While You Were Away

One of the perks of working at Bingham Academy is that we get three full weeks off for Christmas Break. Charis decided to use the time to make a surprise visit to her family back in the States. Meanwhile, the kids and I spent a very interesting month together, having fun but learning how important Mommy is to us! I made the following video as a memoir...

I learned a lot over those 3 1/2 weeks. I learned the joy of caring for family as well as the drain of caring for family. I learned the importance of friends. I learned to make the most of every opportunity to enjoy your kids while you have 'em. Yet how hard it is to do that when you've got dishes to clean and laundry to hang and dinner to cook. I gained a new appreciation for my wife and all she does. I gained a deeper respect for single parents who do this and still hold down a job. I gained empathy for the husband or wife whose spouse is in overseas military service... for months or even years at a time. I learned loneliness. Loneliness like I hadn't felt it since I went off to college while my parents and siblings returned to Zimbabwe. The loneliness was most acute when I came down with a wasting 48 hour stomach bug that left me weaker than perhaps I've ever been in my life. 


But how quickly life returns to normal. Charis is back. My stomach has recovered. School's started up again. Yet in the middle of that normalcy, I hope I never forget the lessons learned "while you were away..."

"He who finds a wife finds what is good
                and receives favor from the LORD."
                                                     Proverbs 18:22