And twilights trimmed in purple haze
And laughing eyes and simple ways
And quiet nights and gentle days with you
- Elvis Presley: 'Memories'
So what's happened since we last connected? Hmm... well, being virtually house-bound, life has not exactly been adventurous, unless you consider negotiating the bathroom on crutches, out-patient visits to hospital or the awaiting of test results to be particularly exciting. But life isn't all about excitement though is it? Thankfully not, because it would make my current state of immobility ever the more frustrating.
The hospital trip last Monday was fine; having a plaster-cast cut off with an angle-grinder is a pretty tense experience but thankfully nothing important was removed in error. I now have a brand-new cast, only this time it is up to my knee and a little more cumbersome, so it's taking some getting used to. At least I can rest my heel down now. I do manage a few forays into the outside world though and managed to go to football with my uncle again last week although did find myself doing some inadvertent break-dancing on the rain-sodden path running up to my front door.
As I write this, I'm looking out of my bedroom window admiring the garden as its many colours change betwixt the sun waving goodbye to the summer through the clouds, and the occasional downpour. The hospital consultant had asked me if I liked football & cricket and that if I did, I was to watch as much of it as possible on TV as I am not to attempt any normal activity for at least another month. Trouble is, I haven't got a telly so this gives my mind an opportunity to exercise itself whilst the rest of me quietly awaits the nod to resume normal service.
Just taking things a day at a time is something I need to learn to do as I can't help but drift off to foreign lands. The familiarity of the UK was admittedly attractive at first but that has tailed off sharply leaving me in a sort of limbo-land. Ideally, the best of both worlds would be the order of the day like many enjoy serving overseas: a season's service then a season's return to maintain relationships. In reality, I'll never own my own place in the UK and this week I have been challenged about making a decision about doing one or the other.
Maybe we all have days wondering if the grass is greener somewhere else but I'm fortunate enough to have had the opportunity to explore this and the grass abroad has often been sun-scorched or non-existent when you compare to how lush it is in the UK. But like the grass, it isn't as cut-and-dried as that - abroad there are stretches of lushness whilst for me, patches of bareness increasingly exist here. I guess I am something of an idealist at heart which is why the verse from Elvis's 'Memories' precedes this episode.
Facebook messages from my Khmer students tug at my heart as does the plight of the Vietnamese. Life itself in Cambodia is an attractive prospect, all things considered. Ministry is one thing but the draw of affordable living is another. Could I overcome some of the issues I experienced last time? Do I need to? Should I return to Siemreap or settle somewhere else? Do I actually need to seek out a church where I 'fit'? Is church involvement a prerequisite anyway?
Maybe I'm having some sort of mid-life crisis or something but if you're merely being patient with the patience of God then there is no crisis - you just wait on Him and He will reveal Himself in His time.
Finally, I am very thankful for the friends I have in my life; despite my independence, I have had to rely on help which has been very much appreciated. Hopefully my reckless driving of the supermarket mobility scooter hasn't put anybody off!
