300!

This year's Christmas tree...it looks like something from Dr. Seuss!

I’m into my 6th year of blogging with over 155,000 views from all over the world...and as I hit my 300th post, I thought it was time to look back on some highlights, both since the blog’s inception and this year in particular!

Interestingly enough, the most viewed post, rocketing over 1800 views is “Greetings from Mars—or what to do when your missionary returns home.”  Apparently you like knowing about how to handle Martians. Another all-time popular post is "Beyond Bless the Missionaries” (a how-to pray guide perfect for your Sunday Schools and small groups). My sister’s writing always makes me chuckle, and you agree with over 1200 views on her article “Are you the artist?” which refers to her challenges growing up as my younger sister... My adventures when on home assignment have been chronicled extensively, but you all find “When Moses comes to church”  to be one of your top reads.
In the tropics, time flies. Without having the change of seasons, it's hard to mark the passing of months...and now here we are at the end of 2015!

My chronic fatigue continued to be a major player in my life this year, but the causes were finally explained when I traveled to Australia in August, where I was diagnosed with Lymes Disease, along with a bunch of other random illnesses. Thank goodness I now have treatment options and am on the road to recovery! I've reflected on some of the challenges here in the blog as I've wrestled with my identity and purpose here in Papua New Guinea as a perpetually sick person, as well, as how God has chosen to fill my strength with His.

But, the Lord has been faithful as I've taken it one day at a time. In June I was healthy enough to begin working with the Kamano-Kafe, a large language group here in the Eastern Highlands Province, on Old Testament translation where I encountered Leviticus and such questions as how to translate the fingers of the man cow pig!  And, have you ever heard of an Anti-Radiation Mysterious Mouse Evil Spirit pad? 

The rest of my year filled up with workshops, teaching at the horse paddocks, various veterinary adventures, writing for our Communications Department, and the general excitement of daily life both with Papua New Guinea culture as well as missionary life (many of you liked my musings on singleness).

It's been a remarkable year, but I'm definitely looking forward to 2016! What have been some of your 2015 highlights?