Finally Here!

Greetings from Shatin, New Territory, Hong Kong!
Life in Hong Kong for the Klumpp family (all 3 of us) began a mere 5 days ago. We arrived by b-i-g plane last Thursday night (5:10pm - HK time). Landing between the ocean and mountains was SO exciting. I was lucky enough to switch seats with Brady (who by the way was turning three shades of green at this time). She managed the entire 15 hour flight like a seasoned traveler. It was only in the last few minutes before landing that she decided to get queasy. So we played a "guess what number I'm thinking" game until the wheels hit the ground. Lucky for me - I got to manage between playing the game with her on my left & trying to watch the landing out the window on my right. It worked.."sorta".
(note to self: make the nine-year old take frequent naps on a l-o-n-g transatlantic flight..or give her Benadryl)

Speaking of flights..this one was amazing! There are no words to describe looking out a tiny aircraft window and realizing what you're seeing is the arctic landscape. As far as my eyes could see was white. I could just make out the texture of the land and at one time thought for sure I saw a polar ice cap! If I'd had some binoculars I probably could've seen a polar bear (maybe not).

Back to the landing...
As we were descending I could make out the water and a few islands. On the water I caught a glimpse of what looked to be a cruise ship. As we drew nearer to our destination I could clearly see several ships - what I realized were tankers. They were but 2 inches long as we neared the end of our flight. What an amazing sight - to realize these enormous boats seem so small from up above. Makes me wonder how small we must seem to an Almighty God. And even more mind-boggling - trying to understand how we could mean so much to Him. That He would love us so much that He would knowingly send a representative of Himself (His Son) to walk in a fleshly suit: have feelings, hurts, emotions just like me. More importantly to die because of my flesh/my sin...just so I can have a relationship & future - forever with Him in His paradise.

Someone wise was once trying to comfort me in a time of trial. He said these all encompassing, comforting words:
Imagine your problems, if you can, from above. Your troubles may seem overwhelmingly big in front of you - but try to see them from (say) a fighter pilot's view. They don't seem quite as large from there, do they? Now..imagine them even higher..from God's perspective. They really aren't that big from there. That's how God sees our problems. Just as a small 'blip' on the map. He promises help for the hopeless...rest for the weary..His love for the brokenhearted.
My problems seem so small when I think of them in this way and I picture myself taking them right to His throne...and leaving them there.