Looking Back and Ahead

So, I'm (finally) back in Guatemala. My trip was supposed to have been 11 days but ended up being 23 days. While the main reason for my extended stay was less than pleasant, my time in the States was so great! I had some concerns and anxieties about being back at home, but none of my fears were realized. The transition was seamless, so much so that I have said that it is as if I have two, separate, compartmentalized lives, and I just stepped out of one and into the other. I am very grateful for this gift of having more than one place to call home for now.

I was maybe a little reluctant to leave home and come back, but only because it was so great being there. I think that I did feel markedly more relaxed and at ease (vs here in Guatemala), and it was just plain awesome to enjoy the "comforts of home": driving; knowing my way around; using my iPhone; eating out; cleanliness; my pets; friends; family; shopping; TV; comfortable furniture; not having to share; not being confused/misunderstood all the time; being able to take a walk without much concern; not seeing trash everywhere; "blending in"; seeing so much diversity (I was overwhelmed with the racial/ethnic diversity while eating in the Perimeter Mall food court. Seriously.).

I doubt that I could have asked for a more enjoyable trip home. I think that having had such a good time can make going back (for good) easier. It will probably be tough leaving Guatemala, but having been given a chance to cherish people/places/things from home might make that transition less difficult. Here's hoping that I do not return to the U.S. jobless, carless, and homeless!

Medical Update: All of the diagnostic tests came back negative (PTL for that!), so I am being treated for SIBO- small intestinal bacterial overgrowth. It is difficult to know how/why it developed, but I have been instructed to stop taking Cipro, and I am currently on a strong antibiotic.

Prayer Requests:
- For the remainder of my time here. As I think about the coming months, I want them to be a time of learning and enjoyment. I do not want to have any regrets when I leave here.
- For what lies beyond my time here in Guatemala. At this point, it is the great unkown. Please pray for guidance and provision.
- That I can overcome my fears and anxieties and serve well.
- For my brother and his family as they transition to life in St. Simons Island!

Praise:
- For such a great time at home- for a time of rest, fellowship, and renovation
- That my GI issues are nothing too serious or untreatable.

Furlough Reflection

Today is the day I was to originally return to Guatemala from my stint here in the States; however, due to some health-related issues, I'll be here until the 6th. While I'm not happy about tomorrow's impending colonoscopy (TMI?), I'm glad to have a few more days here. Friday I'm taking a little road trip to Birmingham to visit some folks, and I've been able to see a few other people I wasn't originally planning on having the pleasure to see.

Despite all of my worries concerning being here, my time at home has been nothing short of awesome! I've told a few people that it feels as though my two lives (Guatemala and the U.S.) have been compartmentalized, and I simply stepped out of one and into the other. I've rarely thought about Guatemala since being here, except when sharing about it with friends and family. Honestly, my life there seems so far removed from things here. I guess, in a way, that is the case; but it's almost as if I never left here. I have worried that that means that maybe I haven't changed. But that simply is not true.

As I head back to Guatemala, I want to make sure to make the most of the rest of my time there. I don't have a ton of regrets from my first 6 months there- maybe just that I allowed myself to get stressed out a lot and allowed my pride and fear of embarrassment to get me down. Over the next 6 months, I would like to not be so concerned about "messing up" and not doing things perfectly and to just do my best, be obedient and work/act without fear. My battle with perfectionism has been a very long one, and maybe the rest of my time in Guatemala could be somewhat of a victory over it.

Prayer Requests:

• For my health- that my dr. would figure out what's going on and that the necessary treatment would be easy and succinct.
• For my return to Guatemala- that the transition back to work and everything there would be seamless. 
• For serenity and wisdom as I begin to make plans for life post-Guatemala