It's a missionary! No, it's a painter! No, it's the Rowley's!

A funny thought caught Bill's attention the other day.

He paused in mid-action (he was painting) and said, "You know, in the last 3 weeks we have done all kinds of things.  A marriage, a mission trip, and now we are painters.  And I'm sure you could throw in a few other things too."

It seems there is almost nothing we haven't done.  Or places we haven't been (35+ States and 12+ Countries, poor areas, rich areas, etc.)  Or experiences we haven't lived (hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, accidents, sickness, 15,000ft+, etc.)  Or people we haven't met (addicts, criminals, foreigners, political figures, religious figures, etc.)  And the list goes on.  It seems funny when we compare our life to the average person.  In any country.

The normal people live in one home, work one job, send their kids to school (or at least school in the same place), and watch regular TV shows.  We don't have cable, we live out of our RV for practically 1/2 the year (or other places), home school all over the State, and are in the middle of raising support and trying to supplement it by doing odd jobs here and there.

It seems our family could be a Reality TV show in itself.  Maybe we could call it, "Where in the World are the Rowley's Today?", with the subtitle of, "Don't Try this at Home.  It Might Make You Dizzy."

We've been home for 24 hours now and it has been nice to sleep in familiar beds, eat at a familiar table, eat familiar food, and just plain ole' relax.

In fact, we watched the movie, "Soul Surfer" last night.  Wow.  Really neat story about a surfing teenager who lost her arm to a shark.  Christian family in Hawaii who attend a Calvary Chapel (woo hoo for Calvary Chapels!)  It was especially neat to see the real girl in the interviews and special features at the end of the movie.  What struck me was the peace she had overall.  She seems to live life as it comes, being at peace with whatever it may dish out.

I think that is what is helping us cope with our constant change.  I can't say we have constant peace, but it is easier to roll with the punches when we take each event as opportunities, not headaches. 

"So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling; ¹³ for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure."  Philippians 2:12-13