Stinkin' locusts

John John (or Jupie, as he's now known) and Laini. I am grateful that he has someone like Laini, who loves every single thing about him. We should all be so blessed as to have that kind of friendship when we're 8.
Sarah Beth getting in some Lucas time at Jack's birthday party yesterday. Lucas is very patient, and doesn't seem to mind snuggling in with whichever Hooks wants to hold him at the moment.

Lucas and Uncle Marc at Jack's birthday party. Yep--as soon as Lucas snuggled in, Uncle Marc fell asleep. Take into consideration that there were several of the 3-and-under set there. It wasn't quiet. They must have been pretty tired to sleep through that.

"I will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten..." Joel 2:25a

The kids and I leave this morning to return to Moscow, new temporary visas in hand, and without Marc, whose documents appear to be in Paris. This is not, of course, what we had planned. I would rather do almost anything than go back without him. But it is par for the course of how things often go in the Motherland--almost never like we planned. And so, I am facing more time without him. We do not know when he'll be able to get a flight into Moscow, but it may be as long as the end of the week. Then he leaves next week for Siberia with a friend. So I could sit this morning and boo hoo about how hard my life is, or I could choose to be grateful for the many ways in which God has repaid me for the years the locusts have eaten.

I don't know what kind of locusts have chewed up the fields of your life in the past, but my personal locusts tended to be the lies I believed about myself for many years, lies I still struggle with today. There is the lie about not being very likable. There is the lie about not deserving to be successful. There is the lie that if people knew me better, they would want nothing to do with me. And I'm here to tell you--those locusts cost me many years of harvest. I was trying my hardest to do the things I knew I should, but I just couldn't seem to get anywhere. And so I adopted a persona of not caring and not needing people in my life...all while the locusts chewed away at the years.

And so, as I sit here this morning, when the chirp of locusts can dimly be heard in the distance (these are the "I'm not capable of handling things" locusts--the ones who have sometimes wreaked havoc with me since coming to Russia), I choose to focus on the ways God has abundantly and fully repaid me for those years the locusts ate.

• tremendous relationships with others on the field, both here in Prague and in Moscow
• a chance to see places I never dreamed I would see
• friends for my kids
• unbelievably important "aunts" and "uncles" on the field, people who have poured themselves into my children
• "nieces" and "nephews" who are such a joy to me, and often the very best part of being a missionary
• hard times...I knew God well in Florida, but I assure you that I know Him much better now that I have had to depend on Him for EVERYTHING...especially true in difficulty
• students I love and adore

As I sat at Johann and Stacy's yesterday for Jack's birthday party (2!! He was 3 months old when we met them at FPO!), it occurred to me that I have much to be thankful for during this season of my life. People I love who love me intensely, friends who are like family, family who are friends...the list goes on and on and on. So while I would rather not head back to Moscow without Marc, I am aware that in Moscow are people who love us and will help if something goes wrong. There are people there who miss us and who we miss. There is joy to be found there, just like there is joy to be found here in Prague. I have learned a great deal over the last two years about the importance of choices, and today I choose to look forward to being home in Moscow for the next two months.

Well, the bags are packed and all that remains is to get everyone going, showered and fed. (Yes, that was a little "Leaving on a jet plane" reference.) Wherever you are in the world, I challenge you to choose joy today, regardless of your circumstances, and I hope that you have been brushing up your Russian for the day at the airport, too. Blessings to you and yours!

His,

Kellye