'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."

Him + Nothing = Everything

This is the part of the adventure where I feel crazy. the first of many times, I'm sure.

In all honesty, this past week has been pretty rough. Language was bad, lots of bad culture days, and the upcoming holidays is a great topper.

And I'm left on my face, before the One who is great and mighty and knows why in the world he has brought a tiny, unable-to-do-anything, still-has-problems-trusting girl here. Everything is being stripped away, painfully at times, leaving only Him to fall back on.

But you know what? He's all I need.

JC is enough.

I am reading a book a friend recommended to me, and the day when I felt most crazy, I read this.

Because JC is strong for me, I am free to be weak.

Because JC won for me, I am free to lose.

Because JC was someone, I am free to be no one.

Because JC was extraordinary, I am free to be ordinary.

Because JC succeeded for me, I am free to fail.

It's all about Him. He has already won. He has sealed me with His blood. I am His. And His plans will not be thwarted. Even if my language doesn't improve a single bit, He is more powerful than my language abilities. All I have to do is just walk with him. I don't have to be good enough; He is my sufficiency. I am free to be a mirror, to reflect the only one who was great, who loved perfectly, who did the greatest act the world has ever known for those who hated Him.

His grace is sufficient. He is my sanity. He is enough. He is enough.

When I am stripped of all things and left empty, You fill me up with the most beautiful, amazing, undeserved grace. Thank You for knowing better than me and for taking away that which I cling to that isn't good for me. Thank You for being You.

Berjalan saja.
Just walk.

"Come, let us return to the Lrd; for he has torn us, that he may heal us; he has struck us down, that he will bind us up. After two days, he will revive us; and on the third day he will raise us up, that we may live before him.

Let us know; let us press on to know the Lrd; his going out is as sure as the dawn; he will come to us as the showers, as the spring rains that water the earth." Hosea 6:1-3

"Cobalah sebelum Anda menguasainya" - Murder it before you master it

Fact 1: This city has three KFCs, three Starbucks, two McDonalds, and two Pizza Huts. There is no lack of Western food here. However, just cause we have plethora of options, we don't eat it a lot. After a bad language or culture day, though, some chicken nuggets and fries sound amazing.

Fact 2: McDonalds delivers. Straight to your house. Pretty awesome.

Fact 3: The first time we called for delivery, my sweet housemate ordered for us, only to discover that the worker spoke perfect English. Oh, how lovely! The dear people at McDs make sure their employees speak English for the poor foreigners who just want a taste of home! Wonderful.

So, earlier this week, after a particularly long language day, some McDs sounded amazing. My housemate was gone, but no worries - the people at McDs speak English!

Fact 4: Not all McDonalds employees speak English.

The girl I talked to spoke exactly zero English. Zip. Nil. Nada. The 15-minute long conversation consisted primarily of her speaking really fast gibberish and me saying, "I'm sorry, I'm learning the language, but I don't speak well yet" and "Please, slower?" It was an adventure.

What I meant to order:

• One order of chicken nuggets
• One cheeseburger,
• Two orders of french fries, and
• One coke.

What we ended up with:

• One order of chicken nuggets,
• One cheeseburger,
• Three orders of french fries,
• Two cokes,
• One two-piece fried chicken meal, and
• Two "free" teas, thrown in probably because they felt so bad for me.

Oops. My bad. Next time, Morgan's ordering.  

Lesson learned: Always have what you want to say written out and translated beforehand in case they don't speak English (because, chances are, they don't).