Don’t look now, but there may in fact be some progress underway with our Initiative to Italy. What’s grand about progress is having something tangible to measure growth by. The drag is having to grind the wheel while endurance, faith and courage are simultaneously tested. But, as this cyclical season is coming to a close, we’re finally feeling traction where once there was only the fine beating of a thin wafer of air.
If you’ve not been receiving periodic updates to this Italia Initiative and you’d like to be added to this list, simply leave a comment on this post to that effect. Alternatively, you can find us on Facebook or shoot over an email – we’ll be happy to include you on the next go-round. Prospectively, all things being equal and not encountering any more unforseen obstacles, we should be making that TransAtlantic move in about a year or year and a half to the other side of the proverbial pond – and there’s much to do in the meantime…
Linguistics, strategy, training, partnerships, and a miriad of logistics that are necessary to moving a family cross culturally will now begin getting their fair share of focus. Action feeds hope, and it feels good to be moving.
Is it getting better
Or do you feel the same
Will it make it easier on you now…
(One, U2)
These lyrics beguile me. How do you answer something like that? I want to say we’re making progress, but is brining things to a head progress or just a confrontation of sorts, an ultimatum without resolution. We’ve been in the states for a year now, and I wish I could say we’re farther than we are, but who’s to say that we’re not miles down the road after all?
Every step in the path is simultaneously another step along the journey and somewhat closer to a goal, whatever that goal may be. And what if the goal is unattainable, insurmountable, invisible? How do we know if we’re making “progress” when the whole thing ends up being a journey? Every step is the point, not the fact that at some point you’ll stop walking or stop attaining.
So, then, is it getting better? Or do I feel the same? Will it make it easier on me now, knowing this is what we’ve attained? I would doubt it, but hasten to add: we’re growing. Getting stronger. Wiser, perhaps, I’d like to think so anyway. Is that worth the price of admission? Is that what we’ve journeyed for? Is that where the pilgrimage towards destiny has brought me – is this what its taught me?
Have you come here for forgiveness
Have you come to raise the dead
Have you come here to play Jesus
To the lepers in your head
One love
One blood
One life
You got to do what you should
One life
With each other
Sisters
Brothers
One life
But we’re not the same
We get to
Carry each other
Carry each other
Our Work. His Work. Wanted to blab a bit on the work we’ve put our hands to over the last several weeks. Renee has found gainful employment (once again) freelancing as a hip-to-you stylist. She’s casually been easing back into the racket and is really enjoying the personal time with clients (not to mention adding to the family income). My work has been… well, interesting. There were more folks let go today from our dept. Some had been there as long as eight years. I haven’t been there even eight months! Some were far more qualified than I, others were more seasoned in the biz. I can’t explain it, but for whatever reason – I’m still there.
In fact, I’ve just been reassigned a bigger desk, a new title, a bigger budget and more responsibility. Indeed, the adage applies here, “mysterious ways His wonders to perform”. I’m grateful for the gainful employment, a steady income with which to serve my family as we prepare again for service. Thanks to many of you for your prayers and support during this season. We’re happy to report that thanks to your partnership, a significant sum is going into a savings account (aka Mission Launch Fund) each month. We’re actually taking great strides forward in this season and it is ALL due to God’s grace on us. We are blessed.
