surprisingly normal

Jet lag is no fun and my Flemish is really rusty, so I'm continually aware that "we're not in Kansas anymore" (which I said to Elisabeth yesterday eliciting a response of "I've never been to Kansas," which isnt' true, but she made her point in true teen form).  But even in that awareness I am experiencing things as feeling surprisingly normal.  Elisabeth doesn't remember anything but some things look familiar from photos.  I should say she doesn't remember anything significant.  She actually remembered the bread slicer in the grocery store we visited.  She asked if we have seen one since moving back, and I sure don't think so.  I guess it must have been just scary enough to lodge itself  as an episodic memory.  I walked past the machine without even turning my head.  To me it was virtually unnoticeable... surprisingly normal.  

Some of the significant places we saw on our walk in Ghent yesterday (including the house we lived in for three years) struck me as... surprisingly normal.  There was no visceral reaction from Elisabeth.  I would say she showed more interest than the typical tourist seeing something for the first time (but with the knowledge there is something special about this place to our family).

[3 days later]

Yesterday we spent our second day in Ghent.  This time we took a train from Kortrijk.  From the station in Ghent we walked to the city center.  We did some shopping along the way (some thrifting and some department store, and a few things in between).  But the amazing architecture of the city hall, cathedrals, and so one felt familiar, but not surprisingly normal.  Those are pretty impressive buildings.  We took the tour of Gravensteen Castle.  That seemed to be one of Elisabeth's favorite experiences of the day. As we walked around I told Elisabeth about the first part of this post.  Almost recited it word for word.  But I told her how grateful I am that our InterVarsity South Dakota twinning partnership with Ichtus is adding a wonderful dimension to my work at home and giving me opportunities like this moment to serve here in person.  She's grateful for this opportunity, too.

Maybe I should buy a loaf of bread so she can run the slicing machine.  I doubt she would find the experience surprisingly normal.

NSO SANS ME

Today (8/24/25) was the weirdest day of sabbatical (so far, it could definitely be topped before it's all over).  I preached at Emmanuel Mennonite Church.  That was good.  I mean it sincerely, not generically.  But I fill pulpit from time to time and can usually say it "was good." All the parts of the service they planned meshed so well with the message I brought from 1 Corinthians 2. The Spirit was at work and it was a good start to a good day... but weird.

The weird part was having the first NSO (new student outreach) event at South Dakota State University also take place today.  John and Elijah (and a couple of students) had an InterVarsity table at the organization fair... without me.  And I was in Brookings while it was happening.  After church Trina and I had to get on the road to pick up Elisabeth. She tagged along with Natalie for move in weekend.  Move in wasn't until Monday, but they spent the weekend with big brother, big sister, and their spouses.  We met them in Brookings to bring Elisabeth home.  I kind of did my NSO part by taking a student out for ice cream... don't worry, it's not a sabbatical violation because the student was my nephew.  I can do that, right? Trina and my three girls all joined us. Then we went to TJ Maxx because it's across the parking lot from Zesto's and Elisabeth felt like her back to school shopping wasn't done.  While I ate ice cream and then shopped for makeup and cute dresses (in the spirit of full disclosure I did buy something for myself... face/body wipes), Elijah and John were meeting new students.

Before we were done shopping the organization fair finished.  Elijah stopped by TJ Maxx and we debriefed (resting an arm on a rack of shirts).  I can debrief because it's my son and we weren't at a coffee shop, right?  I was encouraged that leaving the ministry with Elijah and John is working out just fine.

I prayed a lot today.  I was so close... I literally drove through campus. I had eyes on the student union.  I was so close. But what really made me close was prayer.  The drive from church to Brookings was about an hour and 40.  Trina was working on a project on her laptop, so we didn't talk much.  And as we drove through that beautiful countryside I remembered (reflecting on past ministry is part of my sabbatical plan).  I was grateful for so many things.  One of the amazing things is how much I have been witness to God's work in my children.  And I was on the edge of tears when I thought about how I have moved into a place in which my children watch me, affirm me, and feel proud of me.

We pulled into Qdoba for a late lunch before my girls arrived.  I remembered sitting at those outside tables with John, Elijah (then a freshman at USF) and a mix of USF and SDSU students (we brought USF students to an SDSU NSO event to show them what InterVarsity looks like).  I kept remembering all day.

I was really close to that org fair. And I realized I was close not because I could have pulled into the parking lot and walked to the student union.  Rather, I was close because I was remembering and interceding.  And in moments like that you get to see what's on God's heart.  And when you are praying fervently for the things on God's heart, you look up and realize he's close, too.