ANTICIPATION................................................................................

Anticipation is one of the "spices of life"  I think.  If life gets a bit humdrum at times, it is good to have something to look forward to.  At this point in our lives, we do not have time to feel like life is humdrum.  Every day seems to bring its share of special things to do and sometimes excitement.   What we look forward to is an occasional day when we do not have to follow anyone else's schedule and just do our own thing. We do not get bored - there is always someone to call or to receive calls, some errand to run, letters to write and receive, people stopping by, etc.  Each week we look forward to jail ministry and to AWANA and church all day Sunday and Alliance Women and/or men's breakfasts, and the list goes on.... And of course we are always anticipating with joy a letter or phone call from any of you kids and our grandchildren.  Someone just called and invited us over for breakfast tomorrow morning. We love having our small group each week, which begins again next Monday. 

We often hear the comment from friends and observers, "You are the youngest (most involved, active, etc.) old people we have ever met!  We have kind of gotten a reputation for that here in Toccoa among people who know us. People cannot believe Dad is actually 83 and still doing things like subbing at the high school - as he is today! Part of what has kept us happy and (usually) healthy is, I think, anticipating all the good things and situations God brings out way each week! Without anticipation in our lives, life might get dreary and boring.

From childhood, I have been part of a "moving" family. And we kids were full of anticipation ahead of time for each new thing that was happening in our lives.  We were not "static" people,  and no doubt you remember from your childhood all the things we looked forward to and talked about ahead of time when you were children. Anticipation in a child - or an adult - seems to give good emotional health, in my experience.  If you never have anything to look forward to, your life can soon become dreary.

Remember how you used to look forward to the bush trips we took.  You kids loved those more than I did. You loved having a new set of friends in each village where we visited.  For me, those bush trips were necessary and I loved the people and meetings and classes - but could have done without the dirt and dust in those busy villages where we worked! 

Remember how you looked forward to a day at the Guinguette?  And it was really a memory when we went and camped out with other firends and family for a week or more. Holidays and birthdays were also full of anticipation beforehand.  When you were away at boarding school, you were full of anticipation for the visits we made at the school to take you out for the weekend. Sometimes Albrights, Kennedys and we all went at the same time and had great times together as family.  You looked forward to the fun things we did and the special foods we would make. I usually had brought a large tupperware full of Yusufu's homemade potato chips - which you all loved!

You also counted the days before coming home for vacation from ICA!  And we were full of anticipation as we waited for the train to pull in to the station and you were all aboard. Going back to school again after vacation had the anticipation of seeing friends there again - but that was a bit overshadowed by the regimented life you faced.

We were all full of anticipation when furlough (Home Assignment) time was getting near.  There was the plane trip to enjoy and a new home for a year, returning to the Nyack School system and furlough friends, the visits to relatives and Grandma Pierce's pretty house and swimming pool.  The down side of furlough was Dad's being on tour for so many weeks, but we all survived! Dad wrote me every single day of tour, and I anticipated that letter being in the mailbox each afternoon!  By the end of a year, we were anticipating getting back to Africa again, which was our real home.

Then as you grew and finished school, there was the anticipation of College and meeting your life mates.  There were the weddings and later the births of our grandchildren - all giving us much anticipation beforehand and joy as they happened.  Now the family is growing older and a new generation is bringing new anticipation in our lives!  Mates for your children and our grandchildren have given us much delight.  Now those grandchildren are beginning to produce a new generation as the family expands. 

And even in our old age, we continue to have  events which we anticipate with joy and expectancy.  Each week we look forward to ministry in AWANA and the jail. We were blessed this past week with having missionary friends from Mexico in for a meal and tomorrow Uncle Dave and Aunt Margot are coming for his birthday. And above all, we have the special anticipation that is building as we make our wonderful trip back to Burkina and to Tunisia, thanks to all of you!

 So instead of moaning about growing older, we accept life as it comes and enjoy every day, and of course at the end of our life, there is always the greatest anticipation of all - HEAVEN!