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!!