Finding Joy by Looking Outward

I’m not going to lie—this past week was HARD.

Being so far from family during the holidays stirred up a lot of feelings. Thinking about all the traditions, the laughter, and the time together we were missing back home sometimes felt overwhelming. There were moments when I just wanted to stay in bed and cry. Missing family doesn’t magically disappear just because you’re serving somewhere meaningful—it still hurts.

But in the middle of those heavy moments, I learned something important. When I shifted my focus from what I was missing to what we could do for others, life didn’t feel quite so hard.

One small moment made a big difference. While playing pickleball one evening, we noticed our friend Lik wasn’t wearing shoes. After asking around, we learned he had blown out his shoes earlier and hadn’t replaced them. So we picked him up and took him to look for new ones. When he found the perfect pair—and we were able to buy them for him—the joy on his face was priceless. Something as simple as shoes brought so much happiness, and being part of that lifted my heart in ways I didn’t expect.

Another bright spot came when we had a sweet family from church over for dinner. They have girls the exact ages of Kara and Remi, so I pulled out one of my grandma favorites—playing in shaving cream. The girls loved it, and the laughter filled the house. It was such a simple evening, but it reminded me how quickly strangers can start to feel like family.

The week also got a boost when a package from home arrived. I didn’t think I would be that excited, but wow—there was something incredibly comforting about opening a box filled with love from home. Thank you, GG, for that tender reminder that we are still very much connected, even from far away.

On Christmas Day, we invited the seven young missionaries serving in Palau to our home for dinner, games, and activities. We received  beautiful leis, shared a Secret Santa exchange, played a white elephant gift game, held a talent show, laughed through rounds of Swoosh, and ended the evening with a reading of the nativity story. It was a beautiful afternoon and evening—one that truly healed my heart.

Seeing my daughters carry on our Christmas traditions back home—even without us there—meant more to me than I can easily put into words. As a mom, you sometimes wonder if all the effort is worth it, if the traditions really matter or if your kids are just humoring you. Watching them choose to continue those traditions for their own children showed me that they do matter. I know how much work it takes, and seeing that love passed on made this mama’s heart very full—and very proud.

The day after Christmas brought another unexpected opportunity when we were invited to host a religious radio show, Thank God It’s Friday. With J.D.’s radio experience, he jumped right in, organizing a thoughtful program filled with scripture and music. When the show ended, they asked if we would be willing to host it monthly—and we happily said yes. HERE IS THE LINK to the show if you are interested! 

And finally, we’d like to introduce you to our backdoor neighbor—Gary the Gecko.  He often waits right outside our door and gives us a good startle when we least expect it. Honestly, though, I expected far more bugs on island life. Aside from Larry and some obnoxious teeny-tiny ants in our apartment, it’s been surprisingly manageable.

This week reminded me that it’s okay to hold both sadness and gratitude at the same time. Missing home is real. But so is the quiet joy that comes from serving, connecting, and letting your heart be stretched in new ways. And somehow, when you focus on loving others, your own heart starts to heal too.