“Welcome Home!” After showing him my passport, I was privileged to hear these very words from the U. S. Customs Agent at Atlanta’s Hartsfield - Jackson International Airport late yesterday evening. And may I say that they are some of the sweetest words I have ever heard - especially having just spent 29 straight hours in transit travelling home from a two week trip to India!
For those of you who follow my blog regularly, you now know why I have not updated much in the last two weeks. Suffice it to say that internet access is rather sparse in India, especially the rural parts. I might also add that the same thing is true for such basic necessities as soap, food, and clean water. Nonetheless, I survived; and I am none the worse for the wear.
When we got home, we went straight to Mickey D’s for "burgers and fries". Meat, of course, is not widely available in a land dominated by Hinduism. Needless to say, with numerous cows, pigs, and goats literally meandering about all over the streets and roads, and with only vegetables and rice on the plate at meal times, this farm boy found himself day-dreaming a lot: mostly about roast beef, steaks, hamburger, bacon, sausage, and ribs. Hey, near the end, even pig’s feet began to look good!
Having satisfied our hunger, we made our way home and enjoyed our first hot showers since we left. Then, about ten o’clock last night, we promptly crawled into bed, whereupon we promptly fell into the deepest of sleep. In fact, we slept so much that that I did not get up until after lunch today! Having spent the day unpacking and washing our things, I am just now getting around to other responsibilities, including my blog.
I am reminded that there will come a day when we will once again hear those glorious words: “Welcome home!” When we cross the threshold into Heaven, how sweet it will be to hear our Lord and Savior say, “Well done, My good and faithful servant; enter thou into the joys of thy Lord!” My strong suspicion will be that there will then follow some of the most glorious feasting and sublime resting that we will have ever known! May the Lord hasten that day!
Until then, we soldier on. I spent the last two weeks travelling the length and breadth of India, a land that is not my home. While there, I spoke seven different times; and our Mission Team ministered in conferences, schools, women’s centers, and orphanages. Along the way, we exhausted ourselves, to be sure. But it was all for the glory of God. At the end of the journey, we were tired; but we were well satisfied because we had given our all.
I can only hope that when the day does finally come that my journey in this world is over (a world which is not really my home, but one on which I am only passing through), I will have the satisfaction of knowing that I have fully given my all for God. No doubt, that will make my entry into Heaven all the sweeter. Until then, I will soldier on – serving the Lord with gladness.
Over the next few weeks, I hope to write about several of our experiences while in India. Until then, I intend to catch up on my share of sleep - and also on my share of quarter pounders! And that’s no dream!
For those of you who follow my blog regularly, you now know why I have not updated much in the last two weeks. Suffice it to say that internet access is rather sparse in India, especially the rural parts. I might also add that the same thing is true for such basic necessities as soap, food, and clean water. Nonetheless, I survived; and I am none the worse for the wear.
When we got home, we went straight to Mickey D’s for "burgers and fries". Meat, of course, is not widely available in a land dominated by Hinduism. Needless to say, with numerous cows, pigs, and goats literally meandering about all over the streets and roads, and with only vegetables and rice on the plate at meal times, this farm boy found himself day-dreaming a lot: mostly about roast beef, steaks, hamburger, bacon, sausage, and ribs. Hey, near the end, even pig’s feet began to look good!
Having satisfied our hunger, we made our way home and enjoyed our first hot showers since we left. Then, about ten o’clock last night, we promptly crawled into bed, whereupon we promptly fell into the deepest of sleep. In fact, we slept so much that that I did not get up until after lunch today! Having spent the day unpacking and washing our things, I am just now getting around to other responsibilities, including my blog.
I am reminded that there will come a day when we will once again hear those glorious words: “Welcome home!” When we cross the threshold into Heaven, how sweet it will be to hear our Lord and Savior say, “Well done, My good and faithful servant; enter thou into the joys of thy Lord!” My strong suspicion will be that there will then follow some of the most glorious feasting and sublime resting that we will have ever known! May the Lord hasten that day!
Until then, we soldier on. I spent the last two weeks travelling the length and breadth of India, a land that is not my home. While there, I spoke seven different times; and our Mission Team ministered in conferences, schools, women’s centers, and orphanages. Along the way, we exhausted ourselves, to be sure. But it was all for the glory of God. At the end of the journey, we were tired; but we were well satisfied because we had given our all.
I can only hope that when the day does finally come that my journey in this world is over (a world which is not really my home, but one on which I am only passing through), I will have the satisfaction of knowing that I have fully given my all for God. No doubt, that will make my entry into Heaven all the sweeter. Until then, I will soldier on – serving the Lord with gladness.
Over the next few weeks, I hope to write about several of our experiences while in India. Until then, I intend to catch up on my share of sleep - and also on my share of quarter pounders! And that’s no dream!