Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Dear Blog Friends: I so hope you have enjoyed this journal, because it was certainly a joy for me to keep. We are home now, and may I use a well-worn saying? There is no place like home. As often as we have all heard that said, I know in my heart that it is the absolute truth, for I have experienced it first-hand.
We went through customs easily in South Africa and our flight was good. If you don’t really bemoan the fact that there were many (many) children on our flight home who were ALL awake and ready to play at 3:00 in the morning and they were all sitting very close to me and my husband.
May I just say that it is unnatural to fly for 17 hours straight? I was just about “squirrley” the last 2 hours. I mean it. I had to get up and walk and move around and sit and then get up again. I had to really pray and breathe deeply. I was ready to get OFF that plane and RUN!
We did not sleep as well on the flight home as we did going over, so I know the jet lag cometh, but I will be in my own bed, can I give some praise to the Lord?
We were met at the airport in ATL by some precious folks from our church, Mr. Jim and Mrs. Maggie Dollar, and also Mr. Pat Bembry. They drove the church minibus up to bring us back home. Mr. Pat was part of the mission team to Kariba, Zimbabwe last month, so he knew the joy in our hearts to be home.
Coming home at 6:55 in the morning is the way to do this! It was great. The airport was not really crowded and we came through customs expeditiously! Everything had to be searched and examined, but I was so proud to be home I didn’t care if they wanted to look through my purse, my luggage, my wallet, my pockets, or my carry on bag! Help yourself! I had nothing to hide except a bad case of “17-hour-hair.”
We stopped at a McDonalds on the way home and had a McBiscuit and some McCoffee and it was McDivine! I was McDelirious and so McHappy! I am not McKidding!
When I got home, I made myself “stay up.” I unpacked, I washed clothes, I went through the mail, I watered my plants, I checked my email and all my text messages. Then I walked around and just relished the joy of being back home. Yes, my experience was amazing. I do pray the things I saw and learned won’t soon leave my heart, but the joy of being home is so good.
Makes me ponder the joy of being really home – to my heavenly home. To that place where there will never be any shanty towns, or crime, or HIV Aids, or little children with no shoes or coats. No pain, no sorrow, no cancer, no heartache, no divorce, no gossip, no evil…
And one more glorious thought…no 17 hour flights, for the Word of God says we will be there in the twinkling of an eye. Glory!
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