getting ready to be back.

I have loved loved loved some quality time with my family and friends over this break.

But I am finding myself missing my students and looking forward to getting settled back in FL, living by myself with a new team dynamic.

It's encouraging to me because over this break I've really seen the beauty of living "normal" life--not being nomadic, living in one place for a month, another for 4 months, one place for a month, another for 5 weeks, and then another for 5 weeks, and then another for 4 months (this is what my next year looks like)--and have been attracted to it, but I feel that call on my heart to go back.

St. Isaac Jogues is a saint I admire in this area. He was a French Jesuit priest who was on mission in Canada, working with Native Americans (Native Canadians?), was captured by Mohawks, and was tortured. They cut off the two fingers necessary to pray the mass--they took away the most important part of his life. He returned to France and received special permission to celebrate the mass, even with his injury.

But eventually he felt it on his heart to return, to go back to Canada, even though it was so difficult. And he did. He went back. He was martyred there on October 18, 1646.

I will be surprised if I am martyred for going back, but the mission is hard, and I'm thankful for that whispering on my heart that I miss it, and that I need to be there.

He Gives and Takes Away

Right when I think I've given Jesus everything I have, and there's nothing left for me to hand over, I'm proven wrong.

Sometimes He doesn't ask me to hand it over--He just takes it. Which I'm sure is good for me. Alas. It's hard.