Making Fire

Our life here, at times, has been one incredible adventure of traveling back in time. 

We are currently having a wood stove installed. 

My home is COVERED in a layer of dust because they have been drilling holes in the walls all day. 

We will buy wood, stack in on our balcony, and from that wood will heat our house this winter. 

I know a thing or two about many life skills...

I can check the oil in my car...not change it of course, but check it. 

I can tell you if your tire is flat. 

I can punch an address into google maps and get directions. 

I can cook thanks to Pinterest. 

I can sew a square pillow...yes that's the one I'm probably most impressed with myself for. 

BUT...

I do not know how to start a fire from a chunk of wood. 

I do not know how to live in the snow. 

I do not know how to BE cold. When we snow skied in Brian Head, I cried. 

Seattle for a year just about did me in. 

And now I have a wood stove. 

And I will learn. Things that I never really wanted to learn but now will out of necessity. 

If I could live in 100+ degree dry heat for the rest of my life I would be perfectly happy. I love to be hot. I love the sun. I didn't have air conditioning in my car for years in the Southern California summers and I just liked that I could leave for work with wet hair and arrive ten minutes later with it dry. 

SO...the LORD is S T R E T C H I N G me. Sometimes on rainy days I feel as though He is asking me...

Do you really love these people? 

Will you really go anywhere? 

Will you have joy even when the summer isn't hot and the winter is full of snow? 

I get it. This sounds dramatic. To some it is a joke. 

But everyone has their struggles. 

This is mine. I love the heat and I don't get it here. I hate the snow and I sure will get it. 

BUT, I KNOW this is where the Lord has us. I LOVE these people. I feel so blessed that he has brought us here. 

So I will be sure to let you know when I build my first fire (I wish I could use emojis on here...I would use the fist bump one in this instance).

In other news...

*Last week, we went on a little family vacation to spend some time together, rest from the summer and get a little sun before the winter hits. Because in many senses, our home is our ministry, (we have events and bible studies and an open door policy) we kind of need to leave Pogradec to spend quality time together. 

So we packed up and drove away. We didn't REALLY know where we were going or where we were going to stay. But that was part of the adventure. 

We drove to the coast of Albania. It is very beautiful and untouched. We found an awesome spot close to the beach.  It was such a blessing and we are very thankful after such a full summer. 

Beautiful Albanian Coast

**The last day of our vacation I was struck with some kind of bubonic plague sickness that knocked me out for the next five days. Cory and Shiloh had some great bonding time while I tried to let my body heal. Today is the first day I have felt normal.

***In the midst of all of this, two of our FAVORITE people are here right now. It has been so great to catch up, hear about their summer and spend time with them. 

****There is currently a Futbol (soccer) camp going on for boys ages 12-14 this week. There were 100 this morning! NONE of these boys come to the church. Every night they have a meeting where they are walking through the gospel. Please pray for Cory as he teaches tonight. From this we are hoping to begin a Bible study with this younger age group. 

Now I have to go sweep and scrub away the 6 inch layer of dust covering everything in my home :)