Hemmed In

On our marriage day, Moses presented me with a sewing machine and I was honored.  My mother also received a sewing machine as a wedding present from my father.  I am certainly NOT a good sewer, but I can hem dresses that are too long and let out hems as Moses grows taller. Hihi... marriage seems to be be shortening all of his shirts by about an inch and a half.  I hemmed curtains for our bedroom and made covers for the kitchen cupboards.  Hemming is pleasing because it adds the final touch.  It tucks in all the frays.  It makes things fit correctly.  It gives a nice border.  

Psalm 139:5-6 says: "You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain."

What an awesome feeling - to know that God has hemmed me in.  When I asked Moses what that meant to him, he said that God covers us entirely with Himself.  Beautiful.

I thought I would look up what it means to be "hemmed in" and Dictionary.com gave two definitions:

1. to fold back and sew down the edge of a cloth
2. to form an edge or border on or around, to enclose or confine (usually followed by in, around of about)

Meaning, we are surrounded.  And when God hems me in, I know He is surrounding me with His immense love, comfort, protection, guidance, peace, purpose and more.

In the past few weeks, we have clung to the knowledge that God is for us and all around us, even when we don't see or feel Him.  Some hems are hidden on clothing, you are not even aware of their existence.  

On July 9th we started receiving messages that Rev. Archdeacon George Robert Okodu passed on to glory. He died shortly after preaching a powerful burial sermon for someone else in the village.  Moses was in shock.  Pastor Robert was more than a church leader to Moses, he was a friend, a confidant, a prayer warrior, a helper and a mentor.  Pastor Robert walked with Moses through some very difficult seasons in life and assisted Moses with gathering research information and data while Moses was writing his master's thesis.  

Moses wept for two days.  We decided we would need to journey back to Soroti to visit the widow and pay our respects at the grave site.  So we traveled on Monday the 13th... and I just knew that God was holding Moses' heart.  He was tenderly speaking words of comfort and peace into a broken heart full of questions.

After a few days in Soroti, we chose to continue on to Kampala.  I have silently been dealing with a health issue that is wearing me down emotionally.  It's been over three weeks now, but I have been spotting every day... I know, sorry, maybe this is too much information for male readers... but this stuff is real. I wanted answers.

Lab work and an ultrasound show that I have polycystic ovary syndrome.  It means I have a hormonal imbalance. Since I am on serious blood thinners, I am not allowed to take hormone treatments, contraceptives, or normal medications that would help heal this chemical imbalance. 

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Scientfically, for easy explanation, like the doctor did for me... it means that my LH hormone is constantly higher right now than the FSH... and the LH should only be higher once a month... so it makes my emotions run wild and the flow to continue.  

So again, this is where I know God has me in the Palm of His Hand.  Two people have prayed for me saying the words of Luke 8:44 "She came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak, and immediately her bleeding stopped." That's what I'm clinging too. I'm holding on to Jesus's hem, while He hems me in with His tender care.  The only treatment for me is exercise and weight loss... so please pray I can battle my selfish desires and see results.

Reading a blog called "Faith and Leadership", I read a post written by Jeremy Troxler that talked about being "hemmed in" which I have appreciated today.

The word for "hem in" is the word used when a city is laid under siege.  "You besiege me, O God." "You hem me in. You besiege me. You entrap me. You encircle me. You beleaguer me, behind and before. You will not leave me alone." This "hemming in" is not a hedge of protection; it's concertina wire for trespassers."

That's my prayer in this season - of quieter ministry moments, of loss, of health issues, of making new friends, of missing old friends... that God would hem us in.  He knows us!  

And now... for a bit of random...

While we were out of Gulu, we brought Bolt to The Big Fix.  It's a dog hospital/kennel/obedience training school... so he had a little time away to learn some manners.  Moses and I are both glad that we have a pet with us on this journey of shifting and changing.  He keeps us company.

Gulu is colder than we are used to and we often bundle up inside our thick walled, underground home.  And lately that sun is refusing to shine as rains water the earth.

We've been going through this intense course with a young lady who is also holding on to Jesus' hem and asking God to hem her in.

We are grateful for the community and staff around us who make living in Gulu and this compound an easy transition.

While in Soroti, I was able to catch up with my namesake, Karen.  She is healthy and strong and was happy to go for a little car ride. 

Well, that's it for now.  May you also be surrounded by God - enveloped in His love, housed in His care, corralled in His peace and cocooned in His presence.

Glad to be in Gulu/Birthday Blessings

So far, during our first three weeks in Gulu, we have explored our way around town, gotten to know a few new people, and enjoyed our unique and cool home.

 There is a great coffee shop called "The Iron Donkey"... we have gone a few times, just to get out of the compound.  :)  Abella is a beautiful young lady who lives right next door to us, and happen to know her well from Soroti days - I've watched her grow up since she was about 12.  She is super helpful, insightful, and a treasure to our days here.

I love the Gulu main market - so much more diverse produce than in Soroti.  Here I can get leeks, spring onions, red, yellow and large green peppers, Chinese cabbage lettuce, beets, broccoli, cauliflower, butternut squash and more.  Yeah for us!

 Moses super surprised me for my birthday... I came out of bed and found the sitting room decorated with balloons and streamers.

 He made homemade waffles for breakfast.

 We stopped at Iron Donkey on our way out of town, and they gave me a free treat!!

 We drove two hours and found a sweet lodge for an overnight getaway.

 Tent number three was our sleeping place of choice.

 When we relaxed on our porch, we could oversee the White Nile.  At night I heard hippos chomping on the grass in the campsite.

 I loved being able to swim once again!

 The cook even asked me what I wanted for dinner and presented a delicious dish!

 Fort Murchison has such a great ambiance!

 I appreciate trees with a little bit of character.

 Fun with Flora

 Oh ya, in the morning, these notes were hidden all around the house.  So cherished!

 Murchison Falls National Park is in the background.

 A Sausage Tree

 Moses was practising his camera skills.

 Well, so was I. :)

 The gardens were peaceful.

 Welcome to our nature lodge.  I am so grateful that we could have some special time together.

 Canada Day found me at an old school dentist.  I had to have a back molar filled, since I simply lost an old filling.

 Back at home... I love our new home.

 Bolt always welcomes us home.

 Here is the curriculum that is being developed for private/Christian schools in Uganda.  I'm going to help with editing the materials and giving it an African context.  Moses hopes to develop a training video for the "Roots to Fruits" curriculum.

And on a fun note... I found gardener charging his phone battery the other day.  Yikes!! I couldn't pull that off if I tried.

That's a quick welcome to our new place.

Some last Soroti Shots

It's hard to believe that I finished 10 plus years in Soroti while  under quarantine.  A lot of time has been spent at home in the past three months and we have just been enjoying the simplicity of life.

 I've never seen such brilliant red, fuzzy bugs before in my adventures.

 One Sunday morning Moses and I had spent time thanking the Lord for how He provides for our needs.  We put some beans in the pressure cooker... and then started church online... getting distracted, we burnt the beans.  So, we didn't have anything prepared for lunch, but then there came a knock at the gate... and pizza was delivered. 

  A yummy rabbit cacciatore was delivered just a few hours after that.  Our God knows our needs and replaces our gifts!

 Moses learned "more" on how to do puzzles by helping me occasionally.

 One day bees flooded our compound when I accidentally left honey outside.

 One morning we watched new baby chicks make their way out of the coop for the first time.

 And I played with this Easter chick who was left behind in the coop.

 We spent 7 months in this compound.

 With everything being online now days, I could even attend a "Writer's Nest" group meeting.  What a blessing to meet with these sweet people once again!

 Moses has been working on translating some of our training materials into the Ateso language.

 I've always loved spending time with Teddy and Grace... and we've been working on a few crafts together.

 My adorable BOLT

 Fluffy - my faithful mama (I'm going to miss having chickens in the new compound)

 Just a few weeks before leaving we cleaned out our water tank because our drinking water was starting to smell fishy - now I know why!!  Yuck.

 On the day that Uganda lifted the driving ban, I drove to town with joy.  I was going to visit a friend for the first time in two months, but that had to be postponed when I wiped out at the supermarket.  It was a full oopsy - I threw the groceries, almost landed on my face, embarrassed myself... and Moses had to drive home after I found him in the market.  Our friends who owned the supermarket were upset that I didn't come in to clean up, but I was just wanting to go home.  :)

 Bolt loves chasing sticks and playing with Moses!

 Packing up...

 We filled a lorry and our car to the brim... I didn't think we had that much stuff.  Yikes!

 During an evening with friends, Moses was able to experience something new...

 Virtual Reality!! Man, did we have a few good laughs.

 Moses loves reading "The Daily Monitor" and listening to American politics.  This time he was able to share the latest news with his relatives in the village.  We went to check on his stepmom and relatives and animals before settling in Gulu.

 Here we are visiting the neighbours/cousins who help us out so much in the village.

 The young boy is little Moses Odel.  :)  I love watching the kids relax and tell stories.

 Maize / corn is a filling snack... hard and chewy like cow corn.

 The ladies always want to show me the smokey kitchen... I'm amazed at how many hours they can cook in a place where I find it difficult to breathe!

 The simsim (Sesame) is set up for drying.  It is often turned into paste and added to many dishes, like a peanut sauce.

 I was invited to celebrate a few birthdays - 10 people, 4 continents, and loads of fun!

 Saying goodbye to my sister Rose... we lived together for 7 years.

 Wiffle ball... great exercise with great company

 Cute chicks - they were all brought to the village, we didn't take them to Gulu.

 Two young men came over to build a savings box with some of our scrap wood.  :)  The money is sealed in for good keeping.

Our last lesson to learn in Soroti was how to slaughter and skin a rabbit.  Our vet friend, Daniel, was very informative!!

So long, Soroti!