Mobile Home

From the desk of Chris...

On my way to the grocery store yesterday, I saw this man driving down the road, and just had to take a picture. He was probably taking this to celebrate the Chinese New Year with his family, but if gave me a good laugh. It's not everyday that you see a man driving a golf cart down the road with a house on top of it! Now that's what I call a mobile home! (Sorry for the corny joke, but I'm a dad now, so it's my right...).

After having a nice chuckle, I realized that this guy is actually a pretty accurate reflection of what I feel like my life is like. For the last 2 years I don't think we've stayed anywhere longer than 5 months at a time. To recap a few of the "moves," we were in America this summer for about 10 weeks (which we spent between 5 different states), we spent about 13 weeks in our current city Changsha, we were in Thailand for 10 weeks (Emerson's birth, paperwork, and company conference), now we're back in Changsha for 4 months, then we'll be heading back to America in June. Our time in Thailand was amazingly blessed. We delivered a healthy baby and got to spend time catching up with some awesome friends. Here's a pic of us at our favorite smoothie place!

It has been quite a whirlwind, but the Father has blessed us through all our travels. We feel like we are in a bunch of "mini-seasons" within one big season of being tent dwellers for Him. Each time we head to a new place, no matter how long we are there, we have felt that He goes before us and blesses us in the journey. Here are some verses to be reminded of, whatever season of life you're in:

- "It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you, Do not fear or be dismayed." -- Deu 31:8

- "For you shall not go out in haste, and you shall not go in flight, for the Lord will go before you, and the God of Israel will be your rear guard." -- Isaiah 52:11

- " Behold, I send an angel before you to guard you on the way and to bring you to the place that I have prepared. Pay careful attention to him and obey his voice; do not rebel against him, for he will not pardon your transgression, for my name is in him. But if you carefully obey his voice and do all that I say, then I will be an enemy to your enemies and an adversary to your adversaries." -- Exodus 23:20-22

As we begin this next semester in Changsha we are encouraged by what the Father will do in us and through us here. My friend Scott met us at the airport with his cousin and drove us home! It was great to see him and get reconnected. On another note, I'm not so sure that Emerson likes the cold weather. Up until now she spent her entire life in Thailand where it was nice and warm. Little did she know, her real home was in the damp coldness of China :) Here she is, dressed up for her first outing in Changsha.