Every Little Step

So much to write about ... hopefully I won't ramble too much!

First, we celebrated our 16th wedding anniversary yesterday! We are elated to be celebrating our anniversary IN India! We have known since the day we met that we would be on this side of the world at some point. Now, that we are here it's almost unbelievable!

That leads me to my next thought. Do you ever have those moments where you just stop and look around and think to yourself, "what am I doing?" Well, that happened to me the other day. I was just busy about doing stuff around the house and I had just turned on the geyser (the hot water heater) for the bathroom (we don't have one big one for the entire house here, there are separate ones in each bathroom and kitchen) and all the sudden that thought just stopped me in my tracks.




I think I just realized how 'normal' things are getting to me a little bit, although nothing about living here is 'normal' to the average foreigner! Then the thought came do me, "we are doing this ... we are living here ... and we are making it!"

It was just a moment where I felt so overwhelmed with a sense of accomplishment, although there's so much more to accomplish!

I think it is very important in life, though, to recognize achievements. Even if you haven't 'crossed the finish line' or accomplished everything you wanted to yet. There are still steps that have to be completed to get to the end.



Realizing that we are here, living in a 3rd world country, doing what we have wanted to do for so long, just really overwhelmed me for a few moments. It was certainly a 'God Moment' where He was speaking to me and encouraging me and helping me to see all the good that He sees, instead of allowing me to only see what hasn't been done.

So there's the question. What good does God see in you that you are not seeing? I would venture to say a lot! We are our own worst critic, right?

We shouldn't be though. God sees how we are working for Him and our hearts along the way. He sees the kindness that we show when we could've just passed by. He see all of that, even if it has become 'habit' to us.

Then, after I was able to function again after that moment of realization ... I got a phone call that my husband was going to be late returning from some meetings that he was at.

He had left 2 days before to attend some meetings, so this was the first time being here, by myself, with the kids without him. I was nervous, but happy to say it all went well! We even only had the electricity go off about 3 or 4 times the whole time he was gone, and NEVER at night! That is truly a miracle.

While he was gone, I was talking to a friend of mine via Skype (love Skype!!!) and she asked me a question that really spurred me to think. She asked me if it was harder to be without my husband or was it harder to send our oldest by himself on another retreat in another country (see previous posts about that!).

I had to stop and think for a minute. That's a tough one!

It may be selfish, but I think it was harder for me to be here by myself. I knew that our oldest was with very capable, trustworthy people that could help him in any difficult situation. But being here, by myself, I only have me! Only one co-worker was still in town during this time, everyone else had gone to this conference also ... so I really did feel 'all by myself' for the most part.

It's knowing that if something crazy happens, I have to make the decisions as to what to do.

If our youngest would get hurt and need medical help ... where do I go? I know where emergency rooms are, but are they open(truly a question!), how do I get there? I can't drive, so I have to figure out another way. What if some crazy fighting happens in the city and we have to get out? (not likely, but you have to think it through), where do I go? How do I get us there? Things like that.

Then my friend said, 'so you just have to be more aware there.' And I said, "Yes, that's it. We have to be Completely aware (with a capital C!) at all times."




Yes we can relax and yes we have good times ... but there is just always this understanding that things could just in an instant. We are not on edge, or think that that could likely happen, and we don't live in fear. But it's just something that's there, that isn't there when you live in your 'home country.' kwim?

Anyway, it's been another good week and we are thankful for all that God is showing us and doing in us. We are shining bright for Him!