Friday, August 25, 2006

Food for Thought

It's funny how different life presents itself once you are back...I found myself in a grocery store yesterday afternoon, purchasing pineapple, papaya, nino bananas and simosas (a yummy meat filled pastry). I miss the tropical fruit and even though the simosas might not have tasted anything like what I had last week, I needed to eat something which resembled what my body was accustomed to. My kids are in their glory, as all these fruits that mommy didn't want to purchase before she left, mostly due to the price, I did once back. Will it become a regular event? No, it'll be a treat event...these have to be the most expensive fruits you could think to buy in our hometown!

I'm also finding that I have this inept knack to be totally functioning one minute and then to fall asleep the next. Not only that, I then wake up and a lot of time has elapsed...today I woke up with Little Miss joining the sleeping ring...I'm definitely enjoying those special one-on-one moments I'm able to sneak with my kids.

I don't know how to explain this, except to say that the Cinder who left is not the Cinder who came back. I am looking at life in a completely different light...I am truly feeling blessed beyond measure! God completely rewired me in many aspects of life...things which seemed so vastly important before we left, aren't anymore. Now I'm in a state of reflection, but it's in a completely different way...trying to figure out everything God is saying and also where that will lead...and the awesome thing is the complete feeling of peace and assurance which comes with this!

My blurbs are going to be small and somewhat sporadic the next little while and eventually on A God Journey, my journals and pictures will start to appear. I'm off to be with my family and just sit back and enjoy life in a very new found light...blessings and shalom!

8 comments:

Jenny said...

Cinder. Oh THANK YOU for this picture. I love fruit and I love especially displays like this... but to have you talk about "fruits you wouldn't buy before"... that just puts an extra spin on this.

I have never been on a mission trip, but someone once told me that once you go, you're never the same again. I prayed that for you before and while you were gone, that God would change you in the ways He wanted you to change, and make you happy, joy-filled and content.

Still praying that for you, actually.

**hugs**

audrey` said...

WOW! You've three very delicious durians hanging up in the pic. Did you taste them, Cinder?

Anonymous said...

Welcome Back. Yes these trips really do open up your mind to everything. That's great that God was able to move with in you. Can't wait to hear more. Enjoy your weekend with the Family. God Bless.

Corry said...

Sometimes it's good to be out of every-day-life and to be made aware of what really is important. God works in mysterious ways to do so and He blessed you with this mission-trip. Enjoy all the blessings God gives you, they are abundant:-)

Love ya, dear sister.

God's Grace.

SocietyVs said...

I think you suffer from 'blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of God'. Tends to make you a more grateful and kind human being, with compassion shooting out your eyeballs. I really do you think you are 'blessed' for this trip to Sri Lanka.

Cinder said...

Well, here I am up for the day...slept 7 1/2 hours and am waking up at 4am! Well, I'll stay up for a bit and then try and get some more rest before church. I was fortunate to hear Jollybeggar preach in Sri Lanka last week and really would like to be awake at church this morning to see all my church family and to hear a homeland JB sermon this week.

Jayleigh ~ You are so welcome for the picture...found out that papaya is something you just don't purchase here (doesn't taste the same at all), but the pineapple and bananas have all been awesome. I thank you so much for your prayers while I was gone and am truly amazed at the changes which God has allowed to happen and also am praying that I will use those changes for a purpose now that I'm back home!

(((HUGS))) and blessings to you...

Audrey ~ I didn't get to taste any durians on the trip, but I know that Jollybeggar did, as he was in Sri Lanka longer than us. I loved the picture and needed to take it...I did get to stop on the side of a mountain and drink coconut jelly as a refreshing afternoon snack one day during our travels!

God bless you Audrey!

Pastor Josh ~ I knew from having others go before me that God would move...I deeply underestimated the work He would do, but am extremely grateful that it did happen. We are having an amazing time with our family this weekend and will hopefully start revealing some of the story next week!

Blessings to you and yours...

Corry ~ It is very good to be taken out of everyday life, so you can be made aware of things. The first few days on the plane and in the trip, I was also allowed to reflect deeply on my mom's brush with death and just all that happened leading up to getting on that plane. I knew because of all those things, that God had amazing plans for our team...I think we all came home extremely blessed!

Love ya too...blessings to you and Kc!

Society ~ I did definitely come back more grateful...sometimes you don't truly realize what you have until you are away from it! Now it's a fact of not taking things for granted and not "abusing" them either. I experienced such a total reliance on God for everything while I was gone, that I realized, being from the West and have abundant blessings...it causes you to sometimes become self-reliant instead of totally reliant on God and a lot of times, you don't even know that it's happening. That is one of the many changes which will come to play in our household.

I definitely am looking at things in a different light. Before this trip, I really had the mindset that pastors were the only ones who could adequately be trained enough to go overseas. God really brought through to me the fact of us all being missionaries every moment of everyday--when we were dealing with the airport over our lost luggage, when you go out shopping, driving and all the things we do.

He also brought home the point that most people just need love, support, fellowship, laughter, affirmation as to what God's calling them to do, a person to be with them in prayer, etc. You don't need a pastoral degree to give and be these things and they are the most important factors in being a missionary!

Nice to talk to you again...blessings!

dwg said...

welcome back.

Curious Servant said...

I'm very much looking forward to getting to know about these changes.

Glad you are back and am happy it was a blessing to you.