Waiting…
Stephen and I had a wonderful time in Okinawa. It wasn’t quite what we were expecting, but it was fun to relax out at the beach, snorkel, scuba dive, and fly down the waterslide at the resort pool. We were thinking that since it was an island south of here that it’d be a bit like Hawaii. But it really wasn’t. We were on the north end of the island and there just wasn’t much up there. I’m sure if we were locals we wouldn’t see things that way, but as tourists we were expecting a few more restaurants and shops. Either way, it was a great weekend. I’ve had a cold for that past month, seriously it’s ridiculous, but I have. Unfortunately, Friday night in Okinawa, my birthday, it got considerably worse making the night a bit short.
Since being back in Nagoya, November and cooler temperatures have arrived. It’s wonderful! There is a bit of rain today, but earlier this week was sunny and cool just as Fall ought to be. To be honest, it’s making us both a bit homesick, or a lot homesick. I am still sick, but I am feeling better… however, Stephen’s immune system gave in the other day and he’s got it now. He was out of work 2 days this week, which if you know Stephen at all, you know he never does that.
We got together with friends last week and finalized our Thanksgiving weekend plans. It will be strange to be away from family during the holiday and perhaps that is part of why we are sliding into a low valley of homesickness but I am honestly looking forward to having it with our friends here. They’ve been wonderful to get to know and have become our family here.
We are still unsure what will become of our lives as of December 19th, the last day of the assignment here in Japan. As many of you know, we were planning to head to France next but with the economy weakening and companies tightening up their budgets that is looking grim. We still hear from Stephen’s boss to ‘keep hope alive’ but we don’t want to put too much into it for fear that it isn’t likely to happen. That said, we are trying to make tentative plans for coming home to Seattle. I have been looking for jobs, which is a bit discouraging right now as so many folks seem to be getting laid off, but I know its in the Lords hands. I am just waiting to see what if anything I hear back from employers I’ve applied with. We are also trying determine where we will live… we’re hoping to find a way to buy a place in the Ballard/Fremont/Phinney neighborhood, but that too is in the Lords hands. Depending how these two factors progress, we are also praying about how to go about making an addition to the Papineau family…. which will also require much waiting.
I feel like I am struggling to find the balance of where I am truly trusting in the Lord and WAITING for His wisdom, guidance, and timing to be clear and trying to orchestrate things and do everything I can possibly think of in order to have things in place. I know the Lord is trying to teach me how to wait for His timing, but it seems more difficult then ever… so, we wait.
Isaiah 40:30-31
“Even youths shall faint and be weary,
and young men shall fall exhausted;
but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength;
they shall mount up with wings like eagles;
they shall run and not be weary;
they shall walk and not faint.”
All that said, that is where Stephen and I are right now. Please be praying for us in this strange time that we will be listening to the Lord, not our own desires. That we will be patient for what He has in store for us. And that we will focus on where He has put us now, in Japan, and what we could be doing here in this next month for His good and glory.
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