birthday week

I don't really like to make my birthday a big deal. I don't like to be the center of attention, so I'm usually not a big fan of everyone singing to me... and drawing a lot of attention my way... It kind of makes me want to hide, just being honest. Typically my birthday consists of going to dinner with some close friends and family. Nothing big, no elaborate party, just a nice, quiet evening.

This year was a little bit different. Thursday I turned 22. It was going to be unique anyways because A: I was in a foreign country, and B: because of the time difference, my birthday was really like 36 hours long. Everyone kept asking me what I wanted to do for my birthday. I kept responding, "Oh, something low-key, maybe just a nice dinner." What ended up happening was pretty perfect.

We get to school late because I was skyping with my family, and as soon as I walk in, everyone starts singing "Happy Birthday," and one of my teachers brings out an apple coffeecake with a birthday candle, a very sweet surprise.

 

After class, we come home and relax for a little bit. Morgan makes some really awesome Mexican food. It tastes like it came straight out of a Mexican restaurant. I mean, really. It would have been awesome in the States. After dinner, Jenn and Morgan come in to my room, singing and carrying another cake! Apparently, they forgot to pick up candles, so my birthday "candles" were matches stuck on top.

  

Around the time of eating the cake, two dear friends, Donna and T, show up with flowers! We eat the cake with some super sugary chocolate icing straight out of the pan, tell jokes, laugh a lot, sing a little, just really enjoy each others company in a very laid-back night. Pretty perfect.

 

 

But that wasn't all they had in store. We had decided to go out to dinner with all of our friends on Saturday. Birthday dinners are opposite of that in America. Back home, the one celebrating the birthday gets treated out to dinner, but here the birthday girl (or guy) pays for everyone else's meal. I decided I was going to be like a national and pay for everyone's dinner. Thankfully, the local food is really inexpensive, so it wasn't going to be quite like picking up the bill in America.

All week long, that was the plan. Dinner at 6:30 on Saturday. Rachel's paying. When I get up that morning, Morgan's already dressed and heading out the door. She tells me she's going to go read. Not out of the ordinary. She likes to get out of the house, whereas I'm perfectly okay staying at home all day.

I get up and make blueberry muffin bread (thanks, Aubrey!). As I'm making them, Jenn comes in and says she's going to the store and asks if I need anything. "Mmm, maybe pick up some eggs?" She leaves. I'm home alone. I do all the stuff I would do on any other normal day at home: eat, exercise, shower, read, play guitar. Around 4:30, Morgan finally comes home. We finish getting ready right at 6:30 and get in the car. Morgan says that Donna doesn't know how to get to the restaurant, so she's going to ride with us. We pull in, and Donna's apparently "not ready" so we have to go inside and wait.

I walk up the sidewalk, open the door, and walk inside the dark room. "SURPRISE!" Suddenly, some 20 people pop up at me from all directions.

Hey, guess what? We weren't going to the restaurant. Morgan hadn't gone to read or Jenn to the store. They had this planned all along, those sneaky girls. They had gotten here earlier and decorated the whole house, made cupcakes, and even set up a "photo booth" of sorts with funny masks and hats. 

So I got to spend the evening with some great friends who, despite always starting and showing up at things late, actually arrived early to surprise me! They are awesome. So, in the end, it was the perfect combination - a quiet, chill birthday evening and a crazy surprise party on the weekend. I wonder how long I can keep this birthday celebration going...

 

 

Hello, 2012

Happy New Year! On this side of the world, New Year's is a big deal. Bigger than Christmas. I didn't really understand why, so I had a friend of mine explain what a typical New Year's looks like.

All year, people save up their money so that they can go home to their village, even if it requires selling their belongings. Their whole family gets together for the holiday, and they spend time talking with one another and enjoying each other's company until midnight. After the clock strikes 12, the party begins. Fireworks. Everywhere. In people's backyards, in the middle of the road (who cares if they're blocking traffic?).

Then the children apologize to their parents and ask them to forgive them for any wrongs or hurts they may have caused them during the year, and the parents do the same to their children. I even got some sweet text messages from friends asking me to forgive them for any wrongs. And then, at 2 a.m., they feast.

We didn't celebrate New Year's in a village, but we did ring in 2012 with some Cranium and fireworks!

 

 

2011 was a whirlwind for me. I learned so much about myself, about what it means to walk with Father, about complete and utter dependence and sacrifice. I have been emptied and broken for people, for my own failings, and have fallen on my face more times than I can count. And I have been changed. Here are some things I've learned in 2011:

11 Things I Learned in 2011

1. Don't put off doing anything that requires electricity, such as emails, drying your hair, or even showering, because you may not have it in an hour.
2. When crossing the road, apparently putting out your hand and crossing confidently is the only way to get them to stop. Except for buses. Never, ever cross in front of them. They will not stop.
3. Don't be fooled: the little peppers are much, much spicier than the bigger ones.
4. Always try whatever food is set in front of you. Eat first, ask questions later, even if it looks like  brain. You don't want to know beforehand that what you're trying is pig's blood, believe me.
5. Southeast Asians are very, very gracious and helpful (usually). They are willing to listen to you mangle their language, forgive you when you unknowingly commit a big no-no by arriving late to a housewarming party, or even lift your car out of a hole without being asked.
6. Even the toughest-looking men light up when talking about their children.
7. Celebrate every victory, no matter how small.
8. Sometimes, obedience will rip your heart out, but it's all worth it in the end.
9. Real gold fears no fire.
10. Feeling inadequate is a good place to be. His grace is sufficient, and His power is made perfect in my weakness. (2 Cor 12:9)
11. I really know only a whisper of who He is. The more I learn, the more I realize how little I know.

On a completely different note, this past week we went to an orangutan forest! It's one of the only places left where you can find orangutans in the wild. Here are some photos for your own personal enjoyment:

 

 

 

  

 

 

feliz navidad

Selamat Hari Natal - Merry Christmas!

Sunday actually made the second Christmas away from home for me. Last Christmas was also spent on this side of the world, but my family waited to celebrate until after I got home, a week or so afterwards. That wasn't be the case this year. This time, I'm here for good. Bring on the celebrations.

We went to several Christmas services, complete with multiple speakers, Feliz Navidad (including one version with three languages - see video below), and candle lighting while singing "Silent Night." We ourselves threw two parties, one for our neighbors and one for the students. Christmas Eve we surprised our other buleh friends with some caroling, and on Christmas morning, we enjoyed homemade cinnamon rolls while watching Miracle on 34th Street. And our internet decided to be wonderful and give us the clearest Skype dates with our families we've ever had, so I got to watch my sister open her presents in her Disney footie pajamas. Some things never change.

I don't know about you, but this year, Christmas took on whole new meaning. The Promised One finally arrived, and with him came freedom - true, lasting freedom. Because the good news of his coming is not just important for one moment in your life; it's good news for every moment of every day. For the moments when we don't meet standards, for the moments when we fall on our faces, unable to keep it all together, for the moments when we realize we just can't do it. 

For those moments, and for all the moments in between, we have great news. 

He knows we're weak and needy. He knows we can't do it. So he came so that he could do it for us.

I am hidden in him. I don't have to pretend I have it all together. I don't have to be perfect. Cause he has accomplished all that I could not. He has secured my acceptance, my approval, my worth. He has done it all.

Freedom is here.

Come, thou long-expected J-sus, 

Born to set thy people free;

From our fears and sins release us,

Let us find our rest in thee.

Israel's strength and consolation,

Hope of all the earth thou art;

Dear desire of every nation,

Joy of every longing heart. 

 

And last, but not least:

'Tis the season...

Can you believe we're in December? I mean, really. It's especially difficult to realize how much time as passed when the weather stays 90 degrees year-round. There's no gradual (or sometimes drastic) dropping of the temperature to indicate we're approaching the end of the year.

With December comes holiday celebrations! It is hard to imagine it's the holiday season when you could fry an egg on the sidewalk, but nonetheless, we fully embrace the festivities. Last weekend, we celebrated Christmas with the students at the English center. Because this city is pretty large and diverse, there are a lot of people who celebrate Christmas here. 

We colored ornaments, exchanged gifts, sang carols, ate some chicken... we had a ball. It was quite amusing to hear Asians sing "I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas" when they have never experienced snow and will never see anything of the like unless a miracle happens (see video below). There was a sweet time of sharing family holiday traditions and memories that brought laughter and tears.

 

One thing's for sure: not having all the commercialism and images of Santa around really allows one to think about why we're doing all of this. Thank You for Your gift. You sacrificed more than we can ever fathom. Praise be to the one who is always faithful and infinitely great.

Give thanks with a grateful heart

Our Father truly knows how to give good gifts to his children. While it's easy to want to fall into self-pity and moan about how I miss family, friends, etc. during the holidays, I really am truly blessed. Thank you, Thanksgiving, for being a perfect reminder of what I have been given.

I am thankful I got to meet my team and spend Thanksgiving in the capital with them.
I am thankful for a family away from family to laugh, celebrate, and remember with.
I am thankful for those back in the States and around the world who encourage, love, and are walking with me on this journey.
I am thankful for the opportunity to focus on learning the language (really, I am).
I am thankful for being able to enjoy a washing machine and a shower a little while longer.
I am thankful for having peanut butter and oreos in this country.
I am thankful His mercies are new every morning.

And I am thankful for Christmas, for sweet fellowship (and some tears) with roommates while decorating the tree and reflecting on the Promised One who came to redeem His people.

It really is a truth too great for comprehension. G-d - great, mighty, part-the-Red-Sea, pillar of fire, glorious divinity. Leaves glory. Comes to earth as a baby. Lives out perfection, unrecognized by His own people. Is killed by His own people by a criminal's death. To be our sacrifice. Our righteousness. Our redemption. Our hope.

 What glory.

"O come, O come, Emmanuel

And ransom captive Israel

That mourns in lonely exile here

Until the Son of G-d appear

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel

Shall come to thee, O Israel."