My excitement builds as we get closer and closer to April (that’s when I will lay my eyes on and wrap my arms around my son, daughter in law, and my 3 year & 1 year old grandsons). Plans are in the making and for some of them we are running out of time. I suppose I will probably have to accept that some things just won’t get done. I have a hard time with that but what will be will be. I purpose to keep my focus on the important stuff!
A lot of things are racing around in my mind. For you see, my grandsons have never seen most of the people in their family (this is not the land of their birth as it is for their parents), my son and daughter in law have been living in a new land (with new people, new climate, new culture, new friends–most of whom we have never met). I’ve been warned that they will experience what is referred to as reverse culture shock. Sounds ominous doesn’t it!
I’ve got a feeling we can’t expect just because they are coming home that this will be just another homecoming, that everyone will just pick up where we left off 4 years ago! For during those 4 years we have moved forward without them and they have moved forward without us. Now our lives will be blended once more (but only temporarily; that’s an adjustment all by itself, sigh). We will all have to make the necessary adjustments, while always being sensitive to what each other’s needs are. But not sure at this point what that is suppose to look like!
So in order to gain some insight into all of this, I am reading blogs about what this re-entry process (for them and for us) involves and am trying to prepare myself for the little surprises along the way. We will learn from this (probably by making a few mistakes–I hope it’s only a few) and next time we travel this path we will possess a more realistic perspective about what to expect. So in the meantime,
there’s a verse that has always served me well for occasions such as this:
Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.1 Peter 4:8 NIV
We certainly have that in abundance and, in addition, we have a sufficiency of grace,
But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” 2 Corinthians 12:9 NIV
Being the Mom of a Missionary 
Feb 24, 2016 @ 18:32:00
You are so right Janet. It takes a lot of adjustment, on both sides. I remember once saying to my mom (after many, many years here) that I no longer felt American. And was totally unprepared for her taking offense. She just couldn’t understand, and seemed to feel I was rejecting my past. Which wasn’t the case at all. It’s just like you said, that we had moved forward. And God had transplanted our hearts. Italy is home. It’s the land of our hearts. And I thank the Lord that he has made this home. It would be miserable to spend your life somewhere where you don’t feel ‘home’!
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