friends. the pictures have returned. as some of you know my computer got a virus on it last semester and prevented me from uploading pictures from my camera. but no worries, the pictures are here and they are great!! i have resumed my google photo album and updated all of my pictures from last semester. so your requests of wanting to see where i live, what my kids look like, my school, classroom, house, etc are now available for your viewing pleasure:)
1.30.2011
1.27.2011
the next best thing.
i'm waiting for the next best thing. what is the next best thing? is it actually some big grand event? a trip, concert, shopping? maybe it's really something small like eating at a favorite restaurant, meeting for coffee with friends, or wearing a new outfit. i find myself in the big and small waiting for "it". i don't even know what "it" is, but apparently it's the next best thing. here are things i find myself waiting for:
-an exciting lesson to teach
-bible study with my girls
-a hot shower
-moto rides
-the weekend
-eating at pizza and pepperoni (really good pizza place in town...definitely the "american" restaurant)
all these things i find myself drudging through the day just to get to this "it" thing. this week at bible study i was called out on this by a dear friend to really think about what we are missing out on when we our focus is on the future and the next best thing. we really do have the best thing right now and that is fellowship with Christ. why don't i see this during the week or my day? i put off experiencing Christ for the next thing like eating at pizza and pepperoni or a hot shower or moto ride with friends! granted these are all nice things in and of themselves, but when compared with Christ they will always come up short! that's right everything will come up short when compared with Christ...yes even family, friends, jobs, etc.
this weekend (as in tomorrow) there is a women's retreat in town, where women all over the country come to Jarabacoa (my town) to experience Christ out in the openness of His creation. this is my next best thing. i have been waiting for this, yet in the waiting i have slacked in my time with the Lord, b/c i will get it at the next best thing right? wouldn't it be better to have this awesome, worshipful mountain experience in nature this weekend, than a week's worth of normal quiet times in my normal home? FALSE! i put off time with Him solely for the reason of the feeling or experience i wanted to have this weekend. how wrong is that friends?
1.09.2011
new realizations.
Ok, I'm back in action friends with a newly revised computer to bring you all the latest and greatest news, pictures and stories of DR happenings. As I was home for the holidays, I realized several things about these 2 countries that I love for very different things...read, laugh, enjoy, give thanks.
Stateside Realizations:
-what it's like to pay with plastic again. the DR is an all cash society so this tiny plastic card that swipes so easily through this cute machine and gives me a nice little jingle everytime i swipe is a change.
-what real water pressure is like. no lie that for my first shower over the break I thought bullets were pounding off my back from the shower head, b/c I forgot what high water pressure felt like!
-that water is FREE at a restaurant! Seeing how we can't drink the water here in the DR, everytime you order water at a restaurant it costs b/c it comes in a bottle not from the tap. and refills are FREE!!
-how nice to sit in a restaurant, coffee shop, or walk on the streets and not be stared out or hissed at or called "Americana, my love, you are so beautiful". Remind you this is somewhat a self esteem booster when they say phrases like this when I haven't showered in days or just rolled out of bed:) Ha!
DR Realizations:
-they fill up your gas tank for you like in the olden days in the states. buen servicio.(good service)
-such hospitality to literally strangers! Some friends of ours moved this morning into an apartment and as we unloaded all their suitcases and such, these boys off the street came to help us unload all their stuff. Now that is southern hospitality right there! They might not make you chicken spaghetti or homemade choc chip cookies, but they will lend their muscles!
-how laid back this country is! I clearly have known this for a while and remember this, but a new facet of their laid backness if that is even a word is the idea that their holidays are changeable as in not grounded and the same time every year! What? Literally, their big Christmas holiday is the "The 3 Kings Day" named after when the wise men gave gifts to Christ and this is their gift giving day not Christmas. So, it's normally Jan 6th but the President wanted to change it this year to the 10th, so we now have a holiday on Monday which is great, but weird that holidays aren't firmly planted and always the same time. Can you imagine if Christmas was on the 23rd or 28th? July 4th was now the 7th or 1st? Some may call it inconsistent, weird, chaotic or disorganized. Or you could choose flexible, willing, or no worries.
All lessons to be learned from, gained from, open our eyes to differences, or just widen our perspective. May you look around you and see what you like, what you don't, if you a call to action or just love on those people or practices different from yourself. Needless to say I am LOVING being back!!
Stateside Realizations:
-what it's like to pay with plastic again. the DR is an all cash society so this tiny plastic card that swipes so easily through this cute machine and gives me a nice little jingle everytime i swipe is a change.
-what real water pressure is like. no lie that for my first shower over the break I thought bullets were pounding off my back from the shower head, b/c I forgot what high water pressure felt like!
-that water is FREE at a restaurant! Seeing how we can't drink the water here in the DR, everytime you order water at a restaurant it costs b/c it comes in a bottle not from the tap. and refills are FREE!!
-how nice to sit in a restaurant, coffee shop, or walk on the streets and not be stared out or hissed at or called "Americana, my love, you are so beautiful". Remind you this is somewhat a self esteem booster when they say phrases like this when I haven't showered in days or just rolled out of bed:) Ha!
DR Realizations:
-they fill up your gas tank for you like in the olden days in the states. buen servicio.(good service)
-such hospitality to literally strangers! Some friends of ours moved this morning into an apartment and as we unloaded all their suitcases and such, these boys off the street came to help us unload all their stuff. Now that is southern hospitality right there! They might not make you chicken spaghetti or homemade choc chip cookies, but they will lend their muscles!
-how laid back this country is! I clearly have known this for a while and remember this, but a new facet of their laid backness if that is even a word is the idea that their holidays are changeable as in not grounded and the same time every year! What? Literally, their big Christmas holiday is the "The 3 Kings Day" named after when the wise men gave gifts to Christ and this is their gift giving day not Christmas. So, it's normally Jan 6th but the President wanted to change it this year to the 10th, so we now have a holiday on Monday which is great, but weird that holidays aren't firmly planted and always the same time. Can you imagine if Christmas was on the 23rd or 28th? July 4th was now the 7th or 1st? Some may call it inconsistent, weird, chaotic or disorganized. Or you could choose flexible, willing, or no worries.
All lessons to be learned from, gained from, open our eyes to differences, or just widen our perspective. May you look around you and see what you like, what you don't, if you a call to action or just love on those people or practices different from yourself. Needless to say I am LOVING being back!!
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)