And into a new year

I chose to stay in tonight and have a quiet evening thinking about 2016. It has been quite a year!

In January I was looking forward to big things happening in Kansas City and the KWM division.  I fully expected to spend the year right there, 100% engaged in strategy and missional work.  And that was true for the first seven months of the year. So many exciting things were happening. It seemed clear that God was leading us in a new direction.

And then came August 1 and a fateful phone call that changed my life and my part in what was happening in Kansas City.  Just six weeks later I left KC and headed to Chicago to get ready for my move to London.  What happened in those six weeks is enough for a book, but seems a blur today.

On October 1 I landed at Heathrow in London and started this new adventure.  I fully intended to keep this blog updated and have failed at that.  Why? It's not been an easy transistion.  Well, that's not really true.  I fairly easily adjusted to my little flat and the daily commute.  There's no problem with food and I've figured out how to live without a car.  And of course, I love London!  It's been a dream for a long time to live here and here I am, living the dream!

The harder transition has been my role at IHQ.  To go from a very active appointment in the division to a primarily office position has not been easy for this restless soul.  Don't get me wrong, I like the people I work with, I love the IHQ world perspective and I am learning so much.  It's not bad, just different.  And it's been hard to put it into words, so no blogging.

I'm ending this year in a place, both physically and spiritually much different than where I started the year and from what I expected.  And it's a new year and I have a lot to look forward to and may just feel up to sharing it once in a while.   Expecting:

• To listen and follow God's leading - I have no idea where or what He may lead me to and have learned His ways are not mine but His ways are good
• To see God at work in His Salvation Army around the world and discover how I fit in that work
• To deepen some relationships with friends, old and new. As I get older, I'm less inclined to have lots of surface relationships.  Instead, I want to invest in a few - trusting God to show me who and how.  
• To explore more of this great city I live in and the rest of the U.K. and Europe, too.  I don't know how long I will be here so will take advantage of the time. 

Post script - things I missed

Rereading yesterday's post I realized it all sounded a bit too rosy.  Has this been fairly easy, yes.  But not without some moments of missing home and a little frustration.  3 significant events happened last week that I am very sorry to have missed.

• Kansas/western Missouri division's Officers' Councils.  Always one of my favorite times to be with my officers and share in worship, teaching and fellowship, it was really hard to turn that over to someone else.  I love those officers and care about their spiritual development, as well as just love being with them and having fun.  I'm sure they had a wonderful and inspiring time without me but I sure missed them.  
• My good friends and team partners, Doug and Janet Rowland, retired on Saturday.  We spent the last months praying together, planning and hoping for Janet's health and for a great celebration.   I know they had a great day but I sure missed them.
• My family celebrated a baby shower for Matt and Jamie.  I love being an aunt and will love being a great-aunt.  I know they had a fun time together but I sure missed them.  

And then the small frustrations.  Too many to mention and normal for any first week in a new place.  I know that I reach a point where I can't manage any more new things and that point has probably come more than once this week.  Am I doing fine, yes.  But some days, I just want to crawl into bed when I get home from the office (and sometimes I do!). 

It's been a week

I'm not one for idleness (well, usually) and so far that hasn't been a problem.  Not long after I got to my flat, the Smith family came to visit. You will often hear about the Smiths because it is a wonderful blessing that we are about an hour away from each other.  After leaving Latvia 9 years ago, we never expected to live near each other,  Abigail Evie is my goddaughter and now we get to enjoy being close. Their visit was followed by dinner with the Heatwoles.  Sunday I went with new IHQ friends to Penge corps and dinner.  Then, admittedly I crashed!  I was at the office first thing Monday morning for my first of many, many meetings in my future. And I haven't really stopped since, although there have been several naps as I try to adjust to the time difference and daily commute.  My things arrived Tuesday and another unexpected blessing was that my friend Cathy was in London for business and spent time helping to get my house ready.  Yesterday was a shopping adventure with Zoe and Abi.  Friends with cars are precious!  And today I went to Bromley corps.  Wonderful worship, just what I needed.

I don't intend this blog to be just a daily account of my life in London, but rather a reflection of what I'm learning, how I'm feeling and mostly how I see God at work.  Those who know me well may be surprised that I haven't had an emotional break down in public! This has been a fairly easy adjustment so far.  I'm learning about my role at international headquarters. I've been warmly welcomed and definitely kept busy.  I've figured out some things at home, like the washer/dryer combo machine and the convection/microwave oven, the many different trash bins (compost, household trash, recycle - 3 bins).  I've travelled on the bus and train on my own (true confession - I've done that many times before).

And, because I don't yet have tv or Internet, I read a book, listened to lots of podcasts and got some things unpacked and put in their place.

This morning we sang this simple and beautiful song.  And this is what I know for today and the future.

Faithful God, faithful God,

all sufficient One, I worship You.

Shalom, my peace, my strong deliverer,

I lift you up, faithful God. 

In Between Again

In just two days I will be on a plane heading to another adventure. Honestly, not a day has gone by in my 35 years (yes, 35) as an officer that there hasn't been some kind of adventure waiting for me.   Not always fun, not always pleasant and most often, not easy.  The adventure is knowing that I'm part of a much bigger plan and that I am not in this alone.  This is about the Kingdom of God and I'm honored and humbled to be part of the King's work. And that will continue in a much different way as I start my new adventure serving at The Salvation Army's International Headquarters.

I don't yet know much about my role. I do know that I will get to see God at work in places and through people in a new and inspiring way. I do know that I will learn a lot about what the Army is doing to fulfill our mission around the world. I do know that God is already there and working His Kingdom plan and once again, I will get to join in that plan.

What else do I know? I have claimed the verse that is at the top of this blog for the last several years.  2 Peter 1:3 says "His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness." It's been true so far in this adventure called officership and I know it will continue to be true in the next step of the journey. 

Going or staying

I've spent the last few years doing a lot of thinking, studying and teaching about transitions. Understanding the transitions of our lives, especially those of us who are officers or move often, is so important. Of course, moving isn't the only kind of transition. Perhaps more difficult to work through are the 'stages of life' transitions.

Recently, I've recognized that I need stability in the midst of the transitions. I don't know if it's become so critical for me because of the stage of life I'm in - hit a milestone age, the reality that I will most likely never marry or have children(definitely won't have children), or because I'm in my 4th home in the last 4 years. For whatever reason, I've been seeking stability.

I'm reading a book called "The Wisdom of Stability". The context is a community of believers in an urban setting, who are committed to staying there. But the basic principles, I hope, will help me find what I'm looking for. You will see some of the more thought-provoking and challenging quotes randomly on my Facebook page. That's it for now. I'm not sure where this is going or where it will lead. This I know for sure, God is my foundation and it is and will be all about Him.

A collision of worlds

Being in London this week, has been like a collision of my worlds. I came specifically this week to be at the commissioning as a Salvation Army officer of my friend, Sarah, from Latvia. While here I'm staying with old friends from the US and visiting friends who I've know since training. I also visited my goddaughter and her family who are officers in the UK, who were close friends in Latvia and remain close even though we are a continent apart. At the commissioning meetings I ran into friends from ICO,we were together nearly 12 years ago now. Plus meeting a number of other people who I met during my time in Latvia. All of it has been wonderful but a little crazy, too. It is surreal to pass someone in a hall or meet for a minute at a coffee shop as if I see them regularly rather than once in the last four or more years. I had only a few minutes to connect with people from Latvia who mean so much to me and were part of a life-changing three years. Even spending a couple of days with friends, seems less than ideal when it will be another year, at least, before we meet again. It is a privilege and blessing to have so many friends from different parts of the world. But also sad that we don't see each other or keep in touch. I'd like to commit to doing better at corresponding, but I know once I get home and back at work it won't happen. So, I'm thankful for these brief blessings.

Another thing has just occurred to me while I've been here. It's four years this week since I left Latvia. That means I've been home a year longer than I was there. It seems unbelievable in so many ways. I've had 3 different appointments, lived in 3 different cities. I guess that's why the time has gone so quickly. I'm only just now feeling settled in this appointment. And nothing will ever compare to those 3 years in Latvia. It still comes up often in my thoughts and conversations (probably more than people would like.) I still want to tell the story when someone will listen. And sometimes I still feel like I'm getting used to living in the US. No conclusions to these thoughts. I just wanted to get it out there.

Feeling blessed beyond measure with family, friends and opportunities.

Lessons from Numbers

I'm going to try blogging again. I've missed writing, as these days I rarely write more than an email or a hundred. There are some lessons I've been learning in this new role that I would like to 'process' in this venue. Carefully, of course, as I can't break confidences or let on when I don't know what I'm doing.

This month I started reading the book of Numbers. I'm not sure why I chose it but as I've been reading, I know why the Lord wanted me to read it. There are so many lessons about leadership. Today I was struck with several from Numbers 10. Someday they may become a sermon or a teaching series. For now, they are just some thoughts.

First and most significant, Always be aware of God's presence with me and going before me. This is a truth that is hard for me to understand. It's about God as God. He is here and He is where I will be tomorrow. What comfort I find in that reality.

Then there are the practical lessons, such as Be sure to give clear directions and Be organized. Both so important and not always easy to accomplish.

And finally and for me the most difficult, Have a mentor close by. Moses said to his father-in-law, "Please do not leave...you can be our eyes." We all need someone to help us see where we should go. I certainly do.