Pinch me please! It's been 9 months since our move back to Edmonds and the overall experience can best be described as "wonder- full!” Our family and close friends have been a life-line and fresh breath for the six of us. “Life line?” you ask. Didn’t I just say life was wonderful? Let me explain… the adjective 'wonderful', denotes that our return from global missions has been 'extremely good and marvelous.' On the contrary, there were innumerable days of mourning, disappointment, confusion and worry despite all our best efforts to stand on God's promises. So even though wonderful is not an accurate description, we look back on these past 9 months and proclaim that our return has most certainly been filled with 'wonder!'
For instance, we wondered how long it would take to find employment and how God would provide financially for our family. We wondered what our role would be in our home church. We wondered if or when our welcome in the Bragg's home would become too exhausting for Tom's parents. We wondered how the kids would fare with all this transition and their views of God. We wondered incessantly if Edmonds was going to be our home, or if God was going to launch us back on the mission field by September.
Thankfully this noun 'wonder', doesn't always connote an emotion of confusion. It also has an extraordinary meaning: "a feeling of surprise mingled with admiration caused by something beautiful, unexpected, unfamiliar, or inexplicable."
Indeed, this is the type of wonder that has sustained us! The unexpected, unfamiliar territory that we have figuratively walked through this season has been ordained by something, ahem... someone beautiful... our wonderful, wonder-full God! One of the greatest wonders we have experienced is the time spent with Tom's parents. God's grace and love for one another has rested on this home. We have enjoyed each other and bonded in new ways that would have been impossible an ocean apart.
The latest 'wonder' we are celebrating is the provision of Tom’s new employment at Boeing. After two & a half months on the job of a 6-month contract, Boeing has offered a generous permanent position. As a result, we are rejoicing that we are now able to buy a home…unless of course Danielle gets her wish and we live at Grandma and Grandpa’s forever. ☺
Sprinkled throughout this transition have been some really fun events and endearing moments. They say a picture says a thousand words…so I’ll end here and hope you enjoy a few photos highlighting not all, but a few memories of our transition “home.”
With abundant love and blessings for your friendship, encouragement and prayers over our family!
~ Jen, Tom, Tori, Rachel, Jonathan and Danielle
photos include: Tori turning 15, Danielle turning 9; Grandma Horne turning 95; Toni and Cory visiting over the holidays; Kids choir; Tori getting to meet Tobi Mac; Trevor and Joanne's Wedding, meeting Samantha, visiting dear friends in Abbotsford; and our 17th Wedding Anniversary!
Celebrating New Years with good friends in the Decker's beautiful home!
