We are now in Turkey. Once again, the cold and rain has followed us. (Hey, remember when we were told it would be really hot everywhere we went? This was a LIE!) But other than that? I love it here.
Aubrey and I have mainly been watching a couple’s two kids during the days. They are adorable, but a little bit of a handful at times. My favorite part is lunchtime, when the kids cry a lot. I don’t understand this, because to me, food is a great part of the day. I really enjoy eating. So, I’m generally a little bit confused by all the tears. Also, the crying at naptime flabberghast me: what, exactly, is bad about a nap? Naps are the best! (Kids just really don’t appreciate all they have…naps and snacks and coloring time? Awesome!) And yet, it’s been a blast coloring, playing with Play-Doh, and finding joy in the little things, like looking out the window at everything going on in the city. The little boy, who is 2, especially loves trees and bikes. Going outside with him is such fun, because the air is filled with his joyous cries, “Bike! Bike! Twee! Twee!” Wow, it’s cute.
But watching them has made me think: faith like a child? These kids cry when they don’t get their way. They cry when they’re confused or hurt or angry. They act out of their anger, pushing away their food or shoving away a toy. And I know I do this on a spiritual level. Just as E, the little boy, cries when he can’t get the meat for lunch yet (because it’s cooling off and will burn him if I give it to him), I don’t always understand why God won’t give me the things I’m desiring. Maybe I’m not ready? That thought generally doesn’t cross my mind until I’ve had my version of a spiritual pout. We know what is best for the toddlers: we stop them from making decisions that will ultimately hurt them or hinder them in some way. It’s not what they want, but our thinking is higher than theirs.
And God’s is higher than mine, and ours.
However, even though they may cry every now and then, they also eat what we put in front of them. They fall asleep quickly, because they are warm and feel safe. They trust us. They do what they are told. I’m working on applying this to my life, because it’s easy to say but often hard to live out. If I feel I’m being told to go pray for this person, do I always do that? Or does pride or the fear of looking foolish stop me? If I am told to give my lunch to someone on the street, do I? Or does the noise of my own rumbling belly stop me from giving freely as I freely received? [I’m just glad God doesn’t put us in time out…]
Other than that, we’ve been doing lots of thought walks (wink, wink) through the city and spending time with one of the couples here. They are probably one of the coolest couples I’ve met. They are both just passionate and alive and so stinking sweet. I feel like I have been so blessed just to meet so many people on this trip so far who have shown me what I can be and what I would like to be when I return home. I want to bless others as much as I have been blessed. I want to be hospitable and invite others over and play games long into the night, enjoying fellowship and community.
That’s it for now! You might have noticed that I haven’t written in a while: we are doing a two-week fast of “screens”. So, if it has a screen, we’re not using it! Computers, iPods, everything. It’s encouraging team bonding, encouraging discussions and games and time together, and discouraging homesickness during this season. It’s been good, and I must say, I’ve read a bit more not having Facebook to keep me company!
Thanks again for your thoughts and support! Enjoy the snow if you have any!
