Refreshment

A few months ago, I saw a status from one of my all-time heroes, saying "you know you have amazing parents if they drop everything to come to the aid of their missionary daughter, who is dealing with a broken heart." I loved it. And was so deep-down happy for her. And thought wistful thoughts of having my own parents come to see me in Costa Rica.

The past three weeks have been pretty intense in the heart dept, and I was given an amazing opportunity last week to house-sit for Rodney & Cindy while they were away.

I wrote to Mom when I found out, telling her how excited I was to have an entire house to myself, to spend some quality time with Jesus, to pray for wisdom, healing, insight and perseverance. And over FB chat came her wishful, "Wouldn't it be amazing if I could be there?"

And then... the unimaginable happened. The tickets for the right dates were the right price.

And last Wednesday I sobbed as I saw my adorable little mom, walking toward me amidst a wave of Ticos, at the San Jose airport.

Our week together was wonderful.

We laughed. We cried. We prayed.

She let me purge four months of bottled up pain.

And she met my new world. She walked in the community. She went to San Jose in a taxi and came home on a bus. She ate the freshest of fruits and had hours of hammock time in the bright sun. She walked barefoot while a snow-storm pelted New England and the Maritimes. And the most important thing of all... she fell in love with the country and the people that I love.

Sending her home this past Wednesday wasn't easy. But, I'm so ridiculously grateful for the gift that we were given of this week together.

I had two extra days of quiet in the house by myself, to spend some concentrated time with my Jesus.

Now I'm refreshed and ready to take on what these next ten months have in store.