. It's simply a healthy perspective for all of us; we're all terminal.

"The owner of the house I have lived in for many years has notified me that he will do little or nothing to keep it in repair. He also advised me to be ready to move.

"At first this was not very welcome news. In many respects the surrounding area is quite pleasant, and if not for the evidence of a somewhat declining condition, the house seems rather nice. Yet a closer look reveals that even a light wind causes it to shake and sway, and its foundation is not sufficient to make it secure. Therefore I am getting ready to move.

"As I consider the move, it is strange how quickly my interest is transferred to my prospective new home in another country. I have been consulting maps and studying accounts of its inhabitants. And someone who has come from there to visit has told me that it is beautiful beyond description and that language is inadequate to fully describe what he heard while there. He said that in order to make an investment there, he has suffered the loss of everything he owned here, yet rejoices in what others would call a sacrifice. Another person, whose love for me has been proved by the greatest possible test, now lives there. He has sent me several clusters of the most delicious grapes I have ever eaten, and after eating them everything here tastes very bland.

"Several times I have gone to the edge of the river that forms the boundary between here and there and have longed to be with those singing praises to the King on the otheer side. Many of my friends have moved across that river, but before leaving here they spoke of my following them later. I have seen the smile on their facees as they passed from my sight. So each time I am asked to make some new investment here, I now respond, 'I am getting ready to move.'" (selected)

On that note, I spent a couple of hours yesterday afternoon sorting "stuff" to donate to the rescue mission truck when it comes next week. Books are hardest to part with, but when they're overflowing the shelves and stacking on the floor beside my wingback chair, it's time!

It's Sunday. I hope your worship today has been or will be wonderful (depending on your time zone). I'm looking forward to ours.

Blessings,
Carol