Home
We “reached” yesterday afternoon to a full contingent of Flanagans (we missed you Andrew, Sarah and boys!) at the airport and at home. This is the home I grew up in. The home I homeschooled in for 11 grades. I know almost everything in this house by heart: the peacock feathers from my gramma’s peahens, my sister Alison’s beautiful art, the antique child’s secretary that I played librarian and “wallpaper seller” (yes, an early ambition) with as a small child, posters of Oregon wine country from that phase of our lives, flowers everywhere because my mother loves them so, our antique chest, my old bedroom that I decorated at age 12 and still think is beautiful, the design I stamped on my brother James’ wall, curtains I made, many many books I have read. . . . . . . Yes this is home from long ago and far away and somehow it has come close again because we are home from long ago and far away too and memories have changed and become new just as places have and yet somehow it is all the same and familiar and warm and more beautiful than I remembered. My mother has a gift for making simple things beautiful in the cherishing.
All five pieces of luggage made it through every single leg of the journey. And we did too despite more throwing up on the plane (once Quinn coughs he can not stop) and and yet another traffic incident (train wreck in Belgium) that left us scrambling to get across the Channel in time for our flight.
Now we figure out what being here, now, means. We combine the joys of reuinions and remembered things with the losses of our other way of life. We find that things our family remembered we loved we had forgotten to miss (Clausens pickles!) America is bigger and better and louder and realer than it ever seemed in Bundibugyo. But it may be lonely too.
It is so hard to remember the pitch at CSB, the hot sun, the touch of warm black fingers on my arms, hunger. And that makes me sad.
But wherever you are, said Jim Elliot, be all there. So we are here, now. Loving it. And remembering to forget what might be forgotten in the joy of remembering what was, right now.
Are you back in the United States now? If you are please email me. I want, well really need to catch up with you.
Matt
Welcome back! Hope you’re enjoying a well-deserved respite!
By the way, I’ve just read a couple of books by Francis Chan, “Crazy Love” and “Forgotten God.” Both reminded me of folks like you who have truly taken up their cross daily and followed Jesus regardless of the cost! Thanks for another wonderful example that, by God’s grace and power, the crazy love God has called us to truly can be lived out in real life. You’re an inspiration!
Glad you made it. Wrap yourself up in it. Rest. We love you!
Horton and the Who: “We’re here! We’re here! We’re here!” You’re here! Yahoo! Or as they say in Alabama, YEEEEEEEEHAAAAAW!
Welcome home Pierce’s. I talked to Dan Lyons (they are in Hawaii now) and he’s lookin’ to make contact with you. So check in. Here’s his email: dflyon2@hcc.ncsc.mil
Can’t wait to see you guys! Love, Dave and Shari dsshrum@aol.com
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