Lately I've been doing some figuring...I don't naturally figure much because I'm not great with maths, so this figuring was prompted by a friend. The way I figure it, Husband and I have spent exactly half our married life living in New Zealand (half of 14.5 is 7.25 right?); we have spent the majority of our parenting years in NZ (7 versus 5 in U.S.); AND I have now lived in NZ longer than anywhere since leaving home at 18 to go to uni/college.
What does all this figuring have me conclude? It leaves me reckoning that this whole 'going home' thing may not be as easy as I thought it was going to be. Both Husband and I have spent many of our years in other countries, so I have felt that transition was something we do well. The thing that's difficult to quantify is the affect all the years abroad have had on oneself. So when a person sees themself returning 'home' and transitioning 'back' they are in fact changed and different. We speak differently, we use different slang, I cook differently, and according to an American friend, I even parent differently now. Bit by bit, year by year, change has happened. Some of that change is a blast and hilarious or rough and brutal and annoying and we fight it because it's uncomfortable. Other change is subtle and goes by nearly unnoticed, until one day you find yourself weeks away from 'the transition' (as we have stoicly referred to our move 'home') and figuring that a lot of life has happened here in our beloved New Zealand.
As Christians the beauty of change is what we long for, and are desperate to see the Spirit of God do in us. Change, process, transformation, our sanctification is the Holy Spirit moulding and shaping us more and more to His image. I rejoice at difficult circumstances and enjoy challenging life events because these are the very tools of the trade for our Heavenly Father who is chiseling away at an image of himself to make it bare more and more the resemblance of Himself in holiness. I can't identify yet the exact traits and characteristics that have become 'Kiwi' in us, but I'm eager to experience the awareness when we reach the other side of the pond. Will we simply feel different or will others notice we aren't run of the mill Americans? It will be a fun adventure and I'll be keen to record the feelings and struggles as we go. Some of you can help me do some more figuring once we're 'home.'
