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365 Czech Republic

Sunday (Literally) or What We Miss Sometimes

The Day the Sun Came Out (10/5/14)

I think Tuesday was the last time we saw the sun shine. It was on our drive home from Vienna and it wasn’t for very long, but I do remember the sun coming out. That was five days ago.

Bethany and I talked today about the sun, or the lack of it. We never really thought we would miss it, but when you don’t see it for five days you really appreciate it and notice it when it does. Things are really gray here when the sun isn’t shining. Mostly, I think it’s because it gets really foggy and the clouds hang low. In California, even if it got foggy, it burned off by noon and you had clear skies. Not so much here. But today the sun poked through a few times during church this morning and then finally stayed out around 3:00 or 4:00 for the rest of the afternoon/evening.

The Day the Sun Came Out (10/5/14)

I’m pretty sure I’ve written this before, but someone told us once that “when the sun’s out, the Czechs are out.” That was us today. We spent as much time outside as we could. We walked through town (as you see in the top photo) and we played in the backyard (shown directly above and some below). Bethany said, “I didn’t realize how much I love blue skies.” I totally agree. We had so many blue sky days in California you have the opposite problem–you want cloudy days! So we’ve flipped now and I would say we’re still adjusting.

The Day the Sun Came Out (10/5/14)

The Day the Sun Came Out (10/5/14)

We’ve been thinking and talking a lot about language learning the past week or so. We’re still looking for a new tutor and we’re going to start having a young girl from church come do some mini-lessons with us this week. Today at church was yet another reminder for me how bad I want to learn Czech. I know it’s hard. I know it will take time, but I’m feeling the pinch right now. Our prayer is for God to provide someone soon who can focus with us and be flexible with our family. We’ll see what the Lord does.

The Day the Sun Came Out (10/5/14)

Like the sun, we’ve been missing other things lately too. Skyping with our friends yesterday reminded us how much we miss them. Oh, we pray and trust that the Lord will bring new friends and close relationships here, but we left so many behind. I found myself missing the pumpkin patch today. I saw a photo on Instagram of another friend at our favorite place in California with their kid, and that was one of our traditions. Traditions here are unknown right now. I don’t even know at this moment if they have a pumpkin patch for us to take our kids to. Maybe that’s something we left behind as well? Yet the one thing we haven’t left behind, or rather, He hasn’t left us behind, is God. He is constant and unchanging and that is a wonderful reminder.

Last night as we were video chatting with friends in the States they said, “From reading your blog, it doesn’t seem like you miss anything here.” Well, if I’ve communicated that then I’ve probably missed something on the blog! Those big picture things are hard to communicate on a daily basis, but today as the sun came shining through it was a real and physical reminder of what we have been missing. We’re thankful God has brought us to this needy place and by His grace we will continue to do whatever we can to show His love to others. But it doesn’t mean we don’t have moments where we remember what we left, or better said, who we left.

3 replies on “Sunday (Literally) or What We Miss Sometimes”

We love you and we miss you too. We want to send you a word of encouragement. You do not sound discouraged, but we just wanted to send you more encouragement when you have sunless days!
Sufficient strength!
(J.R. Miller, “The Shining Light” 1911)
“As your days–so shall your strength be!” Deuteronomy 33:25
Strength was not promised in advance–enough for all of life, or even for a year, or for a month. The promise was, that for each day, when it came with its own needs, duties, battles, and griefs–enough strength would be given. As the burden increased–more strength would be imparted. As the night grew darker–the lamps would shine out more brightly.
The important thought here is, that strength is not emptied into our hearts in bulk–a supply for years to come–but is kept in reserve, and divinely given day by day, just as the day’s needs require.
“Give us this day our daily bread.” Matthew 6:11
“On the day I called, You answered me; You increased strength within me!” Psalm 138:3
Love and hugs and some extra sunshine,
Judy and Steve

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