Today I ran into one of my very sweet Korean families from last year. The mother came over to say hello and then told me that she and her husband were very grateful for last year and really appreciated the comments I made on their daughters report card. They were so happy, she said, that they drank three bottles of wine to celebrate! Then she giggled and said, “We almost got drunk.” I’ve heard of people being driven to drink by their children’s school troubles, but this is the first time I’ve heard of someone being driven to drink by their child’s success. 🙂
God’s Faithfulness
I was supposed to fly back to Austria last Friday. However, neither my family nor I were quite ready for me to leave, so we changed my ticket to allow us five extra days together. Little did I know that God had big plans for these extra days. Part of my time at home has been about visiting friends and family, but part of it has been work, because I have to raise $2,000 in monthly support. Yesterday I was about halfway to that goal. However, this morning at church, Pastor Olson wanted me to share a specific story that I had told him about one of my students. Considering that I wasn’t even supposed to be in the country, it was amazing that not only was I there, but I had a story to share that fit in perfectly with the sermon he was preaching. After I shared, Pastor Olson called on the congregation to think about supporting me. I had to send my dad home to get pledge cards because so many people decided to join my support team. God is amazing! I thought I was just spending a few extra days with my family, but He had much bigger plans. Plans to keep his promise that if I’m obedient to His calling, He will provide and provide abundantly.
Making People Feel Like They Matter
Yesterday I went to a memorial service for Danny Davis. As people shared memories of Danny, there was one phrase that I heard over and over, “Danny made me feel like I mattered.” What a great legacy to leave! It made me reflect on my own interactions with people. So often I rush through conversations, or listen half-heartedly, or interrupt with my own drama – even when I know that someone is struggling. How many times have I missed opportunities to love someone well because I was being selfish? How many times have I missed opportunities to make someone feel like they matter because I was in a hurry? This is my new goal. Knowing how selfish I am, this is going to be a tall order, but I think it’s a goal worth setting.
Closure is Good
Yesterday I finished reading Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. (insert sigh here) I won’t give anything away, but I will say that I’m grateful to J.K. Rowling for giving us closure on all of the story lines. The story feels complete and that is fantastic.
Croatia
My friend Sally and I went to Croatia for two days for a little relaxation before we head stateside to visit family and friends and, of course, to work on raising more support. What a beautiful country! We stayed at a great place called Hiža Suzanna. The owners are Nigel and Sue. They are amazing!
Because this was a last minute idea, we didn’t spend a lot of time researching where we were going. So, of course, we arrived late Sunday night to discover that Monday was a national holiday and everything would be closed. This wasn’t a problem though because Nigel went to the neighbors and gathered up food for us. We ate homemade sunflower seed bread, homemade cheese, cucumbers, plums, and dried prosciutto. It was yummy, and we got to have a real Croatian culinary experience.
Our goal in Croatia was to relax on the beach and recharge. Mission accomplished. Nigel directed us to a great beach and lent us snorkels and masks. We saw anemones, urchins, crabs, fish, and sea cucumbers. Fun!
If you ever decide to go to Croatia, I recommend staying with Nigel and Sue at Istra Život. Tell them Sally and I sent you. 🙂