God has been speaking to me through really simple, random things these days. I was walking home from the village this evening, going through a long list in my mind of things that have made me frustrated, uncomfortable or homesick in the past few days. Then I saw something I’ve never seen before; I saw a sheep sneeze! Six or seven sheep were lying and standing behind a fence in the darkening evening, and the one closest to me sneezed right as I passed it. Unremarkable? Maybe so, but that sneezing sheep made me realize in an instant that I had been going through the wrong list in my head.
I’ll admit, seeing a sheep sneeze was not the most exciting thing I’d ever experienced, but it snapped me out of my pity party and opened my eyes to the amazingly blessed position I’m in. Until this newest season God has brought me into, I’d never been around herd animals enough to see one sneeze before. It made me wonder, what other “firsts” have I experienced since I moved to Lesotho. I started listing all the special, exciting, life-changing, and interesting new experiences I’ve had.
Living where the crickets and frogs are louder than the cars;
Praying with our kids for their peers who were at that moment performing the final rite to complete their cultural initiation;
Learning another language;
Learning how to get around without a private car;
Leading a group of kids as they attended their very first camp;
Doing my laundry by hand;
Riding a donkey;
Walking 40 minutes to and from work every day, rain, snow, or blazing sun;
Typing all email and facebook correspondence on my cell phone;
Eating dinner at 10 pm;
Eating chicken heads, feet, and intestines for dinner;
Not seeing another white person for weeks at a time;
Harvesting maize;
Teaching our kids the God story so they can share Jesus with kids in other villages;
Greeting a taxi driver on the road who was too sick to get out of bed let alone find a job when our team met him and prayed for his healing 6 months ago;
And best of all experiencing that God’s grace is truly sufficient for me, in all things at all times.
My list was far from exhaustive, but it did the job. God turned my frustration to joy with that sneezing sheep. How is he changing your heart today? I’d love to hear your story ☺
P.S. For those of you who read my previous blog, you are probably thinking “This girl didn’t learn the lesson on contentment God was trying to teach her last time!” You’re right ☺ Thankfully, he is merciful and gives us as many tries as we need to learn the things he wants to teach us!!! Will you pray with me that this time I’ll really learn the lesson?
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Saturday, January 9, 2010
God told me a secret today
The other day I was bemoaning with my sister the fact that we had such a great time and drew very close right before I moved to Lesotho. The familiar phrase came to mind “you don’t know what you have until it’s gone,” and on some level I accepted that it’s just the way things are. However, the past few days I’ve been feeling homesick and overwhelmed by my life here, and today I seriously questioned if that familiar phrase really has to be true. What if I want to know what I have while I have it? What if I want to thank God for the blessings in my life? What if I want to be truly content every day? None of that can happen if I don’t know what I have until it’s gone. As I was questioning this, God told me one of his best secrets. This is how it happened.
Funerals in Lesotho are a BIG deal, especially when the deceased used to be the chief of the village. Godfrey’s grandfather, Ntate Mostete, passed away in December and I had the privilege of helping to prepare for and participate in the events surrounding his memorial service and burial. It turned out to be two of the most overwhelming days of my life. I spent half of yesterday peeling, chopping and dicing more vegetables than I’ve ever seen in one place in my life. In the afternoon I witnessed the slaughtering of the cow that would help feed the attendees of today’s service. It was a much longer and more intense experience than I anticipated, so Godfrey’s 12-year-old niece, Mamphutlane, and I stuck close by each other’s side as the strong animal was killed, skinned, and portioned. At some point during this long process another group of men went to dig the grave, and the body of the deceased was brought to the family home for the night; the only thing more overwhelming than witnessing my first animal slaughter was seeing my new family and friends grieving their beloved family member. Last night I realized that I really had no idea what to expect from the day when I began peeling that first potato in the morning and not understanding the language or culture does nothing for one’s ability to follow what’s happening and predict what’s next!
That night I slept over in the village and woke up to a house full of people I didn’t know speaking this language I don’t understand. After the overwhelming events of the previous day, I was a bit apprehensive about what would be coming next. Thankfully, today was a gentler experience for me. The memorial service was very well attended and full of a long series of speeches and songs honoring the life of Ntate Mostete. I was unable to attend the burial because a sudden rainstorm came just as we were about to leave. We ate with all the other people who stayed behind and then I walked home with Thandi. It was at this point I began my questioning of whether it has to be true that I don’t know what I have until it’s gone. In my heart I was complaining that I live in a place where I’m totally out of my comfort zone, without many friends or family, where I don’t understand the language, and I can’t even appreciate a wonderful funeral service because I’m so overwhelmed by all that’s happening. This led to thoughts of the amazing people and memories I left in the States and for a moment I wondered what it would be like to pack up and go ‘home’. Then a sobering thought hit me; I won’t be fulfilled and at peace if I go home, no matter how amazing the people and memories are, because I am called here! “Will I ever be content?” I wondered. “Will I ever appreciate the things I have here while I have them, instead of only appreciating them from afar once I enter a new season?” That’s when God whispered his secret in my heart:
“I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength.” Philippians 4:12-13
Praise God his word is true, and not that familiar old phrase! I know that one day I’ll enter a season in Lesotho where I really feel I’m in plenty; I’ll learn the language, I’ll make friends, and I’ll discover a lot more of the beautiful culture. However, until then, whether or not I feel in want, I have the promise of my Father that I can be content. He will give me the strength to do everything and with his help, I will recognize and appreciate all the blessings I have right now.
Funerals in Lesotho are a BIG deal, especially when the deceased used to be the chief of the village. Godfrey’s grandfather, Ntate Mostete, passed away in December and I had the privilege of helping to prepare for and participate in the events surrounding his memorial service and burial. It turned out to be two of the most overwhelming days of my life. I spent half of yesterday peeling, chopping and dicing more vegetables than I’ve ever seen in one place in my life. In the afternoon I witnessed the slaughtering of the cow that would help feed the attendees of today’s service. It was a much longer and more intense experience than I anticipated, so Godfrey’s 12-year-old niece, Mamphutlane, and I stuck close by each other’s side as the strong animal was killed, skinned, and portioned. At some point during this long process another group of men went to dig the grave, and the body of the deceased was brought to the family home for the night; the only thing more overwhelming than witnessing my first animal slaughter was seeing my new family and friends grieving their beloved family member. Last night I realized that I really had no idea what to expect from the day when I began peeling that first potato in the morning and not understanding the language or culture does nothing for one’s ability to follow what’s happening and predict what’s next!
That night I slept over in the village and woke up to a house full of people I didn’t know speaking this language I don’t understand. After the overwhelming events of the previous day, I was a bit apprehensive about what would be coming next. Thankfully, today was a gentler experience for me. The memorial service was very well attended and full of a long series of speeches and songs honoring the life of Ntate Mostete. I was unable to attend the burial because a sudden rainstorm came just as we were about to leave. We ate with all the other people who stayed behind and then I walked home with Thandi. It was at this point I began my questioning of whether it has to be true that I don’t know what I have until it’s gone. In my heart I was complaining that I live in a place where I’m totally out of my comfort zone, without many friends or family, where I don’t understand the language, and I can’t even appreciate a wonderful funeral service because I’m so overwhelmed by all that’s happening. This led to thoughts of the amazing people and memories I left in the States and for a moment I wondered what it would be like to pack up and go ‘home’. Then a sobering thought hit me; I won’t be fulfilled and at peace if I go home, no matter how amazing the people and memories are, because I am called here! “Will I ever be content?” I wondered. “Will I ever appreciate the things I have here while I have them, instead of only appreciating them from afar once I enter a new season?” That’s when God whispered his secret in my heart:
“I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength.” Philippians 4:12-13
Praise God his word is true, and not that familiar old phrase! I know that one day I’ll enter a season in Lesotho where I really feel I’m in plenty; I’ll learn the language, I’ll make friends, and I’ll discover a lot more of the beautiful culture. However, until then, whether or not I feel in want, I have the promise of my Father that I can be content. He will give me the strength to do everything and with his help, I will recognize and appreciate all the blessings I have right now.
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