Christmas in October!

At least we only had to wait six months to see Dan again! He finished a semester of college, and we couldn't wait to go to the airport to pick him up in December.  We knew that, once he us left this time, it would most likely be only a once-a-year occasion. But after he finished the school year, he and a good friend of his decided to enlist in the U.S. Marines! They would be starting Boot Camp in November (I think), so the two of them planned to come down here to Ecuador for a couple of weeks in October, knowing that they wouldn't have a Christmas vacation at all.                                                                       

We started counting the days. We decided that since Dan wouldn't be able to come in December, we would have an early Christmas!  We borrowed an artificial tree from some friends and had it ready.  I started playing Christmas music. (Dan's friend left a week before he did, so that we four could have a family time.)  As much as possible, we did everything we usually did at Christmas.                                                        

Christmas in October!  It was fun, and the having of it was a great help when December came around...after all, we'd already had Christmas together, the four of us!  So it wasn't as difficult to be without Dan then.

One of the many things for which we're grateful to God  is that once our children left home to pursue their education, we were able to get them down here to spend Christmas together virtually every year (whether in December or not!)  in spite of our very low financial support.  Somehow, the money always could be found.  God had truly given us "the desires of our heart"!
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I can't imagine how missionaries in earlier generations, particularly those who served in places like China or India, managed to say good-bye to their children for several years at a time!  Back when there were no airplanes, and travel overseas was just that...over the seas, on a ship...it took too long, and was too expensive to have the family all together very often.  Once the kids were past where their parents could teach them, they headed to the home country for their education. I'm SOOO glad God let me be born in these times instead of those! 

But sometimes I wonder...could I give up seeing my children (and now my grandchildren) as often as I do (which is still only once or twice a year - a lot less than most of you see yours!) if by doing so, someone else came to know Jesus?  He's never asked that of me yet (praise be!)...but if He did?  I think I probably could.  I bet you could, too.  But what about this:

    Years ago, in Australia, an elderly missionary who had worked for a long time in the Far East told us  about something that happened in their school...and I have never forgotten it.  One night they were surrounded by military forces, and were in danger of their lives.  They were on the terrace roof and, as believers, were praying and encouraging each other, knowing that they might be facing their death.  One young girl had moved away from the group a bit, and was crying.  The others tried to comfort her, to help her be strong in spite of her fear.  But she answered that she wasn't afraid!  She was crying because, she said, "I am not worthy to die for my Lord!"  
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Makes one think, doesn't it?  Thanks for joining me!  See you next time.