11 reasons to be thankful

 

1. Silence

In every country we go to I become more and more aware of the fact that the rest of the world is not quiet. There is almost always someone yelling, horns honking, indistinguishable sounds. As a squad we play the goat/chicken/cat/child? guessing game way more often then you would think. I cant wait to be back home where it is calm enough to hear the birds chirping, the coffee pot dripping and silence

 

2. Washer and dryer

Anyone who has ever lived with me may laugh at this one. I always hated laundry with a passion. Now, I would do almost anything to consistently be able to use a washer and dryer. Months of washing in a bucket and praying your clothes dry on a line that doesn’t actually see the sun will make you realize the things you complained about before was really a huge blessing. 

 

3. Grocery stores that make sense

I love grocery shopping! It is when I can actually see myself be creative and let the ingredient dictate what will come next. I never realized how nice it was to be able to walk into a store and know relatively where anything would most likely be. Not overseas. The peanut butter is beside the beans and the oil is on the same isle as the “shelved” milk. Don’t leave the produce section without having an employee weigh and sticker your bags otherwise you will never be able to leave the check out line. Some of the places we have been are famous for the coffee they grow but don’t be tricked into thinking you can buy it at the store. All coffee is instant! If you are looking for pasta, don’t head for noodles maybe start near the sugar or melons. 

 

4. Proud to be an American 

I have loved getting to learn about the cultures we have been exposed to and it has been such an interesting journey doing it in the presence of so many different perspectives. But even in the midst of this, I have been surprised by how good it is to run into Americans while we have been traveling. Sometimes it’s at border crossings, sometimes in tourist cities, but the best are when we get to partner with other Ms in the field. It is such a priviledge to come along side them and love and support them in whatever way we can. Even if it’s babysitting their kids to give a much needed date night, increasing their church attendance by 6, 12, 37 people or just seeing a friendly face at the mall, there is a sense of community. Sharing stories of travel, cultural differences and little pieces of home, despite what section you come from is so life giving. I have such a different perspective of what it means to be an American trying to bring the gospel and how that looks differently than locals bringing it to their own community. Both offer such beautiful testimonies that ultimately bring glory for the Kingdom. 

 

5. Being pushed out of my comfort zone

Wow, I don’t know if I will ever be able to wade through all of the ways that this has happened; and for all of the moments that it has been hard, uncomfortable or not what I hoped for, I know it has been good. The Lord has been able to pinpoint things that may have never come up if I were home. I have learned to appreciate, pray into and hope for things that have surprised me.  Community and calling each other higher while pursuing the Kingdom will never have the same meaning again. Very few opportunities in life give you the ability to see what you are truly capable of and what ultimately holds the most value. At the end of this journey I will be able to testify to the Lord’s faithfulness and steadiness in ways that I will treasure forever. 

 

6. Snuggling with a dog 

You don’t realize the luxuries of the little things until you don’t have them anymore. Very few things drove me more crazy than our yippie, very high strung pups, but I look now at how many times I’ve found myself missing their sweet presence. The feeling of dog snuggles is true bliss and can’t be filled be very many other things, I’ve found. 

 

7. Choosing what I get to eat

We dont realize the incredible freedom it is to be able to hop in a car to an endless list of restaurants to fulfill whatever craving is tickling your taste buds. One can only stand so much rice and noodles in half a year and I will forever be amazed that more than half the world would list these as a favorite food. I like rice and noodles as much as the next person, but let me tell you, it gets old really fast. I can’t wait for the moment when I can go home and order a Mexican burrito with all the trimmings or have a burger and be sure of what kind of meat I am consuming. If you walk into the grocery store and all of the peppers are gone, come to my house and share because they are $12 in Asia. I’ve eaten more peanut butter than anyone should probably be allowed in a lifetime this year. Don’t get me wrong, I will never have Pad Thai, fried rice, or baked chicken like the quality of what I’ve gotten over the last six months, but I won’t ever be that person that stands in front of the fridge thinking “there’s nothing good” ever again. 

 

8. Independence

Hear me out and play along for a second: take a walk down your street all by yourself, hop in your car and just go for a drive, choose what time you leave to go somewhere…and when you do this, be thankful. Some days, that is all I would want to do. There has been one city in 6 months I’ve been able to walk alone and walking is one of my favorite things in the world. We are always at the mercy of a local bus, catching a grab or relying on a host to set times which are never banked as the real time. Flexibility, patience and grace are huge, and they are huge in realizing just how blessed I am. Blessed by the opportunity to have a car or choose my schedule, but also by the ability to steward my time well. Even with the pressures of life, work or commitments, we have control over how those are managed and how we want to use them to glorify the Lord. 

 

9. My space 

Okay, confession time, organization has never been a huge passion of mine. I was constantly trying to figure out how my classroom got to the state it was in, where the stuff in the trunk of my car came from and how I couldn’t seem to keep things off the floor of my room. Now, it is my goal to keep the smallest corner possible for my pack to fit in. It drives me crazy when my dishes aren’t washed or when my bag of laundry is too full. Who is this person? Haha I also find myself making mental tours around my house, especially months when my space looks like a mattress on the floor or sharing a bed with two other people. I love the opportunity to build the relationships in the spaces I have now but I also know my spaces will look very different when I get home after this. 

 

10. Adventures

Wow, this may need to be a one on one type talk to be able to even begin to explain. I am realizing my idea of adventure is changing over these last few months and is different than other people’s as well. Bucket list items have been crossed off, unforgettable moments have been had and the Lord has me excited for what continued adventures will look like after these 11 months are over as well. 

 

11. Having a core of people

Y’all! I can’t even explain what it is like to live in places where there are are about 8 and a half people that speak your language. I have been blessed every month by where our friends and new relationships have revealed themselves from within the communities we have stayed each month. But let me tell you, there is not a whole lot that compares with the feeling you get when you are able to be with your people. Community living is hard and you are in the trenches and it’s not always with people you picked or that have similarities or views, but sometimes they are all you have. They are your connection to home, your sounding board, your cheerleaders, your confidantes, your people. Some moments they are who keeps you sane, bring you back to reality and remind you why you said yes to a year of surrender. I couldn’t be more thankful for the core of 30+ I have been blessed with this year.