Adventures of the First Week

We have been in Panama for a week now, and it has looked a little different than I had expected the first week to look, but it has been good just the same. I was hoping to have a productive week as we settled into Panama, but quickly found out that many things are just more complicated than they are back in the US. So drivers license, bank, and a few other things will have to wait. The school decided that the apartment that we are to be living in was long due an update. That was a real treat for Clare, so we spent Saturday picking out some tile for the floors and bathroom and she is working on picking out paint colors. We have been living next to our "cousins" and the girls have been spoiled by their cousin Ellie. She has been super sweet to the girls playing with them and getting them special treats to play with. I think she is having fun having the little sisters that she never had. We have been able to try some of the local fruit and a Panamanian version of "chicken noodle soup" that was very good. I played basketball for a couple hours with some guys and came back literally ringing wet from the humidity. We have been having afternoon thundershowers almost every afternoon. Clare and I both have been able to read a book in the week since we have been here. I finished "The Shack" and Clare read "The Noticer." We are going to trade so we can discuss the books with each other.

The other day I ventured into the city driving and got good and lost, but I found my way around and eventually made my way to the destination after a phone call. It was actually a lot of fun. I was by myself so I didn't have anyone telling me I was doing something wrong. Driving is very aggressive, and so far it has been kind of fun, but I haven't really been caught in a traffic jam yet. We have already made a trip to the doctor as Ro found herself with a cold type virus that caused her to throw up the other night. Needless to say a very long night. Clare is not enjoying the outside yet as she feels she is being attacked by mosquitoes, since she had 15 bites. I have hardly noticed them. We quickly realized that really not many people speak English at all, and so especially the first day I froze and I couldn't even say "No habla espanol" Right now I am pretty lost if I cant point at something or the conversation requires more than the Panamanian greeting of "Bueno." So I just try to smile a lot so even if I am making mistakes they can get a good laugh out of the silly gringo.

I am very anxious to get going with the school year. Basketball season starts up soon and so that will be taking up a lot of my time as I figure out coaches, players, teams, and schedule. I was able to hear the excitement of the people seeing the new basketball goals that we ordered for the school this summer. Tomorrow the welders are making me some ball racks to store some of the equipment as well as the lines on the asphalt getting a fresh coat. I hope to be able to start recruiting a number of the staff to help with the athletics. I want to meet my students and start establishing relationship with them. It all cant happen soon enough. I believe I am being taught patience, but we are very excited to be here even though right now it doesn't seem any where close to "home."

Colossians 1:13-14

"He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins."

We are here!

The Richardson Ride is Rolling!

We made it to Panama last night without any major hitches. Nobody and Nothing was searched...all NINE bags, car seats, strollers, various carry-ons including pink backpacks with hearts that Nathan actually wore...he looked mighty handsome!

Thanks to all of you who prayed us there. The kids did awesome and to our knowledge didn't drive anyone around them crazy.

We read in our Jesus Calling book the night before we left that Rest does not actually always mean in the sense of not doing anything or getting to sleep, it can also mean to "put it all" to rest in the Lord's hands, resting in His Presence! We have only been sustained with His kind of rest or we would not have made it this far.

I saw a woman on the plane reading from her Bible last night...that was one trip with Ro to the potty and then two minutes later I was in line again with Essie. I asked what she was reading and she told me that she was reading Isaiah for the second time bc she did not understand it the first time. She was from Haiti and her husband from Panama. They were taking their two boys to visit their grandparents. I so enjoyed getting to stand in line and listen to her share.

It prompted me to open up Isaiah as I am sure I do not understand it either.

Isaiah 26:3,4 "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. Trust ye in the Lord for ever; for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength."

My mind has had lots to wander on...many things I have wanted to blog about, but have had little time to share...maybe soon...but I have trusted in my Lord and it is He who has given me peace. He has given me as well as Nathan an unbelievable amount of strength to do what we did not know we had the capacity to do.

Our greatest encouragement we have heard many times, but were reminded listening to a podcast by John Piper in his slow enunciated tone.."This Life is but a breath!" Knowing this we asked ourselves and we ask you, how then will you live?

Love to all of you. We think nothing less that pure gratitude for all those who are sharing in this breath of life!

May the Lord be Glorified!

Clare

Mover of Men and Mountains

I have been reading this book over the past couple of weeks, as my Dad passed it on to me to read. It is the autobiography of R.G. LeTourneau, who helped developed most of the major earth moving machines in the early to mid 20th Century. He was a businessman, who had God as his partner and would end up tithing 90% of his company's common stock and 90% of his income. There were a couple quips that I wanted to share that really stuck out in my mind, mostly dealing with working.

In a story of him wheelbarrowing sand as a young worker an older man told him,

"Pushin' is a rest from shovelin'. Shovelin' is a rest from pushin'. Then there's the trip back with an empty barrow where you don't do nothin' at all. Kid, you got yourself a job that's just one long rest."

What a great way to look at the tasks ahead of each of us.

He also shared the story of being in debt, due to going into business with a bad partner. He wanted to get out of his present business and get started on his own. When the banker asked, "What security have you got for the balance of your debt?" LeTourneau answered by simply raising his two hands and the banker nodded satisfied.

It would be true character to have a legacy that people trusted you to work hard and take care of your commitments.

On another story he told of a boss's statement after hearing LeTourneau make excuses and blaming other people.

" When things haven't gone as well as they probably should have, and you start to blame circumstances and other people instead of yourself, you are never going to improve. It's when you start to improve these matters yourself that you improve the matters and yourself both."

I pray this is the attitude and spirit that I carry with me in my tasks both at work and home.

Always too early to say goodbye

Last week, we were in Nashville for the last time before we move to Panama. It was a filled week of getting things checked off our list and meeting with people. We have been blessed to have the relationships that we have had as a couple. Wednesday night there was a party for us, and it was awesome to see so many people and observing everyone enjoying each other. One of my thoughts the next day was that it was a small taste of heaven. Loved ones all around, fellowshiping. Then I realized that I wasn't coming close to doing heaven justice. We will be in the presence of our Lord, praising him and I feel we will not have a care about the people around us. It was tough to say "see you later" to so many people that have been playing a key role in our lives. I was thinking about how our parents always talk about the stories of those from when we were first married. That Nashville group will always be in that role. We have been doing a lot of life together the past few years. From newly married, multiple kids, working and job changes, 242, small groups, Christmas Parties, first houses, trips together, and birthday parties. So many memories. I can't wait to see when and where we meet up together again.

Thursday, we got to spend the day up in Clarksville with my nieces, and Paige and Nate. It was a great day of watching all the girls play and getting to visit. Then one of the times, that I most dreaded came. We had to say "see you later" Now this was hard as I love my sister and her family, and I knew that it may be awhile before we live near each other again as Nate is in the Army. Ro thanks God for her cousins every time she prays. My prayer is that we are intentional and creative in keeping that love for her cousins up.

So the departure is quickly approaching. I can't wait, to get busy doing the work that I am supposed to do down in Panama. We are busy working on our support letters and closing up shop here in the US. The last week was definitely a dreaded hurdle. I wish we had more time with everyone not only in the next couple weeks but in general. Relationships is what makes this life worth living. I wish I was better at them. I know we have eternity, and we will see each other before then.

Please pray for new relationships for all of us. Not to replace, but to add to so that we may increase our ministry.

Here is a verse that is my prayer in this new position of teacher/ coach/ athletic director.

1 Peter 5:2 -4

Shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock. And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.

It's OK to cry

Sunday we all piled in our Envoy (filled with gas for those of you worried about previous excursions!) We picked up Drew and Ellie from the airport. They were coming from doing all the music for Young Life at the camp, Crooked Creek. They had just a little time to do a few things before driving to another Young Life camp, Windy Gap to be continuing with music.

We had an hour and a half with them before saying good-bye. As we drove off and gave our final waves. Ro and Essie began arguing over having the music on or off. (I am not going to tell you who I wanted to side with, although I will tell you that the WEE SING CD has 62 Bible songs!) I caught myself getting irritated with Ro with how she was responding and realizing that I was irritated bc I don't like saying good-bye. I was trying to explain to her what compromising was when she just said, "Mommy, I want to go home." I told her that our new home was in Panama and we weren't there yet. She responded telling me that she did not want to go to Panama, she wanted to go to our house. I explained to her that in the same way that she sold her toys at our garage sale for others to enjoy, that mommy and daddy did the same with our home. I explained that it was very hard to do and some days I wish I hadn't given my house away but that I knew that the Lord has a special blessing for us for being obedient even when its hard to obey. She continued to get angry and then I realized that it wasn't the house she was sad about, it was that we were saying goodbye to Uncle Drew and Aunt Ellie.

I asked her if she was sad because we said goodbye to them and she nodded. I told her that it was OK to be sad. It was OK to cry. At this point she burst into tears and had her fingers in her mouth trying to hold back her sobs. I gave her a Chic Fil A napkin and she wiped away her tears and continued to cry for a few minutes and eventually pulled herself together.

I told her, "Mommy knows exactly how you feel."

10 Years

Some of you knew him, some of you have heard of him, all of you would have loved him.

Last night as I crawled into bed, I remembered where I was ten years ago. I texted two of my brothers and said, "I wish is was 1998." I can do math, that was 11 years ago. That was when my other brother Jay was here.

Ten years ago today we gave Jay back to his Creator. Many of you know the story well.

I will tell you that there has been a looming gloom in my soul but also, a greater joy knowing I will greet him and our Savior one day.

In the car on Saturday our three year old asked me to keep telling her about her Uncle Jay. (Its painful to write that, I don't think I have ever seen it written. He is very much her Uncle and probably would have been my children's biggest fan.) It has been fun to recount my steps with him to her. All day today I could hear his struggling voice speaking out of the sides of his mouth as if to tell a secret or a joke!

I think of him everyday. There will always be a hole in my heart, someone missing, someone who can never be replaced. This hole is usually bound up but when the wind blows hard enough I can feel literal pain and I feel riped open.

Ten years goes by fast, time heals, memories come and go, dreams are precious. Sometimes I think I can smell him or hear him. This year has been more memorable though, because now I have children who want and need to know their Uncle Jay. I am loving remembering him!

Psalm 147:3

"He heals the brokenhearted
and binds up their wounds."

I am thankful to have a Lord who heals and binds me. I hope you know the comfort of letting the Heavenly Father bind you up!

Running out of Gas in Belle Meade...with a Uhaul

Thought you all would like to have a visual of a typical Richardson day lately.

On Tuesday we left Marietta, Georgia with a Uhaul. Loaded down with more stuff...it keeps following us around. Nathan has unloaded and loaded the car 7 times in 8 days and now we have a Uhaul going to pick up the last load in Franklin to haul to Memphis. We both are so weary of taking trips back and forth that the Uhaul would get it all. 

We stop in Franklin to load up with only a few errands before continuing on to Memphis for the final stop. We decide to hit up Chick fil A, our only fast food stop due to gluten allergies. Nathan tells me to look up Chick Fil A on my phone and I hardly ever do it correctly the first time...that is a whole different story. 

We get off on the Bellvue exit following the directions to Chick Fil A. We cannot find it and end up in Belle Meade and right as we are crossing in front of the Belle Meade Mansion the Envoy begins to tucker out on us. There is no where to pull over and remember we have a Uhaul and the power steering goes out. 

Those of you who know me well know that when I get nervous I giggle. I have a hard time controlling the giggling and especially the more frustrated Nathan gets, the more I giggle and the more I giggle, the more frustrated Nathan becomes. We begin coastin down a hill with an up hill just in front of us. There is multiple comments from the back seat peanut gallerey, quickly hushed not by thier giggling mother! We manage to restart the car again hoping to make it just a bit further. I spot a Shell station in the distance. We tuckered out again. Nathan put it in park and got out of the car with about 20 cars behind us, he does not utter a word as he gets out of the car and begins a jog to the shell station. 

I just giggled straight ahead as cars angrily wiggled around us. Nathan made it back with a gas can and humbly stood out in one of the most expensive neighborhoods in the South filling up our car, clearly out of place!

We made it back to the interstate and hour and half later, no Chick Fil A but with a full tank of gas, a funny story, at least to me (maybe Nathan will laugh about it soon,) and another chapter to the story that leaves us one day closer to Panama! We did find out that the Chick Fil A was in the mall that is now closed down! At least we are preparing for Panama and no Chick Fil A!