Sickness

This is how the few weeks have been since getting back from California. I (Joel) fought some type of sickness for a couple of weeks. During this same time, Dara left for a 10 day trip with Jill's parents. She had a great time with her Aunt Coco and with her Gramma and Poppa, but came home completely exhausted. I recovered and the kids left again for a three day trip to San Antonio with my parents. Dade got some kind of virus while gone and came home running a high fever and not able to keep anything down. We went through two days of helping him recover only to have Dara spike a high fever about the time Dade's fever broke. Dara was in bed through much of the weekend trying to recover only to wake up early this morning with an ear infection.

All of the sickness has made me reflect on several things...

...In Africa, there will be sickness all around us - the sickness of not knowing the saving grace of our Lord. We turn to medicine for our physical infirmities when we get sick. The kids look to us to provide medicine and comfort to make them feel better. In the same way, the people of Tanzania will look to us to provide the medicine they need to heal their spiritual infirmities with the message of the Gospel. We will be able to comfort them with the Word of God and intercede for them with prayers lifted to the Almighty!

...Last night we left the kids with my parents while we went to a Night of Worship at our church. We both needed that time to sit in His presence and worship Him. It left us reflecting on what worship will look like in Africa. Will we have music or will we worship from the depths of our souls? We were challenged to find new ways to worship him - through creation and His works throughout our days.

...During sickness we tend to put God on the backburner. It is so easy to sleep a little longer when we just don't feel like getting out of bed. How selfish I feel, when I think that during the time I need healing the most, I neglect my personal time with Him. As I spent time in His presence this morning, I was so grateful and humbled that I serve a God who is there even when we are not. It's like that story I've heard many times - He is there waiting for me to rise early and spend time with Him. If it's two days or two weeks, He is still waiting and wanting my time. What a loving Creator we serve!

I know these are random thoughts - just thought I'd share what God is showing us.