Oakland seems to be my place to go this month... every time
I've had a trip with overnights, I've gone to Oakland. I have even gotten the same room at the hotel each time, so it feels like home! (Not quite... but some familiarity!) ;-) That's where I was on Thanksgiving... and in San Jose the night before that. No turkey for me! Although one of our Captains did have Melissa and I over for a late Thanksgiving dinner last Saturday. YUMMY!One of the funnest nights we had in Tucson this month was our Nintendo night! Our neighbours, Kyle and Dennis (brothers) have an old school Nintendo (NES), so Morgan, Melissa and I went over to their place and played. SO FUN. =)
Look! It's Arizona!On a flight from Oakland to Salt Lake City last week, I had some passengers who were truly an encouragement to me. I was talking with a Tongan man sitting in the last row, and we were talking about the South Pacific and Papua New Guinea. When I told the man I had lived in PNG, I saw the woman in the row in front of him kinda perk up. When I started to come back up the aisle, she said that she had overheard me say that and asked what I was doing there. I saw she had a Bible open on her tray table, and I started to ask if they were Christians... That's when her husband spoke up and said, "We're Christ followers." I thought that was awesome! I knew what context I could talk to them in, knowing that they were Believers, and told them that my parents were there working with Wycliffe Bible Translators. (Let me digress for a moment, and just say that I hate saying that my parents were missionaries. You say the word "missionary" and all of a sudden all these preconceived ideas come with it... usually negative. Judgmental, 'holier than thou' mentality, trying to change culture and make everyone wear white to church, weird, etc etc etc. So usually, unless I know the people are Believers and are going to have a better understanding of what really goes on with missions, I say that my parents were with a linguistic organization, which is completely true. And sometimes people think that's a little weird, but usually they think it's cool too.) Ok, so when I told this couple my parents were with Wycliffe, they said they knew a family who worked with Wycliffe in Africa. The husband asked me some pretty pointed questions about my work and where I was getting teaching and fellowship... That has been one of the hard parts about this job, with traveling so much and working on Sundays as well. So I was honest with them and shared that it has been a struggle. I was also encouraged by the wife, as she told me she could see a different attitude and presence in me, from when they walked on the plane to watching me come down the aisle with the beverage service. I told them that when I had started this job, I prayed that the people I came in contact with would be able to see Christ in me... She said she could. What a compliment. A little while later when I returned to do a trash run, they handed me a small hardcover book, a devotional. They wrote a long, encouraging note on the first page along with their card. They said they would be praying for me. Wow!!! I was amazed at how much God blessed and encouraged me through them.
I was on call Saturday and Sunday... and just hung out in Tucson. Tried out a new church and liked it a lot. Simple, but solid. If I'm in town next week, I'm gonna go back and try them out again. I flew on Express Jet, my new heroes =) from Tucson to Ontario last night after I was off call. All of our flights into LAX were oversold, so I thought I'd try Express Jet. I met the Captain of the flight when I was at the gate seeing if I was going to make it, and he said he'd make sure I got on. They took care of me, and it was awesome!
Mom took today off work so we could hang out, and it's been great!!! I love being at home. =) Can't wait till next time.
Bogey has been cracking us up all day!!!
Bogey has been cracking us up all day!!!
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