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| This fellow greeted us at our resort in Sabah. |
Wow! It's been awhile since we last wrote. Who sped up the calendar? It seems like time is going by at breakneck speed, so you might be a little surprised by the metaphor I (Janet) came up with for myself recently: a turtle! It was one of the discussion questions in one of the courses I supervise--what metaphor would you use to describe your life? At the time I felt like I was steadily plodding through things, gradually making progress--in counseling, in relationships, grading papers, and in feeling at home in Malaysia. At times I feel like I have this tender interior protected by the protective shell of God's love and guidance. As I think of a turtle's favorite hangout, I also feel God's rock solid presence below me and the warmth of basking in his love in all that he's doing here in Malaysia.
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| Weekend away in Sabah |
In many ways, little has changed. Tom and I are both getting near the end of our semesters, beginning to feel the pressure of papers to grade. Tom has 3 sections of English classes, and I am helping supervise 2 of the foundational counseling courses with CCEF. In between keeping up with classes, we are spending time with all kinds of people. Tom with students, whether in his office, at various clubs he's gotten involved with, or around our apartment. I am regularly meeting with counselees, women in my Covenant Group, or with people staying at or near our home. Somehow God seems to balance the schedule so there's always just enough time in the day for what needs doing or who I need to meet with. One new thing coming up next week is an academic conference Tom will be presenting at, using some of the research from his graduate studies.
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| Angkor Wat in Cambodia |
We've had some lovely breaks in between our usual routine. A week in August in Cambodia to visit Tom's cousin and understand the highs and lows of the country's history. A long weekend in September in Sabah (East Malaysia) with my Covenant Group to continue growing in our friendships together and see a different part of the country. A couple of day trips in October to hike and explore nearby sights, which generally involves climbing up and down steep jungle pathways.
The longer we are here, the more there is a sense of deepening and building--through the experiences that we are growing in, and especially through the relationships we are developing. Tom's recent metaphor for life incorporates that picture of building. Sunway University where he works is in the midst of a huge building project which he
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| Building Project at Sunway Univ. |
enjoys watching on his way to and from work (and sometimes on breaks during the day). There is a sense of mystery to what they are doing--it's not always obvious what the purpose for a particular phase of construction is. And he doesn't know how it will turn out. Sometimes the work they do serves only as a temporary structural support--bolstering up some wall or bit of ground for the time being only be torn down again later when that phase of building is completed. It's only as things get finished that he can look back and make sense of some of the things they did. Our lives seem very much like that. A building in progress that is beyond the scope of our imagination. Sometimes built up, sometimes painfully torn apart, but ultimately built according to the master plan that can only be discerned by us as we look back and make sense of things. Thankfully the master builder knows what's going on all along.
What metaphor would YOU use to describe your life? We look forward to hearing more from you. For those of you in the US, it won't be long until we have a chance to see and catch up with many of you.
We will be travelling home for Christmas, spending the first couple of weeks with family, then visiting in NJ, Delaware, and Philadelphia from January 3-9. We'll keep you posted as to where you can find us if you want to catch up then.
Blessings,
Janet & Tom
