Sep 23, 2011 | Guest Posts, In the Name of Love
Reflecting on where life was ten years ago last week, a friend of mine wrote a piece of her story, strong and brave, and offered to share it here. You might remember her from {Thanks}giving Week last year. May Laura Anne’s words challenge and encourage your heart…what a strong reminder of the amazing God who loves us they are to me!
Once upon a time, there was a girl who was known as the Bacardi Queen. She was a bubbly caring sort of lass who loved to dance, with a thick Scottish accent and quite the potty mouth. She liked to drink Bacardi and often got a little tipsy as her teeny body filled up with alcohol and sugar, and the Bacardi would turn into tears and anguish of all the hurts she’d kept locked inside of her. The queen wanted to be away from all the hurt, so she came up with a plan to escape.
And then a chance came! The Bacardi queen gave up on her love of dance and studied hard hoping it would earn her a ticket to another world, a world free of all the people that had hurt her.
The Bacardi queen got her ticket, but at a high cost. She had to sacrifice the life of her unborn daughter in order to keep it. She made the sacrifice, and got to keep her ticket, and so she ran away to a place in the far North where she met people from foreign lands.
There seemed to be a never-ending flow of Bacardi in this land, and the queen drank and soon all the tears came out and the queen felt all the pain that she’d not allowed herself to feel before. Soon the pain began to overwhelm her and she went on a search for something that would ease it.
She met some strange people. They called themselves Christians. These Christians were funny characters, and did things and said things the queen found very bizarre. One day she asked one of them to take her to the place where they all gathered, and she saw them all together for the first time. There was an energy she had not encountered before, and being a curious sort of girl she decided to investigate further. What was this energy they had that she did not? She wasn’t sure what it was but her instincts said it was good.
After some months of observation and a little bit of study, she found out what it was. Agape. Love.
But could the queen partake of this love after the sacrifice she’d made for her ticket?
She decided to dance again, but it did not bring her the same kind of love that the Christians had.
One day the Christians caught her singing, and they asked her if she would lead them in songs. But the songs were about the love she couldn’t have and she didn’t know how to tell them that.
The more she tried to sing, the harder it got to hold in the hurt, until she finally told one of the Christians about why she couldn’t have the love they had. “There’s a bigger sacrifice that was taken up and it makes up for the one you made”, said the Christian. “Look! See!” And he showed her in a book that it was true, and he explained to her how to receive the Agape.
And that day, the Bacardi Queen began a transition…gradually she put down her Bacardi crown, and she got a new crown of laurels, and could now use the name she was first given:
Victory. Grace. Worshipper of God.
***
Laura Anne, thank you for so bravely sharing your story. Knowing the work you do now, considering the life you are living for the Lord — it is such a beautiful picture of the God who Redeems. Thank you for living it and sharing it with many.
And friends, Laura Anne blogs at Learning from Sophie, if you haven’t checked her out already!
xCC
P.S. Do you have a story to share and want a space to share it? I’d love to create an opportunity for you to step up to the metaphorical microphone. Please get in touch!
Sep 21, 2011 | The Good Word
In the travelling, the juggling of little ones, a baby with jet-lag and a bit of confusion about which hours are respectable ones for waking, and in the fog of a heavy cold, a sore throat, and a voice that has turned into a whisper, in these months here and there, car and train and plane and hello and goodbye, I must admit I’ve only made a little room. And in my life, though His grace is sufficient, my absence from His invitation is evident.
When I sense that I am increasing and He is decreasing, it is very clear that the course of my soul-boat needs correcting. And the reminder that if from there I turn and seek, I’ll find it is always sweet honey, fresh water to my soul.
I read again today the beautiful reminder of that strong and well-to-do woman who made room for the prophet Elisha. {2 Kings 4} And it was not just an it would be good to see ya or an occasional invitation to dinner — she built a room, furnished it, and very literally made room for Elisha in her home, because she perceived that he was a man of God.
And in receiving that prophet so well, she received a prophet’s reward. She rejected the offer that he put in a good word for her with higher ups, though he could’ve gone before kings or captains of armies on her behalf. Her contentment with her estate summed up in her reply “I dwell among my people.” {Beautiful contentment, hey?}
So Elisha endeavoured to come up with a means of blessing her, and so demonstrating his appreciation of her kindness. And she who’d had no son, a childless woman whose husband was old, was blessed to conceive. As he’d said she would, she had a child. Her son was an answer to the prayers of a prophet who was thankful that someone made room for him, and in so doing made room for the presence, the blessing, the goodness of God.
What treasure might we receive if we took it upon ourselves to make room for God? If we made room for believing and truly receiving the inheritance, Jesus… and the gifts that come from entering into the fullness of Gospel-living?
Thankful for this new season, a change of pace and a shift away from temporary, I am purposing afresh to continue to make room. In time, in space, in life, in family, in the corners of my mind that need curtains pulled back and Light shining in. I’m looking forward to some Gloriously Good.
Would it help if you made room?
xCC
Sep 19, 2011 | A Repat
Oh friends, life is so strange and so beautiful. My throat is so sore and my voice is nearly gone, the Bear’s nose is running off his face and he probably won’t be able to go to preschool tomorrow, but thankfulness is in my heart and it is well, so well, with my soul.
Today we took the Bear to preschool for the first time (pictures to come) and although he had a pout face when I came to fetch him, being the dramatic character he is, I think he rather enjoyed it. It was such a special first, and so strange to be hurled into it so soon after arriving. But is was so good!
{The Bear, early 2009 (exactly Blake’s age now) — but wasn’t that like, yesterday? And, wowzers, doesn’t Blakey look like this now?! He wore that onesie yesterday! Little snug.}
Blake the Tank had his first trip to Walmart today. He fell asleep in his baby carrier, gently placed in a shopping cart, so for a long time, we walked around looking at all the stuff we don’t need to let him sleep. The twenty dollar crock pot was calling my name but I stayed strong. The $3 plastic golf club set, however, that we couldn’t resist. {A lot of the Bear’s toys are across the ocean and who knows when they’ll get here!}
I drove the car with the Bear as my passenger today, and since I never drove in South Africa {long story}, I think it might’ve been for the first time, just the two of us. I picked him up at preschool and as we approached the car, the conversation went like this:
The Bear: “Where Dada?”
Me: “He’s at home with Blakey, because Blakey’s taking a nap. We’ll see him when we get there.”
Bear: “Mama ih’ driving?”
Me: “I am, my boy, isn’t that special!?”
Bear: {Big grin and a nod.} Perhaps followed by a look of slight concern.
{Fortunately the drive went okay!}
In unrelated news, I almost drove on the left side of the road for the first time today.
We taught the Bear to swing a golf club for the first time today. Here’s to following the many great South African golfers who’ve gone before him: win the Masters and buy your Mama something special, buddy! Alas, he was more interested in pulling the empty rolling plastic golf bag around.
My Mom’s friend dropped off a Chocolate Merengue Pie. First time I’d tried hers. Best. Ever. Had to be mentioned.
Along with those extra special firsts, the oddities of being back here have continued. I’m still thinking about all the people I want to see {and the places I want to make sure to eat} before we have to leave again. I’ve seen people I know literally everywhere I’ve gone today. And I went a lot of places. I forgot what that was like. {Love it.}
The size of a standard sheet of paper looks funny and I want to get in on the passenger side to drive the car. And I haven’t found Rooibos tea anywhere yet and I’m getting a little nervous! And I’m busy trying to decide what words to use to communicate things, based on who I’m speaking to. Examples:
Is that the mailman or the posty? And is he delivering the mail or the post?
Can I still nip to the loo, or should I start going to the bathroom?
Did we push around a trolley or a shopping cart at Walmart?
And do we need to get a cell phone or a mobile contract?
However it needs to be translated, and whether or not I’ve got the voice to say it aloud, I sure am glad to be right here. And here for a while. And that is not a first.
The End.
xCC
Sep 19, 2011 | Stories
The rumours are true. If you heard any. But you probably didn’t. I’ll set the record straight anyway. I am, in fact, turning 21 for the 9th time today. And now that you regular folk have caught up with the mathematicians, I will emphatically say yes, it’s a new beginning.
New Year.
New Decade.
New Country.
New adventure!
And if today was any indication of what’s to come, I’m in for some goodness in the days ahead. I was treated to a wonderful rendition of the birthday song, sung by the Bear this morning. Hearing “Happy Birthday tooo Ma-Muhhh” was a great start. And so was bacon. And presents. And coffee. And the sweeeeet birthday card from the Hubs. And bacon!
Other highlights included:
Being treated so well, welcomed so warmly at my Dad’s church this morning — a wonderful church that has been a support to me since I first left for Scotland so many years ago.
The folks at his church collected pantry-stuffers to welcome us back — they absolutely spoiled us with stuff for our pantry, cleaning supplies, diapers and wipes, pasta and salsa and the list goes on, things so that we wouldn’t move into a home with a completely empty cupboard.
The surprise of seeing some very dear friends who drove up from Jacksonville. And others who drove from Greenville. (Congrats on the engagement!)
The Lord making one of the key verses from the sermon this morning the same specific verses He spoke to me when He called me to follow Him to Scotland nearly seven years ago.
My dear friend Amanda also made a surprise appearance with her awesome little girls. And they are just so delightful they deserve their own bullet point. And she blessed me with a book I’ve been looking forward to reading.
Amanda’s little girls. Playing with the Bear. Highlight!
My Dad cooked a big ol’ pork loin in the pig cooker at church. Yum yum pig!!
The Tank was just the sweetest happiest little creature {almost} all day, even though he did keep us up quite a lot last night. Bless his jet-lagged little heart!
My Dad’s birthday card was really sweet.
Lots and lots of well wishes from Facebook friends.
And now, the Hubs is on his way to Bojangles to end the day with a tiny birthday feast.
And boo-yow, he hath returned! They gave him Boberry Biscuits for waiting so long. This day can’t get any better.
It’s been a good one! Thanks for sharing in the joy!
I’m looking forward to telling y’all some more stories about the trip home, and the tremors of re-entry shock, already shaking things up, but for now I’ll just say, I’m home, it’s my birthday, and it sure is good!
xCC
Sep 17, 2011 | Baby Photos, Stories
At sometime around 8:00 this morning, {London time} a taxi will be arriving to collect our many bags and four selves for a ride through the busy business of London to Heathrow. And at some time around 10:00, Lord willing, we’ll be allowed to pre-board a plane with our small children in preparation for take-off. And around 11:00 this morning that plane should be taking off, destined for Raleigh-Durham International Airport. And around 2:45 this afternoon, North Carolina time, that plane should be landing.
But before the joyful excitement of Mama-cooked meals, first days at preschool, and unpacking the suitcases we’ve lived out of for almost three months — before we even pile those suitcases into the car — I have one more mission in mind, another photographic one.
This was the moment when G-pa met the Bear in Cape Town airport in 2008:
{The Bear meets the Man in the Yellow Hat, New Year’s Eve, 2008}
And now, G-pa will meet the Tank for the first time in Raleigh-Durham airport, right here in 2011. So I’d like to stage a similar shot for posterity’s sake. But we’ll bear in mind that this baby has more weight and, for some reason, less hair.
Hopefully the same’s not true for you, Gpa? 😉
So here we are, the day has finally arrived! And it’s not just the day we fly for the Carolinas, it’s the last day for which we have clean underwear for the Bear. So I think we’re all in agreement. If you’re out of clean underwear, it’s time to head home.
Catch you on the left side!
xCC
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