This morning I woke up and the car keys were nowhere to be found. I dragged Ben out of peaceful unconsciousness to search frantically for them, my mind ticking off the minutes before I would absolutely miss my first class at CanIL.
We determined they must be locked inside the car.
Neither of us knows how to break into a car.
Turns out no one in our host family does either.
Thankfully, there is only so long that you can stand around a car with a hanger and a stubby knife in the quite Dutch town of Lynden before the police show up.
They do know how to break into cars.
Off I zipped down the road running calculations in my mind. It's 8:16. My class starts at 9:00. If I make it through the border without having to wait in line, and if there is no traffic on Hwy 1, and if the train is not holding up traffic at the intersection of Glover Rd., and if all the lights are green, I should be able to make it just in time for Tone Analysis.
But the lights were red, there was a line at the border, and a big wreck on Hwy 1.
This is probably the 3rd or 4th time that I have earnestly prayed, "God, please warp time for me."
It was 8:24 at the Canadian border with two big transport rigs and a line of cars in front of me. I turned my clock off so I couldn't see it anymore. I've found I waste a lot of mental energy trying to will time to slow down. I may still be in denial that this is out of my control.
I may waste a lot of mental energy trying to control a lot of things that aren't actually in my control.
"God, please time-warp me. Please help me get to class on time."
8:55 I am setting my backpack down in class, only the second student to arrive.
The math doesn't add up.
Call it what you want. I am extremely grateful.
I am grateful for the generosity of one of the girls at the house for offering me her car in case we couldn't break into ours.
I am grateful for nosy neighbors and skilled police officers.
I am grateful for the apples and the apple crisp that some fantastic person left in the common room at school.
I am grateful for Tonal Languages - as ridiculously complicated as they make things - and for someone with the expertise to teach me how to analyze them.
I am grateful for my husband, who simultaneously teaches me the need to give grace and the blessedness of receiving it.
I am grateful for this crazy, beautiful life with all its mess and all its glory.
I am grateful for God who transcends time and the littleness of my nature and who makes catastrophes into miracles, whether they are miracles of finding grace in relationship or time-warping on the way to school.
May your day be full of the joy of life and little things that matter. May your heart be full of gratefulness to the Giver of every good thing.
Monday, January 12, 2015
Tuesday, January 6, 2015
Diving off the deep end
I hate asking for help. There is a very loud, very pessimistic voice in my head that says that nobody really wants to contribute and even if they did, it isn't fair to ask them. Another voice - my pride - says, 'You can do this on your own. Drop school for a couple semesters, work and save up for tuition.' People are being bombarded right and left with pleas for money. Mine is no different. I am passionately pursuing a path that I can't afford and I want others to help me get there.
Ben says, "Mary, this is an opportunity to trust God beyond what we can see or plan for."
Deep breath.
I can always ask for prayer. That is something I know to be powerful and effective. Please pray for us during this coming semester. Nothing is clear but the next step and God has provided for that. So, as a good friend of mine put it, we are trying to 'live in the green light.' That is, go in the direction God gave us until He says stop.
Four tuition payments of $1,710.84. Due each month, the first one now. By the grace of God, we have enough for the first. But what about the second, the third, the fourth? What about car insurance and taxes? What about repairs, and gas, and oil, and....
Another deep breath.
This is an adventure blog. I realize I usually write about past adventures. Well, this is one I don't know the end of, and I am honestly kind of freaked out. For more reasons than one.
Right now I am trying to finish my Masters in Linguistics in order to go into a place where languages are as yet unwritten and create a written language, a program for teaching reading and writing, a working dictionary, literature, and finally - the ultimate goal - translate the Bible for a people who have never read God's Word in their own language. Of course I won't be doing this alone, but how that looks is still unclear. All I know is that it is good that people should be able to read and understand the Word of God in their own language.
Ben is still praying about what God wants him to be doing and how to be preparing. We are both praying for direction, purpose, guidance, clarity. I am prepared to wait and support as God directs Ben and prepares him for His purpose. So far, this is the step that God has placed in front of us. He has given us a place to live, thanks to the generosity of a wonderful family up here in Northern Washington. He has given us a car, thanks to the generosity of Ben's mom. He has provided for us to go through two semesters debt free. This is the third, and He has provided for the first payment.
Ben has a lot more fun with this trusting God thing than I do. He get's excited when we get into places that only God can get us out of. Me? I'm just trying to quell the anxiety and remind myself of every time - every single time - and there are so many, that God has come through in bringing me along in His purposes.
Please pray for us.
If you are open, please pray about supporting us. If you tithe, would you consider donating a monthly amount to our mission? If you do not feel led, please don't feel pressured. God has set us on this road and He will provide for us.
You can email us at mowen10@georgefox.edu if you are interested in supporting us or just encouraging us :) .
Our mailing address is PO Box #808, Lynden, WA 98264
Here's to the next adventure. I am a little terrified at the thought of advanced phonology and tone analysis. I am even more terrified at the prospect of translating God's Word, accurately and well, into another language.
God is good. That is all.
Ben says, "Mary, this is an opportunity to trust God beyond what we can see or plan for."
Deep breath.
I can always ask for prayer. That is something I know to be powerful and effective. Please pray for us during this coming semester. Nothing is clear but the next step and God has provided for that. So, as a good friend of mine put it, we are trying to 'live in the green light.' That is, go in the direction God gave us until He says stop.
Four tuition payments of $1,710.84. Due each month, the first one now. By the grace of God, we have enough for the first. But what about the second, the third, the fourth? What about car insurance and taxes? What about repairs, and gas, and oil, and....
Another deep breath.
This is an adventure blog. I realize I usually write about past adventures. Well, this is one I don't know the end of, and I am honestly kind of freaked out. For more reasons than one.
Right now I am trying to finish my Masters in Linguistics in order to go into a place where languages are as yet unwritten and create a written language, a program for teaching reading and writing, a working dictionary, literature, and finally - the ultimate goal - translate the Bible for a people who have never read God's Word in their own language. Of course I won't be doing this alone, but how that looks is still unclear. All I know is that it is good that people should be able to read and understand the Word of God in their own language.
Ben is still praying about what God wants him to be doing and how to be preparing. We are both praying for direction, purpose, guidance, clarity. I am prepared to wait and support as God directs Ben and prepares him for His purpose. So far, this is the step that God has placed in front of us. He has given us a place to live, thanks to the generosity of a wonderful family up here in Northern Washington. He has given us a car, thanks to the generosity of Ben's mom. He has provided for us to go through two semesters debt free. This is the third, and He has provided for the first payment.
Ben has a lot more fun with this trusting God thing than I do. He get's excited when we get into places that only God can get us out of. Me? I'm just trying to quell the anxiety and remind myself of every time - every single time - and there are so many, that God has come through in bringing me along in His purposes.
Please pray for us.
If you are open, please pray about supporting us. If you tithe, would you consider donating a monthly amount to our mission? If you do not feel led, please don't feel pressured. God has set us on this road and He will provide for us.
You can email us at mowen10@georgefox.edu if you are interested in supporting us or just encouraging us :) .
Our mailing address is PO Box #808, Lynden, WA 98264
Here's to the next adventure. I am a little terrified at the thought of advanced phonology and tone analysis. I am even more terrified at the prospect of translating God's Word, accurately and well, into another language.
God is good. That is all.
Friday, January 2, 2015
Unexpected Encounters
On the final day visiting down in the Portland area for the holidays, we spent the last hours with our friend Jimmie.
Coffee? Sure. We're all pretty much broke, so let's scrape the bottom of the barrel for a house coffee and some time to catch up.
We were on our way to Shari's when a little coffee house caught my eye. "Hey, turn around! What about that place?" We pulled into the next door parking area and trooped inside. There was a couple lounging on some comfy seats in the corner, and a jolly looking man with a beautifully tended, long white beard sitting on a stool at the counter.
We were informed that the shop was closed for the day but that they still had a little house coffee left which we were welcome to if we wanted some. We helped ourselves and ended up conversing for a while. The couple was celebrating their anniversary. The man with the beard was the owner.
Somehow our goal to go into missions and my master's studies at Trinity Western University came up. The owner said he had almost gone there!
But wait, it get's even crazier.
He had supported and was good friends with a missionary pilot, now in Papua New Guinea! See, this guy had planned to go into Ministry as a Pastor but ended up choosing to dedicate his time to his family and start his business. His little shop had opened months before the economic downturn and yet somehow managed not only to survive but to thrive during those trying times. "You can't see it, but the rafters and door posts of this place are covered in written prayers and scripture verses." This man with his cozy shop and his welcoming attitude is one of the simple saints. This is the term I use to describe those who live their lives in simple, beautiful obedience to Jesus and generosity to everyone they encounter - no frills, no pretensions, just faith and love.
We walked away amazed yet again by the crazy encounters God lines up for us in our adventure with Him!
Oh, and the name of the shop?
It doesn't get better than that.
Coffee? Sure. We're all pretty much broke, so let's scrape the bottom of the barrel for a house coffee and some time to catch up.
We were on our way to Shari's when a little coffee house caught my eye. "Hey, turn around! What about that place?" We pulled into the next door parking area and trooped inside. There was a couple lounging on some comfy seats in the corner, and a jolly looking man with a beautifully tended, long white beard sitting on a stool at the counter.
We were informed that the shop was closed for the day but that they still had a little house coffee left which we were welcome to if we wanted some. We helped ourselves and ended up conversing for a while. The couple was celebrating their anniversary. The man with the beard was the owner.
Somehow our goal to go into missions and my master's studies at Trinity Western University came up. The owner said he had almost gone there!
But wait, it get's even crazier.
He had supported and was good friends with a missionary pilot, now in Papua New Guinea! See, this guy had planned to go into Ministry as a Pastor but ended up choosing to dedicate his time to his family and start his business. His little shop had opened months before the economic downturn and yet somehow managed not only to survive but to thrive during those trying times. "You can't see it, but the rafters and door posts of this place are covered in written prayers and scripture verses." This man with his cozy shop and his welcoming attitude is one of the simple saints. This is the term I use to describe those who live their lives in simple, beautiful obedience to Jesus and generosity to everyone they encounter - no frills, no pretensions, just faith and love.
We walked away amazed yet again by the crazy encounters God lines up for us in our adventure with Him!
Oh, and the name of the shop?
It doesn't get better than that.
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