Category: Life

A Record Worth Keeping

Published on by Rebecca Gilbreath1 Comment

We write to remember our nows later.

-Terri Guillemets

Around this time of year, I begin to receive reminders from WordPress that a payment will soon be due if I want to continue using this web space. Also, around this time of year, I ask myself if I care to continue writing and if it’s worth the effort or cost. I’ve been blogging here since 2017, but this isn’t the first place I began to share online. I wrote on another blog years ago, and also on social media for a time or two. I’m a creative, and my hands and brain need to be creating. But there’s something deeper and more meaningful to this blog than having a creative outlet. It has been a healing part of me that I didn’t have a name for. It all began when I read the book One Thousand Gifts – A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are by Ann Voskamp. It’s an emotionally heavy book, and I nearly wept through the whole thing. While my life experiences were not the same as hers, I resonated with grief and emptiness. “Where hides this joy of the Lord, this God who fills the earth with good things, and how do I fully live when life is full of hurt? How do I wake up to joy and grace and beauty and all that is the fullest life when I must stay numb to losses and crushed dreams and all that empties me out?”, she wrote. “Our fall was, has always been, and always will be, that we aren’t satisfied in God and what He gives. We hunger for something more, something other.” “How do I give up resentment for gratitude, gnawing anger for spilling joy? Self-focus for God-communion.” It was a lot to process. Still is.

Every year, I review from the beginning why I started this blog. I go back to earlier entries, and I’m glad that they are there. I’ve come a long way since then. With renewed purpose, I keep writing, keep studying Scripture, keep sharing the stray gifts in this location, because I believe it’s a record worth keeping.

Why the name, “A Record of Graces”? In 2012, I took up the dare to live fully – and began to write as I continued to grieve several life-changing moments. I lost my mother and sister when I was 3 years old, and I forever lost a part of me. My mother died of hepatitis soon after she delivered my baby sister, who didn’t live very long. My parents were missionaries in Lima, Peru, at the time. I didn’t even know my sister’s name until my son found her birth/death certificate on a genealogy website a few years ago. And I really didn’t know who my mother was as a person until I was in my 20’s – shared through her side of the family. I felt a lot of sorrow through the years over what might have been. Half of my identity felt missing. Voskamp wrote, “God reveals himself in rearview mirrors…there are times when we need to drive a long, long distance, before we can look back and see God’s back in the rearview mirror. Maybe sometimes as far as heaven – that kind of distance. Then to turn, and see His face.”

The second life-changing moment was when we buried our stillborn youngest son, Zachary, in 2003.

Added to that in time to come was my husband’s body slowly breaking down, and more dreams needed revising. Another surgery. More physical therapy. New medications and complications. Hassles with the VA and care at times, feeling forgotten. I kept writing. I kept processing grief. I kept looking for stray gifts, miracles in every day and kept a record.

While there are things I don’t understand about God’s will and what He allows to happen, there are things I do understand, see, and hear. The stray gifts I document are His redirection of my self-focus. “Look, Rebecca, at the rare sighting of a hummingbird in the yard, flying in place for a few moments so you can take a good look. Listen, Rebecca, to the sound of eggs frying on a morning when John feels ok and starts cooking breakfast. Notice, Rebecca, that card you sent when I nudged you to make it, encouraged someone today.” There are so many ways for Him to fill up a day, a life, a heart. Trusting Him fully is more than just trusting His work on the cross and in His resurrection.

I have questioned God why He allowed certain circumstances to happen. But then I have to ask why I should be exempt from heartache when I was never promised a perfect life. No one is. I was promised, however, a Comforter, an ever-present help in times of trouble. I am coming to a place where I realize that by grace and through faith, I will be upheld. Whether I am to know His mind or not, God has His reasons. I have wished many times to be able to rewrite my story. Yet, there’s a reason why God wrote my story, and I didn’t. It is easy to get distracted and to look away from what He has promised. He always gives new grace every day for anything I face. For now, I will keep recording. I look forward to the gifts in the day and enjoy looking back, remembering there is so much to be thankful for.

Is his mercy clean gone for ever? doth his promise fail for evermore? Hath God forgotten to be gracious? hath he in anger shut up his tender mercies? Selah. And I said, This is my infirmity: but I will remember the years of the right hand of the most High. I will remember the works of the Lord: surely I will remember thy wonders of old. I will meditate also of all thy work, and talk of thy doings.

Psalm 77:8-12

The Door Left Open

Published on by Rebecca Gilbreath4 Comments

After stumbling around looking for contentment for years, I suddenly learned that you cannot find it by hunting furiously for it. Happiness sneaks in through a door you didn’t know you left open.

John Barrymore, as quoted in The Reader’s Digest, 1934

Thank you to everyone who has followed along with my recording of the graces in 2024. Your weekly encouragement and conversations about the shared stray gifts mean so much. Those of you who text me photos of your daily gifts and blessings inspire me to keep looking for more!

“Happiness sneaks through a door you didn’t know you left open”. Keeping open eyes, hearts, and hands to what God may provide in a day is keeping life’s door open so that He can enter the everyday ordinary. While 2024 had its challenges, it was full of stray gifts that kept me noticing God in ways I hadn’t seen before. I enjoy texts from friends and family who have little surprises throughout their day, too – a bright red cardinal at the feeder, a set of keys that was lost but found, gifts of time used to make art, wildflowers gathered to bring during a hospital visit, a card in the mail on a day when you felt forgotten, beautiful days to sit on a back porch, and many prayers answered. Do you keep a journal? Do you write on a blog? Or do you keep stray gift photos on your cellphone to look back over occasionally? God shows up in the big and the little things. I was reviewing past blog posts of 2024 and am so glad I keep a record. There’s so much to thank Him for.

With that in mind, here are the last stray gifts shared for December. I wish all of you a safe and Happy New Year. A description of the photos will be after the collage.

Top Row: 1) Eggs. I love eggs for breakfast, brunch, lunch, snack, or dinner. Twice this month, two eggs came out of one shell. It was a little exciting. (Did I mention I love eggs?) 2) Sometimes, we get stuck in a rut and watch TV for hours in the evening. One night, we plugged in the Wii and the three of us played a few games of bowling instead. We had forgotten how fun it was. Jonathan and I played tennis afterwards and tried to ‘whip the tar’ out of each other. haha. 3) Postage dies and stamps have been my favorite to work with this year in cardmaking. This year’s Christmas cards were made with a few new crafty supplies and Christmas paper I’d had in store for a few years.

Middle Row: 1) I used a new-to-me large ‘Merry’ die to make Christmas cards this year. 2) and 3) I played around with pinecone paper and made two similar cards for two different people. I liked the non-traditional holiday card colors.

Bottom Row: 1) Christmas cards I received from friends and family! One of them is handmade! 2) I enjoy the snow photos my friends from PA text to me. I also enjoy looking at them here in the 60-degree desert weather at the same time. 3) The church was clearing out the live poinsettias that were used to decorate for Christmas, so I brought one home. It needs to be repotted and I “just so happen” to have a flower pot the right size. Stray gifts!

What We Share

Published on by Rebecca Gilbreath2 Comments

Not that which we give, but what we share, for the gift without the giver is bare.

James Russell Lowell, 1848

Stray Gifts December-

Something nostalgic: We’ve been to two children’s Christmas programs in the past few weeks, and they brought back memories of participating in a few when I was younger. I’ve also helped put programs together and it is no small task! Hearing children share Christ’s birth in Scripture reading and song was a blessing. I’m also amazed at how much little ones can memorize!

Something enjoyable: The last decade has been difficult. We’ve been a bit secluded due to John’s health issues and have just started to get out more in the last two years. We had been invited to a few church Christmas parties by several local churches and not knowing many people, we were unsure about attending. We did choose to go to one and we had such a good time!

Something surprising: Recently on a Sunday evening, a teenage girl came to church by herself and sat behind us. During a time of handshaking, I introduced myself and asked a few questions. She explained that her grandfather attended this church and she was thinking about visiting more. Much to my surprise, she came to the Christmas party – by herself. She was the first guest there and we arrived soon after. I sat down next to her on the couch and started asking about her day, her school classes, etc. As others started to show up, it seemed that they knew her a bit and conversations started flowing as the hosts were finishing getting dinner ready. We saw her again in church on Wednesday night and her grandpa was with her this time. When he was talking to John before service, the young lady told her grandpa that we were the ones she mentioned to him. The grandpa’s face lit up and he heartily thanked us for being so friendly to his granddaughter. The exchanges I had with her weren’t lengthy or deep, just simple conversations, but they seemed to have made a difference.

Something impressive: A set of five-year-old girl and boy twins sat in front of us during Wednesday night church service. We have seen them before and have talked briefly. I asked the girl how her day was and she responded that it was good. She talked about her day in kindergarten and about her family moving soon. She then asked me, “How was your day and what did you do?”. I shared that I had done some house cleaning and she said that she helps her mom clean the house…especially when company is coming over. Both the twins were great at keeping a conversation going, asking questions, and responding politely and with interest. During the service time, she sang, “Mary Did You Know?” and it was the best version of it I’ve ever heard. The pleasant spirit we had seen beforehand made the special song so much sweeter.

The Try-Angle

Published on by Rebecca Gilbreath4 Comments

The best angle from which to approach any problem is the try-angle.

-Author Unknown, c.1920s

At the end of the day, if the kitchen sink is full of dishes and other tasks need attention, it can be such a letdown when there is more work to do. It’s easy to just leave it until tomorrow and go to bed, but when tomorrow comes and before breakfast is even cooked, yesterday’s work casts a shadow and has now become extra work for today. With the shift of energy in me over the last few years, every little thing can become a big thing in a hurry. I came across a video recently of a woman who was sharing the same struggle. At night, when she just wanted to be done with the day, she asked herself how she would feel if she took a few minutes and tried to reset the kitchen so the next morning would be easier. She looked at getting the few tasks done as if she were doing it for a friend. If she was a guest and knew her friend was tired, she would offer to clean up to make life easier. She mentioned we do more good for others than we sometimes do for ourselves. “If tonight, I try to tidy up a few things, then tomorrow I will have appreciated the effort”, she said. I’ve started to say, “Tonight’s Rebecca will get these few things done for Tomorrow’s Rebecca”. John and Jonathan help all the time, but sometimes there are a few extra things the guys don’t notice (or care about as much as I do). It has helped me think about the next day and how I would feel if I left certain “today” things undone. This happens more when I’ve spent all day crafting! I’m in the zone of making Christmas cards currently, and it’s easy to let tasks pile up so I can play with pretty paper instead! When Tonight’s Rebecca takes a few minutes to get a few needed things done, Tomorrow’s Rebecca is quite relieved in the morning! I don’t always accomplish this, but I never regret it when I take a few minutes to make tomorrow easier.

Stray Gifts Update! (Comments below collage)

Fall Cards: I think I love making fall cards most of all! The top three are examples of Thanksgiving cards I sent out this year. The “Thanks” card was made for a friend using 3-D leaf stickers I found at Dollar Tree!

Flower Photos: While visiting my dad last month, I saw a few Morning Glory flowers blooming in his yard that Jonathan and I had planted years ago. They grow in the desert quite well and can make a plain rock wall or a trellis look so pretty. When we moved from El Paso, I brought the yellow bell plant with me. It looks so pretty by our front door.

Nature photos: My friend Marie in Pennsylvania shared with me her view from her back porch in early November. My friend Kara (also from PA and Marie’s daughter) sent me the snow photo (taken November 22). She that said one day, ten and a half inches of snow fell before noon! Thankfully, she was able to get a fire going in their stove to help keep them warm.

Worn with Thanks

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Those blessings are sweetest that are won with prayer and worn with thanks.

Thomas Goodwin

Something thought-provoking: I saw an illustration on social media which said, “Instead of focusing so much on a To Do List, I’m starting a To Be List.” The other day, John was sitting at my desk looking at the sticky notes of reminders I had neatly placed on the right side and my calendar of events on the left. He seemed a bit numb when he explained he was looking at my brain. If I don’t write things down, I may forget! I am a doer. I enjoy making lists and find great satisfaction when I cross off completed tasks (using a red pen) from a well-thought-out list. I feel accomplished. Having things to do is inevitable as it’s a part of life. Did it matter more at the end of the day, though, that I was busy or that I had been kind? Or calm? Or thankful? No matter the daily dues, did I wear today’s blessings well?

Something unexpected: Our church’s interim pastor and wife were away a few weeks ago for their anniversary. Instead of seeking someone from elsewhere to fill the pulpit, John was asked to preach. He hasn’t preached since 2019. If you’ve followed along here (and you know us personally), you know he has been ill for quite a few years. It has only been close to two years now that he has been upright, able to drive, walk without a cane, and feel progress in his journey to better health. He was concerned that he could stand for the length of his message. He did well and received positive feedback. He has a desire to teach again someday and this was a great confidence booster!

Something enjoyable: In our younger days when John was in the Navy (in Washington), we used to have friends over all the time for dinner and games. Sometimes our friends would stay past midnight! When we lived in Kansas, we had friends we’d play games with until three in the morning. John taught a young families Sunday School class then and they would be at our house often for a fellowship meal. The kids would play in the yard while we adults visited and enjoyed getting together. (These nights were much shorter!) We loved those days and have missed having them be a part of our lives. Since joining our new church here in New Mexico, we have desired to invite others for dinner. It has been years since we have been in a place in our life where that was possible. There are a few people who we connected with quickly and time before and after church isn’t enough for deeper communication. Last week, we had a new friend over for dinner and enjoyed it very much. It seems people don’t do that too much these days anymore. Our next guests have been invited and we have a day planned. (Yes, it’s written on my aforementioned calendar.) It is refreshing to feel connected to that part of us again. We enjoy so much the memories of good fellowship and we look forward to making new ones with our new circle of friends.

A Series of Miracles

Published on by Rebecca Gilbreath6 Comments

The whole world is a series of miracles, but we’re so used to them we call them ordinary things.

Hans Christian Andersen

I am thankful for those of you who share your stray gifts with me and allow me to share them on my blog! Here is the latest addition to the growing record of graces.

Top row (left to right): 1) My aunt and uncle have the opportunity to work for their local Parks and Recreation Department. They will be working in a day-use area checking people in. “It has a beach, picnic tables with grills, volleyball and horseshoes”, my aunt shared. The view of the trees and water can be seen from their camper! Such a peaceful view! They have worked at camps before and love doing it. 2) Last week, we noticed our air conditioner unit wasn’t working when the house kept feeling warmer throughout the day. We opened our bedroom windows that night and there was such a nice breeze! Sleeping bliss! 3) My friend Jonna found these wildflowers for her sister whose health had taken a turn for the worse a few weeks ago. Jonna picked them in a field nearby to bring to the hospital room. Beauty can be found even during difficult days. I’m glad she shared that with me. I mentioned Jonna in a previous blog post (The Blesser Himself) when her mom passed away. Her sister has since passed away as well. Please pray for Jonna and her family as the funeral is tomorrow (Wednesday, May 1) and in the days ahead.

Middle Row: 1) Earlier in the year, Jonathan and I divided a large day lily into three separate plants and they are doing well! Also thriving (the plant on the far left) is a yellow bell. It was just a stick with roots when we took it out of the ground and potted it, but we know it comes back every year and had hoped for the best. We pulled it up because it was too close to our wisteria and partly because we wanted to bring it from El Paso to where we live now in NM. 2) While visiting my dad’s house in El Paso, I noticed the roses blooming! 3) The cardinal photo was sent to me by a friend in PA. Stunning!

Bottom Row: 1) The photo of the steeple was sent by the same friend in PA. This view is right across from her office. I love steeples! 2) One of the companies I order craft supplies from always sends a card like this with a cute crafty saying with every order. This one made me laugh because I like to make cards and send them out. I sent the photo to a few others who are a part of my ‘encouragement/card sending’ group. 3) Another craft company I order from sent me a gift! It is their 10th anniversary and to loyal customers, they sent a stamp set with our names. There are three stamps included. One says, “crafted with love by”, another is my first and last name (how neat!), and the last is a pretty flower.

Our everyday, ordinary things are pretty special, aren’t they? A series of miracles…I like that.

Where Peace Dwells

Published on by Rebecca Gilbreath4 Comments

Restlessness and impatience change nothing except our peace and joy. Peace does not dwell in outward things, but in the heart prepared to wait trustfully and quietly on Him who has all things safely in His hands.

Elisabeth Elliot

Something encouraging this week: I was glad to have come across the introductory quote and to have read the reminder that restlessness and impatience serve no purpose. That type of mindset drains energy, sleep, peace, and joy. Peace is not found in outward sources. It doesn’t come from other people, social media, food, or distraction, but from a trusting and quiet heart. Psalm 36:7, “How excellent is thy lovingkindness, O God! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings.”

Something surprising: Every week, we try to arrive early for Sunday School to have time to fellowship with others and catch up on the week. Some converse quite actively and there are a few elderly women who are a bit introverted and quiet. Yesterday, I noticed one had a bottle of Tea Tree oil she was sharing with another lady. “Oh, you are into essential oils, too?”, I asked. We talked about natural remedies and the complications modern medicine can sometimes have on a body. Her face lit up as she shared her point of view. I was shocked. I hardly ever hear her speak. She sits quietly during the lessons, smiles and nods during various conversations, but that’s about it. We shared what oils John uses to help relieve migraines, and what oils we use to help relieve cold and flu symptoms. It was a fun conversation and I was so happy to see Alejandra open up. We talked about castor oil, too. My dad tells some interesting stories from childhood about having to take castor oil. It seems to have been a “cure-all” back in the day. There are a few women in our church in their 80s and I know there are many experiences they have to share if you only ask. John, Jonathan, and I talked about the conversation on the way home in amazement and wondered what else would spark a great conversation with her again.

Something making a difference: Last week, I wrote about John having a new VA doctor who wanted to change a few medicines. The new prescriptions have arrived. After only a few days of taking them, his blood sugar level has decreased by half. Wow!! His last fasting bloodwork showed that he was near needing insulin if something didn’t change. Thank you, Lord, for the progress and for a doctor who is finally actively working to help.

Something that made me cry: I had made extra Easter cards and sent a few to friends who send out cards regularly. I always hope the cards I make will be a blessing. Sometimes, I hear back from a recipient of a handmade card – that it arrived when they needed encouragement the most that particular week. I do not find that to be a coincidence! Recently, I received a text from a friend to whom I had sent five Easter cards. She shared with me who she sent the cards to and why. Two were for caregivers who are helping her care for her 100-year-old mom (one of them being her sister). One card went to a relative who is a faithful encourager. Another was sent to a long-time friend who is having chemo and radiation for esophageal cancer. The last card was sent to another long-time friend of hers who was soon to have open heart surgery. “Your ministry in cards went to many places”, she wrote. I was deeply moved by her sharing that with me!! To God be the glory.

The Blesser Himself

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Instead of a river, God often gives us a brook, which may be running today and dried up tomorrow. Why? To teach us not to rest in our blessings, but in the blesser Himself.

Arthur W. Pink

Something I look forward to this week: The weather was cool and windy last Sunday – a good day to stay in bed while cozied up under warm blankets, yet I was still looking forward to going to church. I hadn’t felt that way in a long time. It’s been a difficult journey from being full-time missionaries to barely making it to church due to ongoing health issues. John can move more this year than he has in quite a few years and we knew we needed to get back into a fellowship. We recently joined a good church and from our first visits, we felt there was room for us. No one made us feel like outsiders- and even as new members now, we feel like we belong. I love how seamless it was for us to feel a part of this church family. Each week, as we renew the habit of attending a church service, I am happy to get up and be ready- no matter the weather.

Something to pray about: (and maybe you’ll pray, too?) My friend Jonna’s mother passed away last week and the funeral was this weekend. Her mother has been in a care facility for years and Jonna was very involved in her care with paperwork and communication with the doctors and nurses. I imagine there may be more settling to do in days to come. She has a sister who has Parkinson’s and is in the hospital with double pneumonia. Jonna also cares for all things related to caregiving with her. I have never heard her complain even though I know she has had huge responsibilities on her shoulders.

I am also praying for my friend Traci and her family. Their son was killed in a car wreck last October. He was twenty-two years old.

Heavy stuff, I know, which is why these families are on my heart and mind.

Something to feel grateful for: The potential to have a new VA doctor for John was part of the reason we moved from Texas to New Mexico. The doctor he had in El Paso was not a good fit for him, yet as a veteran with no other means of care, he felt stuck. We met with the new doctor yesterday at the Las Cruces, NM VA and immediately felt she was interested in John’s health. She carefully looked through his medical records and after a lengthy conversation, she changed three medications and gave us hope that we hadn’t had before. New bloodwork is scheduled for six weeks, and we can see if the medication and a diet change are helping. This is a huge blessing!

I am thankful the Blesser Himself cares about every one of our needs!

I. Peter 5: 7, “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.”

A Music Bath

Published on by Rebecca Gilbreath3 Comments

Take a music bath once or twice a week for a few seasons, and you will find that it is to the soul what the water bath is to the body.

O.W. Holmes

I started taking piano lessons when I was twelve years old and by the time I was fifteen, I was the church pianist. Up until then, my mom was the piano player for our mission church, but once I was able to play a few hymns, she changed over to play the organ. Our song leader was very patient and allowed me to pick the songs for the service each week and I practiced, practiced, and practiced every day to get ready for Sunday. Most of my early years were spent on training to be a church pianist. I did take one year of classical piano, but after learning my instructor wanted me to train for recitals, I no longer was interested. I understand that teachers want to show off what they have taught, but I was so nervous, that I completely forgot pages of music during a recital that I had practiced and memorized for months. Being a church pianist is much easier as I am just assisting in the music and am not the main person of focus like the song leader.

I didn’t enjoy the early years too much during piano lessons. My parents were strict on practice time. When they figured out I would move the dial on the timer to lessen my practice time, they monitored my time for me! Ha. Looking back now, I am thankful for their intervention and glad that they caused me to persevere.

Playing the piano has been a source of happiness and stress relief over the years. John and I bought my very own piano over twenty years ago and having it in the home has been such a source of joy for us. For the last several years, I haven’t played the piano very often for various reasons. There were surgeries for John and other trials back-to-back and the music seemed so far away. After our move to a different home, I sat down at the piano after it was moved in just to see how it felt. John and Jonathan joined me in the living room and cheered me on as I played one hymn after another. My fingers are a little rusty as are my eyes in reading music and playing at the same time, but I still know how to play. Stray gift! It was like a music bath with notes washing over us in a healing way. Before long, Jonathan started singing along and soon after, we dragged out our songbooks from our family singing days. Our voices are a little rusty, too! We had so much fun, though, reconnecting with our music.

In the packing and moving, we found CDs and cassette tapes we used to listen to during our deputation days. Hearing the music from some of our favorite groups (and remembering the words to the songs!) was enjoyable as well. It was another way for music to be a source of restoration after the last few trying years.

Connecting with piano playing is something I don’t want to be so far away from again. Maybe I will play the piano in church again someday and I would like that. For now, I am content to play simply because it brings much gratification and refreshment to me and my family.

All Your Circumstances

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All your circumstances are in the hand of God, so never think this strange concerning the circumstances you are in.

Oswald Chambers

September 2023

It all happened so fast. One day Jonathan was looking for work and the next was entering into the Master’s Degree program at New Mexico State University. For months he looked for work here in the city and prayed that the opportunity to attend West Texas A&M University in Canyon, Texas would become available. He waited to hear any news about a scholarship to help finance his continued education, but nothing seemed to be there. After prayer and consideration, he let the school in Canyon know that he would not be attending in the fall. He had faith that God still had a way open to him with either work or school. Less than twenty-four hours later, he received an e-mail from a History professor at NMSU. The professor noticed that Jonathan had applied for the spring semester and wondered if Jonathan would be interested in attending in the fall. This was the beginning of August and classes started on the 16th! Jonathan said he would be interested but would need funding, a scholarship, or work to help pay for classes. He received a reply to contact someone at the campus museum because they were looking for a graduate assistant. He e-mailed the contact, answered a few questions, shared his skills and future goals, and the next day was told he got the job! The graduate assistant job is a paid position plus his tuition is being paid for as well.

We hurried to get things he would need for his room (as much as we knew at the time) and moved him up there. He enjoys his museum work (20 hours a week) and the classes are going well. He is super tired (there is a TON of reading and a few papers a week due) and is still trying to figure out his daily schedule. John and I have been up there several times to take him out to lunch and to help get things he finds he needs. It was a whirlwind of activity once he was “in” for the semester. We drove up there the Saturday before classes started either looking for a dorm room or an apartment for him to live in. He applied for an on-campus room and got one that same day. It’s an apartment designed for four students. There are two rooms on either side of the apartment with a bathroom on each side, a living room in the center (sort of -very sparse), and a kitchen to share. It’s a small room, the building is old and in need of repair, but we agree it’s a roof over his head for now and it’s on campus with buses that are easy to get on to take him across campus to get near to work and to classes. He does have our truck to drive when he needs to go to Walmart or somewhere if he needs something. Or if he misses the bus! He is starting to get into the new rhythm of days now and John and I can rest a little more as things are getting figured out (financing and meals, to name a few).

November 2023

A lot has happened since I started updating you on Jonathan’s next life steps. We were all excited about the opportunity back in September, but “things” haven’t worked out the way we thought they would. First, the school backed out of the contract they made with Jonathan concerning payment for tuition. (The tuition payment and museum work payment were separate. The museum has paid him no matter what the school was doing on their end.) Second, we all caught COVID at the same time and Jonathan lost nearly a month of classes and work due to being so ill. At present, he is behind on classwork because he was absent for so long. He is finding it difficult to catch up and may not even be able to complete all the assignments by the end of the semester. This would affect any scholarship he could potentially receive next semester. Third, the dorm situation became a huge hassle when he found flying ants under his desk one day. It took several work orders for the maintenance crew to come to look at the situation and a few days afterward before the ants disappeared. He also had water leaks several times due to faulty pipes in the wall that was shared with the bathroom on the other side. Maintenance looked at it once and said they fixed the problem (without ever opening up the wall to see where the water was coming from). It took several minor leaks to an all-out flood in which water covered his whole floor and then spilled out into the hallway and kitchen. The night this happened, John and I quickly threw stuff in a suitcase and traveled to help. It took me over an hour to mop the mess in his room while John and Jonathan emptied the room of his possessions. We stayed a few nights in a motel while Jonathan worked to get another place to stay on campus. We found out later that the overflow drain pipe from the bathtub was not connected, so every time his suitemate took a bath, Jonathan’s room had water pouring from the base of the wall. The new room is dry, thankfully, but now he has a fellow occupant who smokes something other than cigarettes making it difficult for Jonathan to study – let alone breathe in his room.

On the bright side, he has absolutely LOVED his work at the museum and has easily moved through the tasks he was given to manage. He had genealogical research done in the first week that his superiors thought would take months. He had good managers who believed in him and who gave him opportunities to teach others and to lead different projects. Despite missing out on nearly a month of work due to illness, he is practically finished with all the research and documentation that he was hired to do for the semester. The opportunity to work with the museum gave him a great deal of new-found confidence and it was a great experience that will help him in the coming years.

So what does this mean for the future? We have discussed this at length with Jonathan and we agree that nine hours of classes a week plus work was just too much and the hours are a requirement for a Master’s student. He is very meticulous and careful about his assignments which caused too much stress for the amount of reading and written papers that needed to be completed each week. We do not feel this semester was a waste of time, though. The experiences he has been through have been valuable lessons concerning how to handle the unpredictability of life. Just because life doesn’t go as smoothly as we think it will, it doesn’t mean that God didn’t place us in that position to learn something. At present, we are unsure if he will be taking classes again as a Master’s student, yet we don’t feel any discouragement about it at all. We know God will use this time for his glory and Jonathan will be led in the way he should go.

In the life of a saint, there is no such thing as chance. God, by his providence, brings you into circumstances that you can’t understand at all, and the only thing you know is that the Spirit of God understands. Never take your circumstances into your own hand and say, “I’m going to be my own providence here. I must watch this and guard that.” All your circumstances are in the hand of God; never think this strange concerning the circumstances you are in. God is bringing you into certain places and among certain people for a reason: so that the Holy Spirit inside you can intercede along a particular line.
-Oswald Chambers