Sunday

Tomorrow is Sunday.
Tomorrow will be interesting.
Tomorrow could be a disaster, or tomorrow could be easy.

So far, nothing about this hosting has been easy, but I continue to hope that changes.

Last Sunday... their 1st Sunday with us was special in that we can church outside. It was HOT outside, the service was abbreviated, and then we had a church picnic afterwards.
Tomorrow it's back to normal.

As much as I would like to do otherwise; at this point, Daniels is only capable of handling one service.
Originally, I'd wanted to give Diana the option of going to youth (and I'd go with her if she wanted) and have Daniels go with Joe. But that's just not going to work.
He would be FAR too disruptive if we were there for both services; and in truth, we're not comfortable sending him in to Joe's class at all. 
So, for now.... we'll just be doing one service and D&D will go to "big church" with us.
Not that thats a guarantee that everything will be peachy, but it's what we're going to try tomorrow.
So we'll see.


Diana is starting to test a little bit. Not much... and I think it's more about seeing if I mean what I say. But as far as the "projected behaviors" we tell our host families to possibly expect, she's right on schedule.


Daniels continues to test repeatedly and in Biblical proportions at every opportunity.
We had an issue at lunch today that ended with him in tears followed with a 45 minute pouting episode.
It's a long story, and I'm not going to go into details, but we are still proving to him that we mean what we say and that deliberate, intentional disobedience will not be allowed. It seems to be a hard lesson for him to learn.


This hosting has been hard on Joe and Kyle. 
They're really feeling the stress and tension in the house.
It's hard for them to understand why Daniels has such a hard time following very simple rules, why he's so volatile (my word, not theirs) and why he doesn't want to play with them.
They keep trying, and he keeps shooting them down.
I think they're just about ready to give up.

But at this point, giving up is not an option.
There are a few specific instances when a host child can be moved... and as of yet... we're not there.
No matter how difficult it's been... we're not there.
And I guess, depending on how you look at it... that's a good thing.

He is with us for a reason.
My mom was right.... and it was a good reminder for me.

No matter how frustrating it is, (and frustrating doesn't really cover it), we are to be the hands and feet of Jesus for these 5 weeks. (All the time, really, but specifically to this boy and this girl for 4 more weeks.)
We are missionaries of a sort, and I have to believe that the "hardships" we're going through are as much for D&D's benefit as they are for our own.
God is using this time to mold us closer to His image. To teach us His love.. His patience... His compassion... to show us His heart.

This refining is rarely a painless process, and our situation is no different.
The sooner I can align my thoughts and mindset with His... the sooner I learn what it is He is trying to show me... the sooner (I hope) this hosting will feel less like cruel and unusual punishment and more like a vacation.

Where will we go on vacation? I don't know.
There's road work ahead that will delay a few things, but we'll get there eventually.