Hello Again!

Maaf ya, sudah lama! (Sorry, it’s been awhile!) 

When I started this blog, we were barely able to communicate out and about….now, thankfully, we’re alot more “fluent” (a term I will use VERY loosely) and a lot busier! Since I last blogged, we went to Bali for a week, have had a few friends over for dinner, gone to dinner with new friends, and gotten to sit in on team meetings with some co-workers and hear their reports of work being done. We’ve learned the shortcuts around this city, we’ve attended birthday parties and other get-together, we’ve attended a 2-day gathering to lift up this city and people, and I’ve learned the “local” price for things, so now I can bargain for a reasonable price!  We’re about to start our final month of language study, but before that we’ll spend a week visiting our future island/city/home. Where has the time gone?!? Although busy sometimes equals crazy, I’m so grateful Father has filled up our lives here.

Can I take a moment to brag about my husband? He’s pretty great! Here are a few reasons why:

1.       He learned how to drive a stick-shift car. This is no small feat when you consider it’s on the opposite side of the road, sitting on the opposite side of the car, in crazy traffic. He has driven us around every day without complaint….and now he is patiently teaching me how to drive!

2.       He kills all the bugs that get into our house (I am a little frightened with the great joy he derives from this though!)

3.       He has uncomplainingly eaten every meal I’ve made. Again, different conditions make cooking here more difficult, folks! Experimenting with new ingredients/recipes, the biscuits not rising, the pasta that was amazing last week being not-so-great this week when he requested it (I still don’t know WHAT I did differently!?!?), eagerly anticipated brownies being burned, no pork and no big juicy steaks…And he still helps with the mountain of dishes afterward!  

4.       He handles all of our expense reports, all of our administrative email stuff, writes our newsletters, pays our bills, and makes sure we get all our reports in on time. He balances these things along with language study, in which he’s doing awesome!

5.       He encourages me and pushes me to do those things I want to do, but don’t think I’m able to do. There was a great example of this a few weeks ago:

There’s a wonderful family that invited us over for dinner our first month here. We enjoyed talking with them (thankfully the dad knows some English, and their teenage daughters know quite a bit too), and they really blessed us with their hospitality. Stephen suggested we invite the over to our house for dinner, and while I wanted to, and the same time I was crippled with doubts!

“Our house is too small…our table can only seat 4! I don’t know all the culturally-polite-hostessy-things yet. I can’t possibly cook as much food as they offered us…much less any local dish! No, there’s no way I can offer them as much as they offered us, so we can’t invite them over.” 

 Thankfully, I was convicted about how incredibly selfish, prideful, and wrong my thinking was. Stephen reminded me that I don’t have to be perfect, that they will be understanding of any shortcomings, and that it’s the heart behind the “stuff” that’s important (he’s a man though, so he didn’t say it exactly like that, but that’s what I got from it!). And he was right, they were excited about the invite, they were complimentary of the food (I made my mom’s specialty—baked ziti—and they still talk about the breadsticks Stephen made!), and we had a great time of fellowship. Stephen helped with the cleaning and with the cooking, because he knew I would stress myself out trying to “handle it on my own”. Lesson learned: I don’t always have to be perfect. Actually, I never will be. And my pride can either cause me to retreat and never try anything, or I can resist my pride/doubts and give my best to whatever the situation may be (cue the sappy ending music from “Full House”).

As a final thought…is there something Father is calling you to do that you don’t think you can? I know that there have been sooooo many times that He has laid something on my heart, given me a vision or passion for something, or I’ve thought “that would be so cool to do”, but I allow doubts and lies to hold me back. Why do I run from these things? Usually, it can be boiled down to laziness, selfishness, doubts about the gifts and abilities He’s given me, or not wanting to be seen as a failure---which is pride. Not very pretty, right? So, take it from me: DON’T RUN AWAY! Take the next step to follow through on those ideas and dreams!

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. (Ps. 139:14)

For we are God’s handiwork, created in C.J. to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. (Eph 2:10)

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship…We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith;  if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach;  if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully…Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality. (Rom. 12)

 Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms…If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through J.C. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. (1 Peter 4:10-11)