Have you ever wondered WHY??

Have you ever stopped and asked yourself or maybe even God - Why?  Why now?  Why here? Why this?  Why not that?  WHY??

My Mimi with Jonah and Eli (at Aunt Marilyn's house)

Psalms 147:5 - Great is our Lord, and of great power: his understanding is infinite.

The summer of 2011 we had to move from our home in the Dallas area to my parents house in Merkel, TX.  We were finishing our deputation and could not stay in our house.  At the time, I was asking WHY?  I didn't want to move back in with my parents.  I didn't want to uproot the kids and move them less than a year from the time we would be uprooting them and moving them to Japan.  Why Lord?  Why now? 

Over the six months we lived there I had the privilege of helping with my 83 year old grandmother.  I had the chance to spend many days at my Aunt's house in Hawley, TX.  My kids had the chance to get to know some family they had heard of but never really knew them. 

Jonah and Eli got to play outside and build forts - Boy's Town was the name of their fort.  They were able to play with Dallas {my cousin David's oldest son}. 

 Jonah, Dallas, Eli

 Looking at all the loot they won playing games.

 "Best Cousin Friends"

Some really cool dudes!

Rachal and I were able to spend time with Aunt Marilyn at Hickory Street Potters.  Rachal even got to enter some of her stuff in the West Texas Fair. 

At the time I was thankful for being home and spending time with family.  But I didn't get the WHY? of it until March 2012.  God wanted to give us all some extra time to make some memories and renew the relationships that had been lost over the years. 

In March, my mom called to tell me Aunt Marilyn had cancer.  We were all very optimistic.  We were ready for this Joyful Journey God had placed her on.  We ready to be victorious.  As the months have passed, we have seen that God has other plans.  We have seen that God is calling her home sooner than we ever wanted.  I know that God has a plan, even though I don't understand it now.  I know I will someday.  Maybe here on earth or maybe in heaven, but I will understand someday.  But for now my comfort is in knowing that I will see her again one day.  I am glad that she will soon be dancing pain-free down the streets of gold.  She will be worshiping at Jesus' feet.  She will be whole again - healed {which is what I have prayed for, healing}

Please enjoy some of the pictures from our "Six Months in the County"

 Rachal playing "Amazing Grace"

on my Great-Grandmothers piano at Aunt Marilyn's house.

 Mimi, Rachal and I painted a chair fro Aunt Marilyn's porch.

 Mimi painting

{she would be so mad at me for putting this

 picture on the Internet for all the world to see - please don't tell her}

 The chair

 Mimi resting in her bed

 Lunch with Mimi at her favorite place to eat - Long John Silver

 Fudge Popsicle face

 Aunt Marilyn showing us how to set up a Christmas Village

{also she had to explain to my poor children that Kermit the Frog and Miss Piggy were not in the real story of "A Christmas Carole by Charles Dickens" .  We had only seen the Muppet version up until this Christmas.}

 Unpacking the village

Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

Proverbs 3:5-6

We may not know WHY but God does!