Hitting a home run

I am home and resting. Well, supposed to be resting. I'm learning I'm not so good at this resting and waiting thing. I think that's what God is trying to teach me. 

I felt like when I was originally called to Costa Rica I had hit a home run for Jesus. Bottom of the ninth. Bases loaded. Crowd cheering. Jesus called my name to bat for Team Kingdom. Awesome smack of bat against ball. Running full throttle all the way around. No reserves. Each base getting closer to scoring for the Kingdom. Aiming toward coming home, I was still at an all out tilt. There was always that small possibility of getting out, so I was making sure I was giving it my all the whole way around. Finally sliding in to home plate I had made it. SAFE!!! TOUCHDOWN!!! GOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAL!!!! BUYAH!!!! Although sliding home from an all out sprint, as any baseball player knows, can leave you bruised and pretty banged up from the impact with terra firma.

Now I'm back on the bench. Now what? Is the game over? When's the next game? What do you mean it hasn't been scheduled yet? I want to talk to my manager! Oh, wait. He's telling me I need to rest. The bruise on my soul from my victory lap needs to heal. 

I never expected the reentry to be so intense. In talking with some of you who have come down on short-term trips, though, missions over seas no matter how long you're gone has a way of marking us and changing us and how we view the world forever. 

Here are some of the resources that I am finding helpful in readjusting back into North American life (Thanks, Cindy Schmidt!!!):

http://www.missionarycare.com/ebooks/Reentry_Book_Koteskey.pdf
http://www.shorttermmissions.com/articles/reentry?handle=reentry&STM=8e848119ec37f6cf235ce0b880b571e4