Thanksgiving

 ^"Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." Philippians 4:6

Though I was trying to hold out and make my husband do the traveling for our next rendezvous, word that what I was hoping would be a 6 month wait may be more like a 10 month wait prompted me to bite the bullet and buy another ticket to visit my love on Thanksgiving break. It just so happens that tickets to Cancun were cheaper than tickets to Mexico City, so I will be meeting Raul in Cancun on the day before Thanksgiving. I mean, what was a girl to do? :) This trip will be shorter than the others--just one day shy of a week. But, at least it gives me something to count down to.

Though, I know that the likelihood of me getting "the letter" this early is slim to none, I still can't help but eagerly check the mail everyday when I get home and then be a little disappointed when there is nothing there. I can only imagine the mix of emotions I will feel when I check and there is something there. I think I will have to work up my courage to actually open the envelope. We have been waiting for years and it seems strange to think that at some point (hopefully soon) we will have a final answer.

Though the semester at Trinity has officially started, things don't really get into full swing for me until next week when I start my Tuesday night meetings with Teen Mother Choices and my Wednesday night Vantage Point 3 class at church. I'm hoping the semester will fly by once I no longer have much of any free time. ;) I had originally thought that my practicum would be pretty low key and that I would just be sitting in on some group work with the girls and lead a few discussions. However, I am told that I will be getting one or two of my own counseling clients. The thought scares me to death, but I know it will be good experience for me and help me to be less anxious if/when I get to internship.

Raul has started a new "business" of selling boom boxes that he purchases in Puebla. So far he has only made one trip to the city to get his supply, but he was able to sell all the boom boxes that he had picked up. His form of advertisement is to walk down the street with the his music blaring. Who wouldn't want a boom box so they could be cool like him?

As always, thank you everyone for your support and encouragement. Please pray for me as I try to wait patiently for both Thanksgiving break and for the letter. I have been feeling a bit more lonely lately even though I have wonderful friends and family around me. Pray also for Raul. Though he is in good spirits, he has mentioned on a couple of occasions that he is ready for this part of the journey to be over as well. Pray also that God would provide opportunities for him to share his faith with a couple of guys that he met in Chiautla when he was there last. One of them opened up to Raul about some very deep hurts that he had and Raul was able to introduce the topic of Christ's healing, but he would love to follow up with that and build a relationship with them.

I was able to speak at our church last Sunday on the topic of God's faithfulness and was convicted afresh at how faithful God has been to us not only during this time of wandering but in all of the time leading up to this waiting period. It is obvious that God has been preparing us for whatever he has planned next for us. It is hard for me to be patient to see what that is and to learn the lessons that he has for me in the mean time. Yet, in my heart of hearts, I know God's timing has always been perfect and it will continue to be. That is one of the many promises I cling to.