A Single Conversation

"A single conversation across the table with a wise man is better than ten years mere study of books."  --Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

A few weeks ago the despair and discouragement seemed almost overwhelming.  You know what I mean?  When parenting is hard, work is hard, church is hard, EVERYTHING just feels HARD.  I was really struggling.  In about every area of life.  My eyes were on the circumstances.  My body was exhausted, the pain almost unbearable at times.  My soul and spirit were crying out for relief.  Any kind of relief.  

And then in the span of four days awhile back, God sent me three women to speak TRUTH into my life.  Not one of the three really knew how deeply depressed I was, but in a 10 minute conversation with one, a testimony during a devotional time with another and an hour conversation with yet another God spoke deeply to me.  

"Just in case you think you are alone, Jama, I sent you P."

"To remind you to get your eyes off yourself and your circumstances and ON ME with a grateful spirit, I sent you V."

"To remind you how important it is to never give up on your children, your marriage or your family and never stop investing in others, I sent you K."

I was sorely tempted to all the above and then God got my attention.  Good.  How grateful I am for these three women, who without even knowing a fraction of what was going on in my world or heart, reached out to me and spoke the Truth as they were experiencing it in their own lives.  The quote above is so true.  These short, but dynamic conversations, were more than 10 years of learning.  How grateful I am for God's reminder that He loves me dearly.  Deeply. Completely.  I am never alone.

The circumstances have not much changed over the last couple weeks (though i have experienced some much needed breakthroughs in some areas, praise God!) but my attitude and spirit have changed.  My soul is soaring once again.  It's going to be okay.

A few pictures to show what we have been up to:

The Wellington Barros Family: Headed to Mozambique!

 The winds of changing are blowing in my husband's family.  Last year my precious brother and sister in law felt the call to move their mission field from their home country of Brazil to Mozambique Island, only about a world away.  While we are absolutely thrilled to see how God is opening up the doors for this change, it "pulls at our heartstrings" so to speak.  Wellington, Tati and the little boys left the first week of March to visit their supporters in the USA for 3 1/2 months and it just felt like it was the first breeze of change about to blow through our family. 

Can you imagine how much my children miss these two precious little boys?  Or any of us adults, too, for that matter! And hard it is to explain to them the coming changes.  And goodbyes.  And misses.  I keep encouraging them to remember to enjoy each day we have with someone.  We never know when we will say goodbye. 

March 10th-celebrating our Chloe Maria's 8th birthday

Yesterday was a highlight in two ways for our Noah Miguel: yesterday he wrote his name all by himself for the very first time and spent the afternoon with his Tata (big sister) Amanda at the Mall, being thoroughly spoiled in every imaginable way.

This was the picture Amanda sent while I was working.  Look at the joy on that little face!

And so the days fly by in rapid succession.  My man's days are full of work, hours on public transportation every day, 2 nights a week at school working on his second semester of graduate school and many Saturdays studying with college buddies.  My children keep growing and developing and learning at a speed I find quite dizzying most of the time.  I find myself sending off rapid SOS prayers often to know how to answer the questions and respond to comments that often feel they come out of nowhere.  

My days are full of Longfellow, Emerson, Thoreau, Twain and Beecher Stowe...oh and keeping my children fed, clothed and bathed, my house in order, and the laundry washed, of course!  I think my greatest challenge is balance.  Keeping my priorities in the right place.  After studying for my Thoreau class next week, I am convinced I need more simplicity, less "plugged in" and spend more time in Nature!

Now how, living in one of the largest megacities in the WORLD, does one go about that?  That is what I will be asking my students next week.  If I get any great revelations, i will share, to be sure!

Have a blessed rest of your week and remember, you are never alone.  He loves you.  Deeply.  Completely.  Wholly.  May you just feel wrapped up in that care and love today.  I sure do!

                                                                    Blessings & Joy,

                                                                                Jama