Looking Up...

Hey there, folks!

Despite the difficulty of the past week and a half (due to sickness, car issues, and general depression for the Mr & I), we have been dwelling on the Japan meeting that went so well and trying to stay positive in the midst of everyday life. Learning to appreciate the small things is a big part of this, as is enjoying time together no matter what. At times, we, as a couple, can get too obsessed with recovering, getting in a better mood, treating sickness, figuring out ways to make money, etc.

When we obsess over these things too much, we forget to enjoy life in the moment, and we overlook the little joys. One of the biggest downfalls for me is starting to focus on how I'm not a good enough wife...this ironically, makes me not a very good wife: one that's obsessing over her failures instead of actually enjoying life with my husband. Isaiah, after all, didn't marry me so that I could stay perfect and pleasing. He married me to love me. And when I obsess over my failures, I don't allow him to love me. When I keep trying to earn his love, I miss the whole point of love in the first place. It's very similar with God.

Despite our former depression, it's been difficult to remain depressed due to all that God's been doing for us. We don't deserve it, but He has been loving on us a lot lately. Our car actually passed   inspection! Isaiah and I have had some really good heart to hearts this week that needed to happen for a while. And I, despite the coughing and clogged up ears, really am on the mend. Things like the chiropractor and detoxing are helping. It may be an annoyingly slow process, but, for the most part, I am just living with the sickness that's still lingering and enjoying life no matter how much better I could be. I am who God means me to be, sick and all, in this moment, and I will enjoy the day the Lord has made! When He sees fit to heal me or fix me, He will. I think I've been learning yet again, through all of this, a lot of patience and endurance.

Patience: Every time I feel that I've learned this, I haven't. I would say Laugh Out Loud, but honestly it's just a little sad. We humans are so quick to believe we've mastered a character trait that we completely ignore the 12 others areas of that particular character trait that we've yet to learn. I may have learned patience with students, with children, with family members (especially my brother Mitch, whom I love very much), but I've yet to learn patience with sickness, weakness, and lack of sleep. These are traits that are important to humility and dependence as well as to motherhood. In addition, even the areas that I've learned more patience in, God is always seeking to deepen. We will never be perfect or have even one character trait completley conquered this side of heaven. Thank God for His grace!

In other English Couple news, Isaiah is still working on his TESOL certification, and I finally received my textbooks in the mail and have started my Bible class on the Book of John. I am enjoying being in the Word and reading Theology texts very much. I am planning on conquering one class at a time so that I can get in the mode of a budding theologian and really delve into whatever book of the bible I happen to be studying. I think if I planned everything correctly, I can be finished with The Book of John, Daniel, The Minor Prophets, and The Book of Romans by the end of May. Then I will have a full-fledged Bible Certificate! :) I also am increasingly grateful for having finished the Torah during my regular Bible study time, for it has come in useful so much in everyday life and also relates to John quite a bit. I'm on Judges now. (*Also if any of you are currently reading the Bible, check out the awesome animated yet deep youtube channel which focuses on different books and themes in the Bible that I linked at the end of the post! It's seriously amazing. Deepened my Bible reading quite a bit!)

In addition to TESOL for Isaiah and Bible Certificate earning for me, Isaiah has applied to go with OPC Short-Term Missions to help with construction on the Nozomi Center in Sendai, Japan. Please be praying that he's accepted to the team so that he can go minister and, along the way, learn about the country we are called to! The trip would be in April. If everything works out, Isaiah will be in Japan while I will be heading to Kentucky with my dad for a Conference about Discernment at the Creation Museum!

All Our Love.

The Englishes

*Link to youtube Bible channel that I love: The Bible Project