Spiraling Through THREE Months

March 25. It's logical to see March 25 on the calendar, especially since yesterday was March 24. But what happened to January 25 and February 25? Did you ever have the sensation you were twirling around, giving everything within you to make progress only to find you had passed by this place 365 times before?

Same coffee cup, same pillow, same garage door opener, same laundry (week after week). It seems I've been running in place. Don't misunderstand me. Oh, please, no. I do enjoy routine. I like knowing what I'm going to wear tomorrow. It's fun to plan next year's end of school party . . . Next time, I'll do this . . . or that . . .

What I am saying is this: I sat down to write in January. Now it's almost April. What happened to that lofty dream of blogging every week (or even better, every day)? Life took over. And I allowed day to spiral into day.

This afternoon, I have good news to share with my friend Neil. Remember him? He's one of the main reasons I have a blog. Anyway, I checked out Neil's blog because the telephone number I have for him won't work anymore. There on Neil's blog, I found a message from a mutual friend who was "randomly" searching for me. Only a few days ago, I had mentioned this mutual friend to my pastor, wondering where to find lost people who have for one reason or another fallen out of our lives. I'm happy to have found my friend. But, I still have good news to share with Neil and, in fact, with all my friends. "How can I tell all my friends at once," I wondered. "BLOG!"

Here I am now, typing away. I'm about to burst with this wonderful news. I want EVERYONE to read it.

The truth is, I haven't just been spinning around for the last three months. I've been putting little tiny pieces into a big picture. Finally, about two weeks ago, my pieces all fit together and . . . OOOOOOOOHHHHHH, a beautiful, wonderful, exciting adventure emerged.

Did you read the poem I wrote in January about soaring? The LORD GOD ALMIGHTY has lifted me from the valley of grief and disease and set me in flight with Him. Whoa! It's amazing!

My physical body has been refreshed, my energies renewed, my outlook improved, and my steps have just turned a corner. The view from this side of the corner is not at all what I expected (Isn't that always the case? "Who'd 've thought it?"). I was told in December to expect a door to open before me, and to allow the doors behind me to close quietly.

I'm about to travel again, for real, for real! I've been re-appointed as a career missionary with the World Missions Department of the Church of God. "So, okay, Waneda, what else is new? We all knew you would go back sooner or later . . ." There's the surprise. I'm not going BACK. By the grace of God, I am going to work, under the supervision of Peter and Debbie Thomas, on the continent of AFRICA!!!!!

I have resigned my position as a first grade teacher. Let that door close quietly. As of July 31, I will no longer be employed by my school district. Just push it all the way closed, still quietly. The new door opened a few weeks ago as a result of a remark made in general conversation. "My function as a missionary," I said, "has been to train teachers."

"You train teachers?"

"Yes, for many years, when I worked as a missionary I trained many teachers."

To make a long story a little shorter, an invitation was issued. I accepted. We applied for permission. Permission has been granted. As soon as I have raised my missionary budget, I will be flying across the Atlantic Ocean and South, to set my feet in Kenya as a starting point.

Wow! Who expected the path of my life to spiral around Africa? These beautiful intertwining ribbons just astound me.