From Emie: Worms and Wonderings

I'm not sure if everyone gets the emails from Heath and Emie so I thought I'd post the latest email that they sent out . . . . . . . .
FROM EMIE:
Ok, I've experienced some disgusting things since I've lived in Africa
these last 6 months. Frogs in my sink, dying rats under my bed (right
under my head), a rat jumping out of my drawer onto my foot, the smell
of 23 chickens constantly wafting through my screen windows, brown
water, and bugs galore in my flour and noodles, just to name a FEW!
But the other day I experienced THE MOST DISGUSTING thing YET! On
the bus ride into South Africa, I noticed what I thought was a large
zit forming on my left collar bone area. I tried to pick it but it
only got bigger. Within 2 days and lots of attempts to pop it, it was
HUGE. Sunday night I stood in the mirror and squeezed with everything
I could, only to pop out something that didn't look exactly like a
normal zit. So I yelled for Heath and he came with tweezers to pluck
out of my skin a WORM the size of an uncooked piece of rice! It had a
black head and when he squeezed it, it wiggled!! AHHHHHHH! That's
when I about lost it! It left a hole in my shoulder the circumference
of a toothpick! Oh the joys of African living! After some
investigating, we discovered a few on Heath as well! We're pretty
sure we acquired our little "friends" at the "prison" guest house we
stayed at in Maputo!! Needless to say, we are going to look for
different options on the way back!

You've heard sayings that mention things like "You are who you are
no matter where you are." Or, "Wherever you go, there you are." Well,
again I've been thinking about how the body of Christ in general is
waiting to get some "call" from God to go and do and be, or else they
are sitting in pews letting those who have supposedly heard the
"call," go and do and be on behalf of Christendom!
As I've pondered this vacation, again I am struck with the reality
that we are just who we are no matter if we are living in the States,
Africa, Russia or South America. I can't get away from who I am or
what God has created me to be and do. I can disobey or be totally
selfish and thus not fulfill the "good works God has prepared in
advance for me to do" (Eph) or I can walk into the fullness of who God
sees me to be in both the mundane moments (most of life) and in the
majestic moments (a small portion of life).
All that to say, the Heath and Emie you know are still the Heath and
Emie you know. And if you were to pick up and move to Africa and
drill a million wells for the poor to have clean water or house
hundreds of orphans or stay in your back yard and love your neighbor,
your kids and your wife well, you will still be you. So what's more
important? Figuring out your calling in life or figuring out WHO is
calling you and HOW HE SEES YOU? Because if I live my life in line
with knowing more about WHO IS CALLING ME than what my calling is and
HOW HE SEES ME than how I see myself, I think I will truly begin to
"do the works God prepared for me to do!" That's when my life will
start to reflect His glory with increasing measure (I Cor 3) and I
will continually do good, kind things for others (Col 1).

Today, if you're wondering what God wants you to do with your life
for Him, maybe He just wants you to know Him more and believe what he
says about you more than believing what you think about you or the
world says about you. That's when your eyes will get off yourself and
onto Him and He will flow through you in ways you may never see but
you'll be reflecting Him in greater measure than ever before!

Praying no worms for you and lots of your own wonderings,
emie

Heath wants me to add that we are planning to go to the wild game park
either tomorrow or the next day. Pray we see lots of good stuff!!
Thanks.

--
All for the glory of Jesus,

Emie Kay