Thankful

Thanksgiving looked a little different for me this year. And that’s alright. If Thanksgiving is truly about giving thanks, then it really doesn’t matter where you are or who you’re with. What matters is the attitude of the heart. While I was tempted in many moments to get teary-eyed and homesick, God was so good to remind me that I am His and He has surrounded me with a hedge of love and protection. There really isn’t much more than that.  In all things related to giving thanks, I can’t help but remember the one to whom I am giving thanks. I am overjoyed as I insert “to God” in the phrase “I’m thankful to God for…”

Unexpected things have fallen into my category of “Things I’m Thankful For” this year.  This year, I am thankful for:

• Ways to communicate with home. I never would have dreamt that I would become so grateful for technology. I have a hunch that God still would have lead me to move overseas even if Skype, Facebook, texting applications, and cheap international calling codes had yet to be invented, but having those things available is beyond wonderful. 
•  Employers who are committed to honesty, integrity, education, teachers, and students. In a land that is deeply rooted in corruption, law-bending, and bribery, this pair of Christ-followers is a rare find.
• The heritage of Christ in my family. There are many new friends of mine who are first generation Christians, and it’s made me extremely aware of and thankful for the teachings I’ve received and then claimed as my own as I’ve grown older.  I can only imagine the struggles that come with being the first Christian in a long line of another faith.  
• Mail and handwritten letters. Thank you Mom, Dad, Chris, Lori, Jack, Sam, Brenda, Riley, Ella, Craig, Randy, Amber, Anneke, Tony, Mark, Riley, Christie, Brenda R., Haley, Amy, and Brandon.  It means the world to me that you took the time to write to me!
• Being a minority for once. Tall. White. Blonde. English speaking. Christian. I’ve spent too much of my life blending in with the majority.
• Living in another country! (especially one where I am not currently cold at the end of November)
• Living in another country with people who love to laugh.
• Prayers for my safety.

And of course, there are thousands of small things that make me appreciate my life and the stage I’m currently in. Too many to name. God is so good. 

I could also mention that I’m thankful to be sitting in Starbucks drinking a peppermint latte.  :)

I don’t even know who ends up reading these, but for those who do, I had a boring Saturday.

It was wonderful.

Being bored motivated me to do 3 things: watch more 30 Rock, read my devotional book, and then…. join a gym.  (what??)

I really just wanted a place to go jogging where I wouldn’t hear people calling out, “Hello Misterrrr! How are you? I’m fine!”   I almost cried when I got on the elliptical. Didn’t realize I had missed it so much, I guess. 

Cows and Goats

This post is a little on the weighty side.  I write this today with a heavy heart.

For the majority of the people living here, today is a very significant religious day. For a couple of weeks, we’ve seen empty lots and fields fill with goats and cows. We’ve laughed at how strange it is to see people walking their newly purchased animals down the main roads, a goat on the front of a motorcycle, or riding in a rickshaw. I’m not going to lie, it’s comical. That’s not something we’re likely to see in America and one of those cultural sights that makes one really aware of the fact that this is a very different country. What made my heart heavy this week though, is that this has all been leading up to today.  It’s the Day of Atonement and those lots and fields are now empty.

On our way to church this morning we passed by a ceremony in progress.  Faithful ones had brought their goats or cows to be the blood sacrifice for their sins, and there were many that had already been slaughtered and hung up. While I didn’t see the entire ceremony, this brought a new understanding of what it looked like in the Bible when offerings were brought to the temple and presented to the priest.  There were celebrations last night in anticipation for today. Throughout the country, crowds were walking the streets with torches, chanting, and lighting fireworks.

           “Brothers, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for the [Indonesians] is that they may be saved.  For I can testify about them that they are zealous for God, but their zeal is not based on knowledge.  Because they disregarded the righteousness from God and attempted to establish their own righteousness, they have not submitted themselves to God’s righteousness.  Christ is the end of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes…. For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”  Romans 10:1-5, 13.

This week I have been gripped with a conglomeration of emotions about this whole experience. 

One. I am the teary-eyed kind of grateful for the love of my God.  He no longer requires a blood sacrifice for my sins. Jesus accomplished that on the cross and we have been freed from condemnation through Him. Once and for all.  I can’t express my joy over this with words.  My heart is so full!

Two. I’m surrounded by those who are in desperate need of this freedom. Romans 10 has been a chapter I have gone back and read countless times while I have been here, and this morning my pastor here prayed the above verses over the people of Indonesia. He pleaded with the foreigners in the congregation to, at least just for today, claim this land as our own, and these people as our people, and cry out on their behalf.  

Three.  I wonder what it’s like to experience a “cleanse from sin” every year.  I wonder what kind of emotions they feel after the whole process is finished.  

Four.  How do I even begin reaching out? Romans 10:14-15. I know God has a plan. Wondering what my part here is….

Please pray for this country and for my interactions with those who live here.  There is a great amount of spiritual warfare.  Pray that I’m reminded daily of why I’m here and that it’s on the forefront of my mind. 

Thank you, and God bless!!

Prepositions

This morning with my class of 3-4 year olds:

Me: Touch your heads!

Students puts hands on heads.

Me: Touch your ears!

Students put hands on ears.

Me: Touch your shoulders!

Students put hands on shoulders.

Me: Touch your nose!

Students put fingers in nose. 

Me: Yuck! Take those out!

Students look at me as if that was the worst suggestion they've ever heard and continue digging further. Bleh!

Next lesson: Prepositions.

A few blurbs

one. My list of new and strange foods is quickly growing. Sometimes intentionally, sometimes not. I got tricked into drinking luwak coffee last week by my dear, sweet housemates. I can now say that I’ve had the most exclusive and expensive coffee in the world. It was not something I would have done on my own, but I guess it makes for a good story, right??

two. We started a new teaching term a couple of weeks ago. I love that I get to change classes and foci every 10 weeks. It’s refreshing for the teachers as well as the students. In the same week, I teach several classes of 3-4 year olds, 5-7 year olds, and 13-16 year olds.  As ill-equipped as I feel at times to teach the older students, I absolutely love the variety of ages.  Maybe something to consider permanently when I move home??

three. I karaoke.  

four. I like to go walking in my neighborhood at night because it’s cooler. It’s also a perfect opportunity to listen to and practice my Indonesian language podcasts.  I like it when my neighbors are outside because then I can have someone with whom I can practice my new words. It’s fun! I think of the language as a secret spy code, and if I speak the magic words correctly, I get inducted into the secret society of Indonesian speakers. But then they say secret spy words back to me. Unfortunately, I swiftly get kicked back out because they realize I’m an Indonesian language imposter.

five. Both campuses of my church are in malls. It seemed a very strange concept at first, but I have come to really like it. It’s so much fun to get a group together and go grab lunch. then grab a coffee. then watch a movie at the mall theater. then go shopping. then go hang out in the church lobby again.  We end up spending the majority of the day together. Sunday is a fun day to spend time with friends and get to know them more. Who knew malls could be so handy??

six. My heart aches for the people living in poverty. The really great thing about living here though, is that it is so easy to be a blessing to someone in need. If I give someone the equivalent of a dollar, that is more than enough needed to buy a good meal.  The streets are lined with people just trying to make ends meet, and they are so grateful when someone is willing to help.

seven. Along the same lines, my heart breaks for those who are being trafficked. As we are on the road stopped at traffic lights, we are constantly approached by men, women, and children who are selling goods, wanting to wash windows, or are simply begging. The women carry their babies out with them (yes, exposing them to exhaust all day) in hopes that passersby will want to help the children most of all.  I can’t help them all, but I do smile at each one, and as I see them walk away, I wonder how they ended up where they are, if they are out here on their own accord, where their family is, and if they are being treated fairly as an employee. There’s a lot of corruption here, and I know more of it goes on in front of me than I can even imagine.  Oh, and the worst thing I learned recently?  The babies, more often than not, have been rented for the day.

eight. Many people have already been asking about what my plans are for next year. Including my current employers. Many of you know that I still have my position at my school in Idaho, and it is being held for me for this one year. Of course, during my moments of homesickness, I am ready to head home as soon as I can, but I know that important decisions are best not made during emotional times. :)   I am confident that I will begin to feel the Lord leading me in one direction or another over the next few months. Please pray for wisdom for me in discerning His voice and His call in this area. 

Could you also please pray for my visa application to go through?? For some reason, it's taking a lot longer than it should and the agent working on it doesn't seem to be in any rush. There is no need to worry about me being forced to leave, but it would just be a lot simpler if everything could be processed sooner rather than later.  Thank you so much!!

God bless :)