Married to Maui

One of my finer, yet more annoying qualities - depending on your viewpoint - is that I like to analyze things and find applicable analogies; parables, if you will. So, given the challenges we have discovered in living here - many of which caught us totally off guard - I felt compelled to understand it, to translate it, and find a way to put it in terms that I could grasp. After lots of prayer and scripture reading, I finally opened my ears enough to hear what God had to say, and how to put it in terms I could handle. Are ya ready!?!?

For many years, we came to visit Maui. We were dating Maui. Just as two people who are dating, we found ourselves falling in love. During this courtship, Maui put on her best face: beaches and golf by day, dining and moonlight walks on the beach by night. There were no worries. There were people to make our every wish come true. We didn't even have to worry about our car messing up. If the rented convertible made us unhappy in any way, we could simply return it for a new one. And maid service. Who doesn't love maid service? But there was something beyond the outward and surface beauty that made us want to commit to this exquisite place. After much prayer, we chose to marry Maui!

For those readers who have been married longer than a couple of weeks, you probably can figure what happens next. Just like when the young bride discoveries that this man who was her Prince Charming just a couple of weeks before is suddenly the guy who leaves dirty dishes everywhere, can't find a laundry hamper with a searchlight and bloodhounds, and leaves millions of teeny little black whiskers in her sink. The idealistic groom so smitten with his bride is horrified to discover that she doesn't always look (or smell) that great every morning, he can't get into the bathroom as freely as he used to and when he does, he needs a weed whacker and a machete to get through all the "girl stuff", and to top it off, she always wants to talk - the bane of many husband's existence.

So, also, did we discovered some not-so-attractive realities after our honeymoon with Maui. Business is tough, but we still need to earn an income. We have a beautiful home, but it is not ours and even tough our landlords are responsible for fixing what is broken, it takes forever - and even then it may not work. And there is no maid service. We aren't on vacation, so we aren't hanging out on the beach or the golf course. Amid the laundry and trash duties, Don is still trying to run a real estate business and I am trying to write a book and get some clients for my business. We're trying to find our way in a culture that is vastly different than anything we new before. We miss the familiar. We're lonely for our San Diego friends, even though we are making new ones here. We just miss the familiarity of those whom we've invested years. But it's all okay.

Just like with marriage of two people, we have to keep dating our island. As marriage coaches, we tell our couple how vital it is to keep the relationship stoked and fueled by spending time doing those things which helped them fall in love. And so we must do the same here. We are spending time on our days off doing fun stuff - golf, beach, dinners out. And just like the young couple must remember to appreciate those qualities in each other that took the love to a deeper place, we also must look into the eyes of Maui. It would be foolish to miss the breathtaking beauty of this place - from mountains to sea, palm trees and plumerias, doves and mynahs and egrets, fish and whales. It's all a wonder.

And just like with marriage, by not bailing when it is tough, by loving and nurturing and appreciating, and by trusting God's Will and Mercy, a new, deeper love is discovered.

Amen.

The New Israelites

Day 8 of being back in Maui, and the two of us our finding it tough to get it going - you know, that whole rhythm thing again. I think we both expected this island to be some kind of magic, and that our businesses would flow and flourish. eeeehhhh....not so much. Of course, magic is for the devil, so that means that the lack of magic is a good thing. But I guess we also looked for Divine Intervention in our businesses. After all, God has hooked us up with my car and a beautiful home, great new friends, and above all, a wonderful church to in which to worship and serve Him. As if that weren't enough, there are palm and plumerias, mynahs and doves, colorful fish in abundance in warm waters, and the whales can't stop leaping for joy. hmmmmm.... Maybe I've come upon the answer. I guess God has done that much and we're looking for Him to do more - and once again, He is asking us to trust Him. There's that word, again. Trust. And Patience. egad. Neither of those are my best thing.

So, having just now come back from a walk and a prayer at the beach, I have come to realize that we are not a whole lot different from the Israelites. Granted our "wilderness" is dressed with fragrant plumerias and stately palms, all surrounded by tropical seas, and our "manna" is some of the best fresh fruit and seafood that one can imagine. But just like Moses and all of Israel, we prayed and begged God for this. And God said "yes". But like I said before, His granting prayers never comes without strings. These could be strings involving ministry, blind faith, but always about obedience. egad, again. yet another of those words that go down like cod liver oil.

In this, our adventure for which we prayed ON OUR KNEES, we find a gift that is fraught with strings. Oh, we definitely find ourselves blessed in many ways, and we find ourselves being used by God in the way He places various people in our paths to touch quickly, but we are still trying very hard to define our vision - not His. This is where trust and and patience and obedience are being totally worked out. When we were in San Diego, we got a dandy workout from our former trainer, Michelle (her gift to us. Next time I'll ask for a toaster. Just kidding, Michelle. Don't hurt me!!!) We have not had that kind of workout for some time, so it was more than a bit uncomfortable during the workout, and our muscles screamed for a day or two after. So it is true with this workout - only it is deeper and harder than any physical exercise. It is more painful because it is more important and long-lasting. It is also more necessary, since we are being prepared for Spiritual battles that take place daily. God cannot have weenie soldiers, after all.

The other disconcerting thing is that so many friends - including some of our loving Christian ones!! - answer our challenges with either "you shouldn't be there" or"this is what you wanted". Wow. A bit isolating. Isolation. The devil's favorite thing.

But we are still walking ahead, in His will. I read Leviticus 26:3-13 today. I hadn't planned on it. FloJo had walked down to the beach, as we usually do, but this time I brought binoculars and my Bible - one for seeing God's creation, the other for hearing God's voice. I was looking to reference the Israelites for my blog, and also remind myself of their time on their "adventure", when I came on this passage. God is telling the Israelites the blessings in store for them if they will but "walk in my statutes and keep my commandments" (Lev 26:3). Wow. Talk about your encouragement!

So, we will continue in this mostly-exciting-but-sometimes-scary-and-lonely adventure. Hope it doesn't take us forty years to get it right...

We Get It!

We're home! After one month away for Christmas and grandbabies, we are back in our paradise abode. (sigh!) We are soooo happy to be H-O-M-E! I have shared about our unsettledness at times, and that we knew that God wanted us here, we were happy to be here, but... were we sure? Don had said that it was when we returned from our first mainland visit that we would finally feel that this was home. Boy, howdy, was he ever right! The month away was a crazy rollercoaster ride (view previous blog), but the lows were such that we knew where we wanted to be. That doesn't mean we aren't completely crazy about our family. We'd move them here in a heartbeat if only they would comply! But life is more than that. Dare I say, even more than grandchildren!! But we are called to be more than Grammy and Grampy. I know that God is calling me in a clear direction. In fact, He's calling me to do more than one thing. But I just need to take a deep breath (I just did) and follow Him. It doesn't seem real. It doesn't seem fair. Haiti is leveled and suffering beyond any description. Southen California is being buried under mud and water. And we woke up to the sound of gentle tradewinds through the trees and doves with their bright coo. We woke to blue skies with white, puffy clouds. We woke to a rich blue sea, thick with humpbacks. This is the life we dreamed of and prayed for. And God said "yes". Who are we to tell Him anything less?

DO NOT EAT THE LOTUS BLOSSOMS!!

ahhhh.... Finally! I have been threatening and/or promising this blog for months - literally. It was supposed to be a continuation of our adventures in Maui without the clogging effects of e-mail, even though I am finally writing it - in San Diego. Not that we've moved back. It's just all that first of the new year stuff (I refuse to use the "r" word). I know I need to be obedient. God has given me the gift of words and adventures to write about using those same words. Part of my delay has been just sheer intimidation by yet another techie advance. Okay. I know. Blogs have been around for years, but forgive a grammy in her fifties if she's just a little slow. The other reason has more to do with the lifestyle we have chosen and the place we chose to have said lifestyle: the easy-paced Maui.

If you know some of mythology and Greek literature, you'll remember that their were some sailors that set sail for something a little longer than a three hour tour, and landed on an island that didn't have seven castaways, but some lovelies who were offering lotus blossoms for snacking. Not only were these luscious flowers tasty, and being offered by equally...luscious females, but they had a the side affect of making the consumer completely chilled and relaxed. Completely and utterly, no matter what the guy should have been doing. Captain Odysseus was very unhappy with his happy-but-do-nothing crew. Lotus Blossoms. Maui can be one giant Lotus Blossom...and I ate....

...but just a few.

I realized a few weeks back that I had our house all put together and my time could now be focussed on writing, painting, and my business. Could be. I use the excuse that I had lost all my momentum, but the truth is, I just was getting into the ease of island life. It IS all it's cracked up to be.

Don has been working the Real Estate biz, but it is still slow. But of course, he has only been at it for three months, and in that time he has made some solid contacts. We both feel very positive about how the business will be when we return in a couple of weeks. Don's broker's wife has this little ritual she dubs "The Snow Dance", which she encourages all the Keller Williams realtors to do. This dance will bring crazy snows to places beyond, thus inspiring people to finally spring for that long desired Maui Vacation Condo. The season is picking up over there right now, and thanks to global warming, a big part of the country is buried under snow and dealing with -628 degree temps. We should be seeing those real estate shoppers any minute now...

My business has definitely hit a standstill - not just because of my own inertia, but because it's just a hard biz to crack into. Autumn and I are hoping to be destination wedding business, but we have to figure out how to market in San Diego. Pretty hard to sell a Maui destination wedding if you are only selling it to Maui brides. My other pursuits have fallen by the wayside strictly because of my kicking them there. I haven't shared this with many, but I'm actually writing a book. I'm about two-thirds of the way through, but no matter how much I think about it and beg for the little book-writing elves to show up, nothing gets written unless I sit down and write it. Sheesh. Who knew? The third creative endeavor has been my painting. I've had a great canvas just waiting for me, but I haven't even unwrapped it yet. It's a new year, now. I don't believe in New Year's Resolutions - resolve seems to dwindle before we've even made the Super Bowl - but I do believe that God gives us this time to mark the opportunity for change. Let's see how we do...