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So, I’ve been catching flak for not blogging in a while. Excuse me, but isn’t a journal something you do when you feel like it? I mean, that’s all this: A digital journal of my rambling thoughts. Whether you choose to slog through them is up to you.
With that said, here’s some more fodder to chew on.
Fall is in the Shire, and once again we’re daily treated to the spectacular visual delight of trees changing their clothes right in front of us. Yesterday, our neighbor’s tree appeared to be burning in the late afternoon sun—it was that bright. I thought about grabbing the camera, but it just wouldn’t have done it justice. The eye remains the best lens—the brain the best memory card.
Ellie and I were out in the garden yesterday after work, uprooting the frozen tomato shrubs (that’s the size they obtained this year) and some other dead leaves and vines here and there. It’s fun watching Ellie’s excitement when going outside into the brisk autumn air. Two nights ago, we were out on the front porch hanging up our flying bat for Halloween. This was in that small window of time after dinner and right before small group on Wednesday night. And in this time, we have to get the kitchen cleaned up and Ellie to bed. Andrea usually handles the kitchen, and I the child. So when I realized we were running rather short on time and had to get her in the house, she was actually quite heart-broken that we couldn’t stay outside and garden. Tears, sobs, the whole nine yards. I just couldn’t deprive her. So I took her out after work first thing yesterday, and she got her fill of cold air in her lungs. Either she was cold, tired, or both, but she wanted to go in before the work was done. That’s pretty unusual for her.
The mornings are getting colder. This morning my Jeep readout said it was 29 degrees. It’s hard typing on a laptop at 8:30 in the morning when you can’t feel your fingertips. I always yearn for a cup of hot tea to take to work, but I know that bathrooms are few and far between. The enjoyment of the tea isn’t worth the pain of holding it in an hour later.
I’m looking forward to carving pumpkins this weekend. The Trenda Clan is making the trek to Montrose yet again for more Arbonne parties. This is exciting for Andrea, as she’s training two new ladies to catch and disperse the vision of all things glorious to Arbonne. And trust me, I won’t complain. If I get to go hang out in paradise, eating 5-star meals with all the free drinks I can handle like I did last week, then I’ll drive to Timbuktu and back each weekend. Seriously, that trip was amazing. I felt so refreshed coming back. I got to run every morning, on the beach if I wanted to. It was a slice of heaven.
Anyway, pumpkins. I love pumpkin seeds. I like carving pumpkins, being creative, watching them glow when I’m done. But I love roasting the seeds in the oven, smelling the olive oil and salt saturate the air, eating the whole warm pan of ‘em before they even have time to cool off. It’s a favorite Trenda fall tradition. Haven’t been doing it long, but traditions have got to start somewhere.
You know what was hard about coming back to work? I was homesick. Yeah, homesick. Crazy, I know.
“Graham, no offense, but how old are you?”
Hey, age doesn’t matter! You can be homesick when you’re 99 as far as I’m concerned. I was so used to being with my wife for a week in a carefree environment that I dreaded leaving her and Ellie. I just wanted to be with them all day. Laughing, playing, taking naps, going for walks.
Just think how good Adam and Eve had it. They got to hang out by pristine lakes all day, bathing in waterfalls, sunning on warm rocks in the nude in the afternoon sun. What on earth were they thinking, taking that stupid apple and nibbling on it, only to have paradise violently taken from them in an instant. Insane! That conniving devil, what a tricky bastard. Think of how much hatred he must have in his heart for God, to go and rob God of His pleasure in having his children with him 24/7, knowing in His holy Heart of Hearts that His children were safe, at peace, and living life to the fullest within His tender touch and gracious sight.
But you know, it would be hard living down there. Mexico, that is. No, I’m not taking crazy pills. O.K., maybe just a few. No, seriously, if you lived in Cancun, you’d have to work. You’d have to go to a job and work to provide for your family. I thought about that with our drink server Luis. He was a great guy. He brought us shots when we didn’t even ask for them! Man, this guy knew how to get a tip. But he was kind, he was sweet, or so the girls say.
And he was a dad. He had three kids at home. He was busting his butt in our paradise so he could put tortillas on the table and clothes on his children. He couldn’t stop whenever he wanted to and dip his sore feet in those amazing infinity pools. He couldn’t slug a pina colada whenever he was thirsty. No, it was his job to make our vacation experience as enjoyable and carefree as possible.
And he did a damn fine job, too. The whole staff did! This one resort employed hundreds of people. And as we drove the road south to Tulum one day, there were tons of these resorts up and down the coast. I’ve done mission trips to Cancun and a jungle village well south of the city, and I’m thankful that our tourism dollars help provide a living for those hard working brothers and sisters.
You know what’s cool to think about? That someday, hopefully, me and Luis can sit on a rock and dangle our feet in a rushing stream, or walk the beach with drinks in our hands. Walking, talking, laughing, marveling at how awesome God is—all under the loving gaze of our Father. Isn’t that cool to think about? All of our Chinese, Mexican, Japanese, Arabian, Turkish, Iranian brothers and sisters living in peace and harmony in the presence of the One who knew how to vacation best, who created paradise for no other reason than for his children’s pleasure.
What about you? Do you get homesick? Do you find yourself daydreaming about heaven? About walking and talking with Jesus? About being free from all financial stresses, all earthly ailments and disease? Do you see your Mexican neighbors as your brother and sister in Christ? Do you take pleasure in knowing that the Lord takes pleasure in them as much as He does in you?
If you’re not homesick, you need to reconsider where home is.