The Monster at the end of this Book

“What did that say? On the first page,  what did that say?  Did that say there will be a monster at the end of this book?  It did? Oh, I’m so scared of Monsters!" Do you remember that Little Golden Book with the lovable, furry, old Grover from Sesame Street?  If not, go to your library and check it out.  It was one of my most favorite books growing up, and both my kids still love it today.  There is just something about the combination of suspense, overreacting, and irony that makes it so funny. Grover goes on to beg and plead for us not to turn the pages of the books so we will not get closer to the Monster at the end. 

As I was looking at the calendar the other day, I started to feel like Grover.  What does that calendar say?  January 2012??  Wait, you turned another page!  Now, it says February 2012!  What?  Now is it March??  Okay, if you’ll stop turning pages then we won’t get any closer to the end of the calendar. Do you not know what happens later this summer in 2012?  We are packing up our family and moving to Mexico!  Don’t you know how much needs to be done before that happens?  So, STOP TURNING PAGES!!!  

Okay, so maybe it isn't that dramatic!  We are very excited about taking our next step to serve God.  Our hearts yearn to return to Mexico and begin working there.  However, the tasks that need to be completed between now and then often seem monstrous!  We have taxes to do, documents to “make official” according to international standards,  luggage to buy, airplane tickets to purchase, classes to finish, packing to do, and friends and family to visit.  Like the end of the Sesame Street book, when our time comes to step off that plane, we will realize that it wasn’t so scary after all, and, at the end of the day, thanks to your prayers and God’s unending Grace, all these details will get done.  We’ll look at all those items crossed off the to-do list and realize that it was our fears and stress that were the real monsters in this story.  Of course, we know that God can easily turn those monsters into lovable, furry, old Grovers any day!