It is hard to believe that Thanksgiving has come and gone (twice for us). This is the first time that I have been away from home on Thanksgiving, and it was a little weird. November 26th was just a normal school day here in Liberia. Holly and I had peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for our big Thanksgiving meal. I definitely missed turkey and dressing! Although the day was not full of good food and family, it was still a time when I was reminded of how thankful I am.
I called my family on Thursday afternoon and talked to everyone as they passed the phone around. After nine conversations and being on the phone for over an hour, I was exhausted. However, I loved that I was able to catch up with each of them and it made being away a little easier. I am so thankful for my entire family and their constant love and encouragement,
I also received several emails from friends last week. I even talked to some of them on the phone! I got a wedding update from Brooke, and heard all about her big day. I talked to Holly and heard her engagement story and the beginning stages of wedding plans. These conversations helped me feel connected to some of the things I am missing. I received countless emails from friends just thinking of me on the other side of the ocean. This was so encouraging! I am very thankful for my friends, who have continued to support me throughout this experience.
I have something new to be thankful for this year… my new friends and students here at Ricks Institute! On Monday we went to dinner with the girls on the basketball team. It was so nice to fellowship with the girls outside of practice. The night just added to the bond that our team already has. Check out the pictures! I wish you could all meet my new friends and see how wonderful this place is. I am constantly inspired by their stories, challenged by their perseverance, and motivated by their willingness to learn. These relationships are changing my life. I am so thankful for these people and what they are teaching me. I feel blessed to call them friends!
I learned something about myself in the last few weeks. I realized that sometimes I get so caught up in what is next and lose sight of what is right in front of me. There are already things about coming home that I am very excited about. I am looking forward to seeing my friends and family that I miss so much. I am pumped about going to the beach for vacation this summer. I can’t wait to move back to Birmingham, and hopefully get a job teaching again. I am looking forward to going back to school and pursuing what God is calling me to next. With all of this said, you can tell that there is a lot of planning and details involved. If you know me well, you know that I am a huge planner and tend to be very detail oriented. Sometimes I like this about myself and other times I do not. Although there are things about returning home that I am very excited about and have begun planning, there are things here that are just as exciting. Holly and I have been in Liberia for 105 days. In the blink of an eye 1/3 of our time here is gone. This has given me some perspective, and made me realize how much I will miss this place and these people when we leave. So much is happening here and it is passing by so quickly. I am making a point this Advent season to take advantage of today, even with the plans of tomorrow in my head. I am trying to focus on the here and now by being still and resting in the presence of God.
The other day I caught myself saying, “it sure doesn’t feel like it’s almost Christmas.” The more that I thought about this, the more it frustrated me. What is Christmas supposed to feel like? During this time of the year I imagine cold weather, lots of Christmas shopping, presents, Christmas movies, Christmas music, parades, parties, Christmas tress, decorated houses, family gatherings, and Santa Claus. Wow… that is a whole lot of stuff. I realized that I relate Christmas to all of these things, and that bothered me. For the first time I don’t have all of these things, and this time of the year seems different. I am SO thankful for this. I needed a wake up call, and a reminder of what Christmas is all about. This year I have decided to approach this Advent season in a whole new way. Yes, part of it is because I am forced to, but it is also because I want to. As I anticipate the coming of Christ, I will look for the presence of Christ in the world around me right now.
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