As Kev and I used to enjoy saying "We are two control-oriented people living in a place that completely defies and thwarts us." While we learned many valuable lessons in Bundibugyo, one of the more important ones was the continual and ruthless shattering of our illusion of control. We surely didn't respond graciously every time our plans changed or something completely unexpected happened to shift those best laid plans around. I'm pretty good at the private temper tantrum thing, but quickly and consistently over the years in Uganda I gradually learned about acceptance. Of course, my best defense against the unexpected is to formulate hundreds of worst case scenarios in any given situation and then problem solve my way through them so I'm emotionally prepared, just in case. (I know, I recognize how weird and time-consuming this is-- you would think four kids would occupy all available thoughts but paradoxically no. Planning for the worst case no matter how unlikely somehow feels like good parenting to me...) Thus the ability to coast through unexpected change and emerge with a new perhaps similar, perhaps radically different game plan was a crucial part of being a missionary for me. The understanding that while planning is a good thing, many times flexibility is required. The ability to let go of what you thought would happen and focus on the positive nature of what is currently happening and adapt.
God is gracious to me, in that none of those lessons learned were wasted. I am especially glad because we learned today, 7 days before our move to a house 2 doors down, that we are instead moving into a boy's dorm across campus. Same move date, just a different location. New responsibilities, deeper community, and amazingly a bigger living space.
Now back to packing...
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