Not much new

We went through our storage unit a couple days ago.  Well, part of it.  It would have been quite the undertaking to attempt to go through the whole thing.  We had to get some things out, mostly kitchen items, so it was a necessary evil.  It was an overwhelming process to go through some of our things.  It took us a couple of hours of sorting and rearranging and pulling things out.

You see, when we were preparing to leave for Venezuela, we just started throwing things in out of pure necessity.  So it was a tiny bit chaotic in there.  But it's done now.  Whew.  That's off our shoulders.  One less step to get us to Florida.  One less thing to do.  It's refreshing to check that off our list.

On a very positive note, my tooth is getting better.  Slowly but surely.  One of these days I'll remember what it's like to chew on both sides of my mouth.  One day.  Time will heal.  I gladly look forward to everything being right again.

God doesn't explain.  He explodes.  He asks Job who he thinks he is anyway.  He says that to try to explain the kind of things Job wants explained would be like trying to explain Einstein to a little-neck clam...God doesn't reveal his grand design.  He reveals himself.                           -Frederick Buechner

I love this quote.  It's been interesting to reflect on the book of Job throughout this transition time.  One of the things we've desired most throughout the past few months is empathy.  From people, from God, in every scenario.  Yet, that's not how God responds to Job.  Not even in the slightest.  And I'm oddly drawn to it.

I can't help but appreciate a God who shows his glory in how he responds to Job.  He's not sympathetic.  He doesn't leave anyone wondering who's in charge.  He's God.  There's a bigger picture and Job just can't see it.  I want to follow a God that's in control.  I want to follow the guy who knows what's going on, even if he doesn't let me in on it.

It's a lot like the way we interact with our kids.  I just know better.  I have a better view.  Sometimes I can't answer the question of why for them.  I need to discipline them.  I want to give them gifts.  I want to love them.  Yes, I'm referring to myself as someone who is like a child.  I mean, is there any other way to look at it when I compare myself to God?

In so many ways it's been life giving to go to a God who isn't empathetic.  Sure, he can empathize.  That's where having a great High Priest who has experienced earth and all of its ridiculousness comes in handy.  He is perfectly able to empathize but he's much bigger than that.  At this point, that is what we wrestle through, expectations for God, for people, for community, for ourselves.  There's a tension and we're still trying to figure out that tension.