Here’s to the close of a chapter.

It is 11:40 pm. I have a splitting headache, my jaws hurt from an ulcer + laughing and grinning tonight, and there are tons of bugs due to the rain and moistness today. But my heart is full.

Tonight during the service, several people stood up and spoke about me: what they admire about me, thanking me for various things–someone even wrote a poem! A few presented me with gifts. Afterward, there was a time of finger-food and fellowship after a toast to me. Lots of hugs, well-wishes, “all the best’s”, and cheek pecks followed. I was overwhelmed. I could not stop smiling (and blushing, I was told); and there were some tears. I was not expecting such a send-off from my Grenadian church family. What a blessing. I am humbled by their words of praise and admiration, and truly thankful for how they have encouraged my heart.

Well, as you know, this is my last night in Grenada for this journey. I literally can NOT believe it. It’s crazy to think that 5 1/2 months ago, I was wallowing and bemoaning my loneliness, the heat, the disappointments of previous plans, and wishing it was time to just be home already. Now, I’m still ready to be home, but it’s hard to say good-bye to this place, this culture, these people.

Sitting here wracking my brain to make sure I remembered everything, my mind is constantly straying–straying to a different mindset, a different attitude, a different Bethany. I’ve learned so many lessons over the past few weeks: easy ones, tough ones, short ones, tedious ones. And through these lessons, my heart and mind have been changing. I may not look different or act or talk much different than I did this past February, but I am different inside. God has worked in me and through me in ways I NEVER could have expected or planned. Ask me about it in person sometime. All I can say is, to God be the glory–great things He hath done.

I find it incredible that even though God knows I’ll never be perfect, knows I’ll fail and mess up again, He doesn’t stop working on me. So if He can be patient with my dysfunctional self even though He already knows the times I’ll fail Him, I think I can be patient in waiting for Him to finish a work in my life–or in this case, a chapter. It’s the end of a chapter, you know, and the beginning of a new one. How exciting! How terrifying. But, as He promised in His Word: “Faithful is He that calleth you, Who also will do it.”

My life is a clean slate when I get home. Well, after VBS and vacay with the family. I’m pretty much booked til then. But beyond, there is a whole field of adventures and opportunities just waiting for me.

So here’s to the close of a chapter: Teaching Grenada. Don’t worry: I’ll still be blogging.

God is faithful. Let’s try to be more like Him.

On to the next chapter . . .