Settling In

I keep getting asked, "How are the kids adjusting to school? Are they okay? Are you settled into the house?" Questions that are nearly impossible to answer without a long (and probably incomprehensible) explanation. I find myself wondering how much they really want to know about our daily emotions and joys, victories and struggles, and usually settle with a superficial, and not entirely honest, "We're doing okay."

The Mission House: our home for the next year.

How do I enter into a culture that I said  good-bye to nearly twenty years ago? True, I spent more than two years here when the twins were born, but my focus we different then - Kevin was in school, I had two newborns and was homeschooling the others in Georgia. Now four are in school, Daniel is doing internet school, Kevin is home and we're living in Maryland - quite a contrast!

So are we settling in? Well no, not really. For me, I've had to acquire so many things to practically manage life here, and I have none of my normal things. I burned the rice and the popcorn because I'm not familiar with how an electric stove, Corningware and different pots interact. The three different schools that we are connected to are all so electronically oriented, and we don't always know how to access information that we need. We spend a lot of time feeling lost and rather overwhelmed.

How are the kids doing? Pretty good, actually. They seem a bit happier with school now that it is actually in session. They are getting involved in some activities (which is, unfortunately, part of our stress) and some are making friends (in spite of one's declaration that she won't make any friends because then she'll have to say good-bye to them). They even ate most of the popcorn and are generally patient with my learning to cook again.

As we struggle to find our place in this foreign home that we've returned to, I'm reminded that Jesus entered into a foreign culture as well, stepping out of Heaven and entering in to this world. He lived in this world, went to school here, interacted with all sorts of different people, and regularly challenged the culture around Him while still loving and caring for everyone He encountered. I don't know if He was ever really comfortable here, but He was able to overcome that unsettledness and serve those He came to serve.

So, if He is to be our model, I guess the answer to the question, "Are you settled in yet?" has to be "No." And that answer isn't likely to change this side of Heaven. But that's okay, as long as we continue, in His strength, to love and serve those He has put in our path, wherever we happen to be today.