God and change.....

This year has been one of changes.  Many would say they don't like changes, where others may say, "bring it on".  Either way we look at it, change is inevitable. It states right in the bible to expect change, for God changes times and seasons....  the wisdom and power is His

Daniel 2

Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever;

   wisdom and power are his.

21 He changes times and seasons;

   he deposes kings and raises up others.

He gives wisdom to the wise

   and knowledge to the discerning. 


Tonight a dear family member passed on and it really has made me reflect, again, on family. When we look at the situation at hand, it is sad.... a loved one we will not see here again, but then what does God do with this time?  He brings His love ones together to lean on each-other and most importantly, to lean on Him.  When my dad passed away 13 years ago, my faith was very stagnant.  At the time, lots of family bonded and mourned together.  Even though I didn't let God right up front, He was there the entire time.  He knew that I would need family and He made sure they were there.  I have pondered this on many occasions and know that without God, I would not be where I am now.  Without the trials and hurts, I wouldn't have the understanding and compassion that God has built in me.    I honestly can sit here and say, I wouldn't change a thing... It wasn't mine to change from the beginning.....

Out of the US for a week!

China

When my husband started traveling to China for work, 16 months ago, I didn't realize that there would be an opportunity for me to experience visiting China.  Honestly, it wasn't my first choice to travel to, but my husband was sooooooo excited to show me something he had been experiencing over the last year.  I can honestly say, it was amazing!!!!    So the story goes like this.....

The Passport....

I would like to start by saying my husband had only been bugging me for the last year to get my passport, but most of you know that would be a little fib.  :)  In truth, he has faithfully and diligently been bugging been me to get my passport and I procrastinated afraid of the possible, (yes I said possible), issue I might have with my German birth certificate.  So honestly, I lost count of the "years" he has bugged me.    In September 2010 while he was gone on another trip to China, I decided I would get busy with the processing of my passport.  My thought was this, "if it is meant to be, then things will fall in place".  Apprently the Good Lord had plans for me because there wasn't a single hitch with aquiring my passport.  In December, my husband booked a ticket for me to leave on the 19th of January for a week to China.  Wow!  It was exciting and scary all in one. 

So we asked David, my brother in-law to come stay with the kids.  That was a great experience alone for our kids to spend extra time with their Uncle David.  

The Airport....

Bob had to leave a week and a half before me for work so we had decided that I would travel over alone.  Bob wanted me to arrive 3 hours before my flight because it was my first time having to go through security for an international flight.  Amazing, there were 2 people in front of me at Special Services check in and there were only 3 in front of me to go through security.  I was looking around hoping that I was following the correct process and all, and low and behold, I was.  I was checked in and had taken the subway to the other end of the airport and still had 2 hours and 20 minutes before my flight.  Unbelievalbe.  I was in my own little heaven with my flight wings already to take flight.  I had my passport in my hands and I was leaving my country......  It is really difficult to explain but it was a sense of freedom I had not felt before.  A different kind.....

The Plane....

Wow, now that is a big plane!  My past experience has been the little puddle jumpers and boy this was no puddle jumper.  Bob had booked me just behind one of the wings at the window.  The person next to me was a sweet young lady from Korea and I was ready to take off.  Bob wanted me to get as much sleep as possible on the plane so, I took a sleep aid in hopes that I could sleep a bit because almost 10 hours to Toykeo was going to be a long trip and there really wasn't room in those seats to do much.   Well, I don't know how the majority of those people on the plane sleep, because I was tired, but I kept waking myself up everytime I nodded off with my head slipping to the side.  Startle awake again..... Oh well, at least I tried and that gave me an opportunity to check out the cool little TV with On Demand that was in front of me.   So I spent some time going through the weather, games, plane stuff, movies.....  Before I knew it, we were landing in Toykeo, Japan for a 2 hour layover and plane change....

To be continued.....