Who would do that?

Some of you may remember my Christmas blog titled “The truth about the perfect Christmas” (you can click here to read it).  I was kind of feeling sorry for myself because I had so little time with Spencer and Chloe at Christmas, but at the same time was trying to remind myself to be grateful for the time that I had and to “give thanks in all things”.

A few days after I posted that blog I got an email in response to my blog that shocked me. This is what it said:

Janine,

Thanks for sharing your heart in your blog! I needed that reality check and attitude adjustment. I was so feeling the same way (really bummed I got very little quality time with my adult kids that I get precious little time with) Obviously not focused on what really matters most. And I totally felt ridiculous after I read your blog! But yes, we all want perfection.  So, I got busy and planned another time to be with them. 

Please let me do that for you! You NEED that! You give so much and do so much for so many!  Let us help you all plan/fund a family vacation! Let’s get everyone to Spain or let’s find a good meeting spot - where you can turn off your brain for a bit and relax together as a family.

I know school schedules are at play - can you work on a couple of weeks that you all can be together?  Nothing would bring us more joy than bringing you joy!

We love you Janine and we will continue to support your life’s work! You did and are doing the right thing! I know it must be so very hard! You are admired and adored!
Looking forward to blessing you in this way!

We serve an amazing God who is on the throne - He wants time with us like we want time with our kids - He loves to bless us in special and extravagant ways!”

What??  Who would do that?  Who would buy a vacation for another family and offer to send them to Barcelona to be together?

Well, I won’t tell you who did it, but I will tell you that I am writing this blog in a beautiful hotel in downtown Barcelona, Spain.  We arrived yesterday and had a wonderful afternoon with Spencer, followed by tapas in the coolest restaurant that couldn’t have been more than 8 feet wide and 60 feet long.  It was like a restaurant that Ian and I would have hung out in “back in the day”, but this time we got to sit and talk and laugh with Spencer and one of his roommates.

 Chloe got on a plane at 8:30PM last night, Toronto time, and will be landing in Barcelona in a couple of hours.  We will spend a whole week together as a family seeing Barcelona, eating, laughing, doing a Cava tour tomorrow, taking a cooking class to learn how to make Paella and then celebrating Spencer’s 25^th birthday on Friday, June 7^th at one of the coolest rooftop patios I have ever seen. Below is a photo that I snapped when we were there checking out the venue.  

But most importantly, we are together as a family, just enjoying each other’s company, which is what we do best, all because someone read my blog and was prompted to give and love us generously, no matter what the cost.

Ian and I are so incredibly proud of our two children.  Spencer is finishing his double Master degrees here in Spain and will defend his thesis on June 12^th and then head to eSwatini the next day for our 10^th anniversary celebration.  Chloe just finished her 3^rd year at Brock University and will fly to Denmark next Sunday for a summer internship at the sporting goods company called Hummel.  She too will be able to fly down to eSwatini for our 10^th anniversary celebration (meeting Spencer at the airport in Dubai J and traveling the rest of the way with him).

Our lives were flipped upside down when we heard the call of God on our family, but never did he drop us, leave us, abandon us or forget us as we tumbled through the turbulent waters of obedience.  What many people thought was crazy and irresponsible, turned out to be a magical journey in a world that was “exceedingly and abundantly more than we could ask for or imagine”.

I hope this blog will encourage each and every one of you who calls yourself a “follower of Jesus” to stop being afraid.  God’s got you in the palm of His hands and HE cares about your family and loves your family even more than you do!  

Stop and imagine that for a moment, then take that step of faith.  It will not be easy, but it will be a blessed journey that you will never regret it.

Thank you so much to the generous friends who gave us this beautiful gift of “time”. 

Live from Barcelona … it is the best Saturday morning.

Janine