Everyday Adventures

When Kristin and I first arrived in Cambodia, every day held new adventures. Each trip to the market was a treasure hunt, each time we crossed the street we took our lives into our own hands, each day we learned new words and got to apply them. Then those things sort of became ordinary and routine.

Here are a couple stories of the ordinary parts of our lives that really are fun adventures if I hold them up to the light in just the right way.

Conversation Class
For the last 10 months we have been studying at two different schools. One is a more structured one-on-one or one-on-two time with a tutor. I love this school for a number of reasons- it is literally a 60 second walk from our apartment, our teachers are believers and have been such an encouragement through the process, and they find different ways to help us apply our new vocabulary.

Our other school is focused completely on comprehension. The students mostly just listen to two teachers who talk about different topics and provide help with new vocabulary words. This has really helped our ability to understand and I think pushed our overall language study forward.

At the beginning of March we decided to take advantage of a new option at this second school. For two weeks we could meet three times each week with a different teacher. The goal was not to learn anything new, but really to just practice talking. Some people are naturals at this, but I need all the help I can get!

During the two week course, not only was I able to just talk and try to say as much as possible without stopping for correction or to ask about a word (I do think my tongue loosened up just a little bit), but doors kept opening for spiritual conversations. One day we met with a teacher that has always been a bit intimidating to me. He is a model and an actor here in Cambodia, so he is used to performing and being the center of attention. :) But when Kristin and I sat down with him he said, "Tell me the story of how you came to believe in Jesus". So for the 50 minute session we all shared about cool things God has done in our lives and prayers He has answered.

During another session, we got to share the story of Creation with a teacher who does not know Christ. The story was a bit familiar to her because she had seen it on TV and later she told us, "I want to know what comes next!"

Familiar Treats
We headed to Bangkok last weekend for a retreat with the ladies who work in Southeast Asia from my organization. Phnom Penh is a tiny town compared to Bangkok, which has large malls and a subway system and taxis and lots of other things we don't have. I knew our time would be short, though, so I tried to keep my expecations low.

The one thing that sounded lovely was a visit to Starbucks. Kristin and I checked out the map of the area around our guesthouse and spotted one but it seemed like it might be a bit of a trek to get there. "It is okay, really", I said to myself. It is not like we don't have coffee here.

On Saturday after lunch everyone split up to have some free time. I was a bit worn out, but several of the ladies were going to one of the malls that had an IKEA and that sounded fun to me. We split up a bit once we got there, and a couple of us walked around window shopping and just enjoying the variety of people and the air conditioning. We talked about finding some ice cream or a smoothie place, but decided we better go meet up with the rest of our group. Then one of the ladies that has been to the mall before pointed outside- "There's a Starbucks too," she said. "Really?!" I'm pretty sure Kristin and I said this in unison.

I didn't go to Starbucks that often in America. We didn't have one in my home town until I was in college, or maybe even after that. It was a bit too expensive for my missionary budget when I lived in Texas, so it was a rare treat (unless I had a gift card from dear friends). But, I have some really precious memories of sitting in Starbucks with the strong scent of coffee beans and the hum of conversation around me, my Bible and journal open as I asked God what was next, poured out my heart when things were confusing, or celebrated something special. As my friend and I stood in line in the Starbucks in Bangkok, I smiled and thanked the God who delights to give us little gifts.

"Is there anything else you want to do here?" someone asked before we left the mall. "All of this has already been a bonus," I said. (And then there happened to be a Starbucks in the airport too. Two in one weekend!)


Sometimes when things become routine we miss the Father's hand in work. My walk to the market might be the same path I have walked several times a week for the last 10 months, but maybe God has something different He wants to put before me today. When we only see the ordinary, we might miss the bonuses, the sweet moments, the doors that God might want to open for a new adventure.

Easter Reflections

I've observed many Easter celebrations over the years- pretty spring dresses, family gatherings complete with ham and deviled eggs and Easter eggs hunts, Passover seders and Good Friday services. The reason we celebrate Easter has always been there, but I have heard the story so many times I tend to move past it without much of a thought.

So why do we celebrate Easter? Why did Jesus have to come at all, what made His sacrifice on the cross necessary?

I picked up John Piper's book today called "Fifty Reasons Jesus Came to Die", as Kristin has it on our coffee table and I needed to fill a few moments. Piper's words at the beginning struck a cord as we move toward Easter in a few weeks.

"If God were not just, there would be no demand for his Son to suffer and die. And if God were not loving, there would be no willingness for his Son to suffer and die. But God is both just and loving. Therefore his love is willing to meet the demands of his justice".

I normally like to think I am a pretty good person. I remember once my youth pastor wanted the youth group to decide who was "the best" person at our meeting, the most holy I guess you could say. They picked me. But my 'goodness' does not match the perfect standard of our just God. Any time that we preference something over God, we sin. We dishonor the Creator of the Universe by loving things more than Him. I am so quick to turn to other earthly pleasures before Christ.

Piper said, "We will never stand in awe of being loved by God until we reckon with the seriousness of our sin and the justice of his wrath agains us".

If you want to understand the depths of your depravity, the seriousness of your sin, move overseas. At least for me, I was able to put on a good front and keep all the ugliness in my heart in check while I was in America (at least a good portion of the time), but somehow being thrown into a foreign culture, dealing with all kinds of new and often unpleasant things, the sin in my heart seems to spill over. How often I choose my own way rather than God's way! How often I react in anger/frustration rather than love, walk right past someone caught up in my own problems or thoughts and give up an opportunity to speak a kind word or be the light of Christ.

But God loves me, a sinner in need of His grace. From the depths of sin we can see the gift with fresh eyes. Salvation is not just our ticket to heaven but rather a glorious invitation to be loved and in a relationship with the Creator and Sovereign King, who longs for each man, woman and child to choose to honor Him by loving Him above all else.

As we journey toward another Easter celebration, I want to look with open eyes at the gift of salvation we have and the enormity of God's grace poured out through the death and resurrection of Jesus.

Gideon

Isaiah 40:11 He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to His heart; he gently leads those that have young. 

This week we went to western Cambodia to celebrate the two years that Gideon had on this earth. I am thankful that he is free of disease, but my heart hurts for his parents, big brother and his other relatives and the believers there. 

We got to go visit Gideon in February. Although he didn't feel good part of the time, he had enough energy to play with us and give sweet hugs and kisses. He loved to run, play with his big brother, and be close to his mom and dad.

I am thankful that we got to be part of Gideon's life and journey through prayer over the last year, and for some sweet moments with him. God strengthened my faith in His ability to do miracles and I see His goodness in Gideon's life and the ways He provided. I know that God will still work mightily in Sompovloun and am asking Him to shine His glory in the brokenness so that many might come to know and follow Him.

A few pictures from Gideon's funeral this last Wednesday:

Psalm 33:20-22 We wait in hope for The Lord; he is our help and our shield. In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name. May your unfailing love rest upon us, O Lord, even as we put our hope in you. 

Fear

There's this really cool community called Velvet Ashes, a place for women who are serving overseas to encourage and challenge each other, to offer practical advice for the ups and downs of cross-cultural living, to talk about interesting books, fun recipes, marriage and singleness and parenting third-culture kids.

Each week they offer a one-word prompt, something to get a conversation going and open the door for encouragement. This week's word: Fear. What is it you most fear? I have been really challenged by the honesty of the women who have shared.

I have been pondering the question in my own life this week. There are many things I fear, but I realized each fear sort of morphs into one thing: I fear not being good enough. This has plagued me since I was a little girl, when one Sunday morning a well-meaning Sunday school teacher told me I was perfect (always well-behaved, etc). Perfect is pretty strong label, and I took it to mean that is what I had to be. But I knew that I wasn't, not at all. It was right at the time that my grandma passed away from cancer, and I didn't really know how to deal with the grief so I got angry. I would get so frustrated with my siblings at home (which I suppose is fairly normal), but I knew I couldn't let other people see that. I have developed this need over the years to hide my imperfection from others.

I wish I could tell you that I worked through this fear, that I have conquered it. There are times (many actually), I have given into the fear that I will never be good enough and have run away from opportunities or relationships, pulling away or simply not talking (sort of my coping strategy). There have been times when I have declared that I know I am good enough in my Father's eyes, when I have accepted wholeheartedly the love of people around me and stepped out to be brave and adventurous. It is constant journey, though, and I am no where near finished.

So there's my fear. What is yours? Check out Velvet Ashes for some honest reflections and sharing on the topic of fear.

Photo from Velvet Ashes