Cultures

Wow, it is amazing how time will go by so quickly.  It has been a long time since I have posted anything on here.  Hopefully I haven't lost your interest.  Obviously many things have taken place since Judah's birthday, that was over a month ago.  Geez....  Life is busy with three little ones in the house and trying to study this crazy language.  Evenings are usually spent putting kids to bed and then trying to study a bit, so I don't get too much time on the computer these days.

There are many things I have been thinking about lately though.  One thing I have been realizing is that it is so easy to adjust to a new place.  (well, sometimes easy...) Maybe not so easy, but easy to forget what is unusual here that would seem funny to people at home.  I was just sitting here watching Oprah and she has some cooks on the show.  Well, they are making "pork chops", but whenever they say the word "pork", they bleep it out.  Isn't that funny?  It made me remember, wow, we are in a different culture.  I don't know if you are aware, but among Muslims, pork is forbidden, so they even go the extent of bleeping the word out on tv.  Funny, huh?  Also, I went to visit my neighbors the other day and get some language practice in.  They are a family that keeps their heads covered, but if you are there as a woman alone you can go into the house and you get to see their hair.  Little things you take for granted or forget about.  I am always making funny language mistakes too.  Like today I asked a lady what her name was and when she replied she said, " ana saher"  So I repeated, "ana saher" .  Well, Ana actually means "I" .  We had a good laugh!

Lately I have been feeling a bit like a stranger here in this place and so aware of the fact that this earth is not my home.   As someone who has travelled a lot and doesn't have many possessions, you become aware of this fact.    It hit me one day when a friend of mine was talking about a high school sweatshirt that she still owned and wore. (your swim team sweatshirt, Tash)  But I thought about it.  Wow, as someone who has had to pack most of my possessions into a suitcase, I have had to shed those things.  First moving to India....Mike and I had two suitcases each.  Those were all of our earthly possessions at the time.  Of course we quickly accumulated after awhile of being there, but then made the move here.  So another time of fitting all we could into about 6 suitcases.  So, when it gets cold you can't pull out that winter jacket that you have had for years, or your dress shoes to go with these certain pants, or whatever it is.  But God promises in His Word that He will meet our every need, and he has done that and beyond.  I could go on and on about His faithfulness and how we have been provided for.  It is just a funny thing of life as a traveller.  And believe me, we have so many possessions now.  We were certainly blessed to take over this apartment from a Korean family that was leaving.  I think it was one of God's great provisions for us and saved us much stress in our move here.  Just having the little things in the house like laundry soap, and saran wrap was such a blessing, being in a new place.  Not understanding the language and how the money worked yet, or where to get things.  We have been blessed!

Ok, that is enough rambling for now.  I will try and keep things shorter from now on and post more often.  Blessings!