Sunsets

Well, here I am in Pukekohe. I don't have any pictures yet of the town - hopefully I will be able to take some today.

I had a tough start to yesterday. I found out that a friend, Sue, suddenly passed away. She was an amazing lady. I met her and her husband, Marv, in Singapore and they were my surrogate parents while I was there. They helped take care of me for two years - she even made my lunch a few times and he drove me to school in the mornings. I can't imagine what Marv and their daughter April are going through. I know how hard it was for me to hear the news.

I was thinking how tough life is. I just wanted to sit and be still, but life keeps moving and I had a huge to do list. So, I had to get on with my day - dry my tears and get going. As I went through the day, my to-do list was not getting done. People here are definitely on a different schedule than I am. The teacher recruiter kept telling me to relax and not to take things too seriously.

As I was driving back from Auckland to the town of Pukeohe, I kept thinking, what have I gotten myself into? I crested a hill just before coming into town, and got to see one of the most amazing sunsets I've ever seen. He reminded me that he is in control and the God that makes the sun rise and set is the same God who can help me through the to-do list, through the culture shock, through the lonliness of not having my people near me. He is the same God who can comfort Marv and April and hundreds of others as we mourn Sue's loss.

Now, I'm off to the school and to check more things off my to-do list. I know that I will need to be reminded of who God is again and again and the plans that He has for me - hopefully he'll send another amazing sunrise or sunset for me to see.