The Next Thing

God saw you getting tired and a cure was not to be. So He put his arms around you and whispered "come with me". With tearful eyes I watched you, and saw you pass away. Although I loved you dearly I could not make you stay. A golden heart stopped beating, hard-working hands at rest,God broke my heart to prove to me he only takes the BEST. - Author Unknown (at least to me)

Part of me wishes that we were already back in Canada, as being here just seems so sad without Craig. Another part of me wants to stay as this is where "Craig is". This is where we lived our entire married life and this is where my memories are, the places we walked, our favourite restaurants, our 'home', and hundreds of inside jokes that no one knows but me. That part of me never wants to leave, as the thought of going back to Canada without Craig scares and overwhelms me. It's a tough place to be.

Legal decisions and paperwork are currently what is delaying our return to Canada. I would imagine that legal issues and paperwork for this type of situation would take a while in Canada as well, but it is taking even longer here. Everything seems to hinge on something else, and we are at a disadvantage because of the language barrier. Everything we do, say or gather information about needs to be done through a translator and nothing seems to happen quickly. However, with all that said we are making progress. Little by little things are getting done, and while nothing happens over the weekend, we are hoping to make some headway this week and our plan right now is to home by the end of next week.

Our apartment is almost all packed, my dad is a master packer and has managed to get all of our belongings into 6-7 suitcases (only mailing home two boxes of books). :) In all the time we have had here we have continued to fold cranes. We are at 600 now. Yay!!



Thank you for all the e-mails, facebook messages, and blog comments. I have been too overwhelmed to respond, but know that I appreciate them and am encouraged by your prayers and thoughts. This journey is far from over, but God is sovereign and He gives me just enough strength to do the next thing, and then once that is done, He gives me more strength. I have been encouraged by a poem that Elisabeth Elliot wrote after her husband died about just focusing on 'the next thing.'

Do The Next Thing

At an old English cottage down by the sea,
there came in the twilight a message to me.
Its quaint Saxon legend deeply engraven
that, as it seems to me, teaching from heaven.
And all through the hours the quiet words ring,
like a low inspiration, 'Do the next thing.'

Many a questioning, many a fear,
many a doubt hath its quieting here.
Moment by moment, let down from heaven,
time, opportunity, guidance are given.
Fear not tomorrow, child of the King,
trust that with Jesus, do the next thing.

Do it immediately, do it with prayer,
do it reliantly, casting all care.
Do it with reverence, tracing His hand,
who placed it before thee with earnest command.
Stayed on omnipotence, safe 'neath His wing,
leave all resultings, do the next thing.

Looking to Jesus, ever serener,
working or suffering be thy demeanor,
in His dear presence, the rest of His calm,
the light of His countenance, be thy psalm.
Do the next thing."

Some days, like today, are okay days. I feel okay and the sad doesn't seem quite so overpowering. Some days I feel like there is a sadness that goes all the way to my core and it's hard to see anything good. Please continue to pray for me and for our families as we have a lot of healing to do.

Love,
Kristin