December Joys!

I knew it had been a while since I had written on the blog, but I didn't realize I had totally skipped November! Well, I confess that I have to get used to using a blog -- I am more of a letter writer (my journal is mostly personal), and so I have to get used to this...

November held some significant experiences -- our return to Ecuador, getting in touch again with our people here, celebrating another year of life for Clayton (I won't tell you how many that makes... :) and the whole nine yards of getting settled again.

And now we're in December and it started off with a huge bang when Clayton's mother decided to have serious heart problems and within fifteen hours of knowing anything was wrong, she was in surgery to replace the aorta which had a huge aneurysm. Six hours of surgery later brought her out into recovery and she decided to do that as quickly and efficiently as possible. A week later she was back home -- all of this happened during a "quick trip" with her three daughters to visit another daughter/sister in Illinois. So the whole drama took place six hours away from "home" in Indiana!

So December has brought us moments for which to pray earnestly and moments for which to give God many, many thanks -- muchas gracias!!

Here on the southern home front we are rapidly moving into Christmas week and a variety of special events we hope to help make happen. Not all the plans are even made yet -- you've heard how laid back people in the south are, haven't you?! -- and so Christmas should be lots of fun with spontaneous experiences to give us good memories.

We'll been sending out Christmas newsletter this week. If you are on that mailing list, you'll hear more then. If you are not and would like to receive a monthly up-date of happenings here, let us know and we'll add you on.

Hope your Christmas week brings many reasons to smile and remember the JOY that JESUS brought to the whole world when He came.

Christmas blessings to you!

Gratitude

Today was yet one more of those awesome October days we have enjoyed again and again. I can't express what a wonder it has been to have been blessed to enjoy both September and October, days of sun and mild temperatures this year.

The last two weekends in October held such special blessing for us -- a long drive to northern New York state on a sunny day, in which we could enjoy the vivid colors of the changing leaves and then the special hospitality of Nate and Denise Olmstead and their sweet children. Those were only two of the many blessings the weekend gave us.

This past weekend was filled with laughter and special warmth as my family (Thelma) gathered for a time together with my parents. Though we talked about serious considerations for the future with my parents, my father's gentle humor had us all laughing at various times during the weekend. It was a special time for us to long remember.

And in two days November begins. Am I ready to return to Ecuador? I ask myself. More ready now than a couple weeks ago. Oh, it's not that I have packed any suitcases or finalized much of anything, but the special times together of the past couple weeks have helped me feel that I am completing several of the things I hoped to do during these months.

Today (in Atlanta) we have had some special moments with Adrian. He's walking now and beginning to jabber, getting a feel for "talking" and it's fun to be here with him. Last evening with Cade and Marcia and today and tomorrow with Duane, Liliana and Adrian are bringing these nearly two weeks to a special climax.

So we say good-bye to October, and look forward to greeting November and what it will hold for us. I am choosing the theme word of "gratitude" for November. October gave so many gifts of family -- both with the Nisly side as well as the Eberly. November will bring gifts of its own. I am choosing to focus on being thankful for each and every gift, large and small, hoped for or unexpected. October was truly a gift. November will be also.

Welcome, November!!

October musings

it seems impossible, but today is October 15. it's another of those gorgeous fall days that I love so much -- I see beautiful leaves on the trees and some on the ground, and I have to restrain the urge to collect the bright, colorful evidences of God's handiwork that lay scattered on the ground as I take my walk. the vivid reds, the warm golds, the always-beautiful greens...

These are exciting days for Clayton and me -- plans are shaping up for us to return to Ecuador in November. Lots to plan for, lots to work out, lots that is still undefined, except that our hearts are at peace with the plan to return. The next two weeks will be very busy -- well, actually, the next four weeks will be really busy. :) Marcia is going to help us design a new prayer card. I've worked on an informational "brochure" to give out to help people understand our work and future plans. Clayton is working on establishing our financial support base... it feels like the rush of harvest time activity is at hand!! Praise God!!!

September musings

September has been such a special month this year. The weather has been absolutely beautiful, day after day after day. I have reveled in the crisp autumn mornings, taking a walk just as the sun was coming up. Truly invigorating. And then the sunsets... colors that make me want to reach for my watercolor palette. Each one so distinct in colors, yet each a recognizable sunset. And every sunset, down through the centuries, unique.

I was thinking of it today -- Sunday, September 30. God has made each person and personality distinct, to help us understand that He is so huge, it takes all of us to manifest the many facets of His being... He's shy (doesn't insist that we pay attention to Him), but also out-going. He's joyful, but also feels deeply the pain of the world, He manifests His splendor in huge paintings (the sunrises and sunsets) twice a day, yet does not demand that we notice Him.

September has given me lots to think about. This is just a wee taste...

Thursday in Indiana

It's a beautiful afternoon here in Millersburg -- the sun is shining, a gentle breeze is blowing and it feels like September! Imagine that... Where did the summer go? Clayton and I were out for our morning walk and he commented that it seems the summer was so short, and then we both realized that we had arrived about half way through... We got here just in time for the 4th of July events and the weeks following that seemed sort of like a blur.

This week, on 9/11, we made a significant stride forward personally. At a meeting with the discernment team assigned to help us process our future, we made a statement clarifying our continuing desire to work in South Ecuador, asking them to help us discern if that also seemed to be God's leading as they understood things. The initial response was very positive, though all of us are willing to continue to "listen" for God to indicate otherwise. This feels like a huge step to us after so many months of trying to remain open and hear other leadings. We are beginning to write a new chapter in our young lives! Yipeee!!