How strange that I am writing this today and not 4 months ago!
We finally managed to get enough money to visit our families in South Africa after 2½ years away. Once the tickets were booked in October 2011, the excitement we felt was beyond words. Words could not describe the joy I felt. We left Adelaide for Malaysia on 26 November and left Johannesburg for Malaysia on 17 Jan 2012. Wow! What a roller coaster of a holiday. I needed a holiday to recuperate. Thank goodness school was only commencing in 2 weeks and we got the chance to kick back and relax.
The almost 2 months we spent with our families can be described as:
busy
fun
joyful
enjoyable
silly
exhausting
exhilirating
inspiring
sad
love-filled
food-filled
family-filled
full of laughter
reflective
eye-opening
uplifting
We had no time to ourselves and eventually after a particulalrly selfish (not us) discussion with some family members, we took some well-deserved time off for ourselves. We could not wait to get back to Adelaide. On our next visit, some things would have to change.....
South Africa remains for me my home. It is where I learned everything I need to survive so far away from home. It is a warm, vibrant country, where (almost) everyone smiles, people are friendly, clothes are cheap, as are full-body massages. It is a place where I know I have my family to watch my children, my children have their cousins to play with, their aunts to make snacks and spoil them with love, attention and $$$$, uncles who help them break the rules, and grandparents who just love, love, love!
In the midst of all these wonderful attributes, are attitudes which are really and truly sad.... attitudes which are not unique to South Africa, but which I am able to see because of being away so long.
I love the simplicity of life here in Adelaide. A laid-back, un-busy (if you can call it that) life. A life where I am able to stay home and fulfill my need and desire to nurture my family. I am sometimes sad and lonely and yearn for my family and friends who I share a history with. But right now, right here is where we need to be.... For His Glory
Where are you right now? Is it the place He wants you to be in? If so, make sure you don't forget that He has set you apart in that place. You are there for His Glory
