Trust.

I took this picture a lifetime ago.  I was so struck by Caleb's trust in Mike as he brought that noisy buzzer so close to cut his hair.  He just kept his focus on his dad's face.  It still gets me right in the throat.  If only I could do that as an adult.  Just keep looking at Jesus' face no matter what noisy, chaotic instrument is coming so close to my face....alright, I might be hanging onto the hair buzzer parallel too hard.  But you know what I mean. 

Speaking of trust, we are having to travel back to the states urgently for Caleb to have surgery on his eye.  I think most of you know that Caleb has had a problem with his eye since he was born.  We starting patching his eye and doing daily exercises before his first birthday and have continued until now.  We are so grateful that he's done so well for so long without having to do any invasive procedures.  As we've been monitoring the progress of his eyes, its become clear that its time for surgery.  We are grateful for the help and counsel we've received from friends and colleagues near and far.  Many people in the world don't have the resources to travel to another country for medical treatment.  Or they don't 'know a guy' that has the specific training that is needed (Thank you so much, Ben and Georg!)  We are so blessed to have both.  We are planning for surgery, recovery, some time with family and supporting churches, and then back to Tenwek later this year.

The Lord has carried us through so many things as a family, especially this last year.  But our prayer is that this would be the time that both our kids would learn to lean on the Lord for themselves.  Caleb has understandable been emotional and upset when he remembers that he needs surgery.  But he did tell us the other morning that he woke up twice during the night and prayed to tell Jesus how scared he was.  If that is what comes out of this situation, we will be satisfied.  Eden too is struggling.  This means that she can't finish out the school year with her friends or her teacher. And she has to leave her beloved pets behind.  Abrupt changes are not her favorite.  But we are praying she will find her peace and stability in the steadfastness of the Lord.  And for us as parents, we are praying that we can keep our eyes fixed on Jesus' face, no matter what chaotic, noisy instruments are coming near.  Knowing that Jesus is a good, good Father. Loving and Gentle.  Faithful and Steadfast.

I know so, so very many have suffered loss and abrupt changes this past year.  I was reading another blog post that described it as "being in the ring for a few rounds already." Yes.  That's exactly what it feels like.  We are clinging to these verses and pray you would be encouraged by them also.

   "Therefore we do not lose heart.  Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.  For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.  So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
 2 Corinthians 4:16-18