carpet
tonight some friends from church invited us over to play after school.
their home is quite lush and large....we sat in an area that had a rug which had like 1" thick shag......
I rubbed my toes and feet around it, over and over and over, I don't recall I ever stopped having that thought in the back of my head
"this feels SO great on my feet"
I haven't felt carpet (the hard rugs here do NOT count thank you) in 7 months.
grass
The other day, a cool breeze came through and made me wish for sweaters....then I had another feeling....of running thru the backyard barefoot in the grass chasing after bubbles with the kids...hearing the laughter of so many friends through the years....or as seen below, butterfly farming.....
home
ever notice when you go to someone's house how it can smell like a cleaning product (or a sewer) or perhaps their laundry soap (or the garbage piled up in the kitchen) really depends on the day right? ha!
I brought a few bottles of Tide Free when we came originally. I use it sparingly (between spurts of Rob finding natural stuff in Europe that I still rinse two times and pray!). I used it on my sheets and burrowed my face in deep......and I could hear pitter patter of rain on the flat roof at our house. I suddenly love the flat roof - so that I had all those years of loud rain noise to soothe me.
weary
defined as exhausted from physical or mental hard work
I have to confess that the heat here truly makes me weary. I'm not sure how to explain it....I'm just such a Michigander, a lover of the seasons...and for seven months I've just been plain HOT! What I wouldn't give to sit in a snow storm right now....and then I think - eek I might not enjoy it now..and that thought makes me mentally weary too!
temperature
Speaking of temperatures and being hot.....when we left Michigan, it was below zero and we'd had storm after storm, I was up early mornings in the pounding snow in the dark before school to snowblow....sometimes repeating after the kids went to bed at night.....it was so cold! We arrived in Egypt to 89 degrees! It has done nothing but go up since then.....
I kept the a/c on 19 (66F) upon arrival, about a month ago I set it to 21 (70F). 2 weeks ago I started sleeping in FLEECE PAJAMA'S...so I've set the a/c to 23 (73.5 F)and have to wear socks in the house! HA HA HA HAH A!
Altho, I'm sure if I had a plush rug to run my toes in, that I would be barefoot as I like to spend most of my waking hours.
I'm definitely acclimating...I just might get to feel all cozy in a sweater here this winter!
lost
Some of you may have been in this type of situation before...but most of you were like me my first 36 yrs of life....getting turned around, feeling lost in a new city, all the feelings and frustrations and tears that may follow....
but have you ever crossed a bridge in another country where you don't see anyone that looks like you and you barely speak the language and you're out w/ 2 kids and 6 taxi's refuse to drive you home once you finally got to where you needed to go?
Happened to me tonight....tears were starting to pool out, cars were zipping by at lightning speed to the point where it was moving my hair....people honked and tried to pass, we'd jump into the trees...the taxi's didn't want to cross the bridge and take us home because it was so close to iftar (breaking of the fast during RamaDaan) - they weren't from that side of the bridge (and trust me, I can't walk it w/ the kids and I'm pretty resiliant here).
I felt so lost...then I felt so blessed.....I called our friend John, told him what happened and he sent their driver...I thanked their fasting driver profusely and he was so gracious to serve and was sorry his Muslim brothers were putting themselves first....
I felt so much at home.
The Sound of Music
My Arabic teacher loves to hum "how do you solve a problem like Maria" whenever giggles overtake me during Arabic when I learn words that sound like Butt-Lobe and have nothing to do w/ body parts.......I simply had to tell you that I haven't lost my childhoodness ;) I may have grown, but I have not grown up....
or like nasal has nothing to do w/ your nose!
and the music here...truly, I love the style of music...and to hear hymns and praise-genre songs sung in Arabic by African people....there's no way to explain to you how sad I am that most of you will never experience hearing His praises in multi languages and cultures.....I'm sure that when we return to the US, I will forever have a hole in my heart for the open worship and free style!
4 comments:
Oh Wendy, if I can encourage you to embrace the heat right now as the ragweed season has started mighty early in MI. It hit about 3 weeks ago with a beautiful crop of golden rod that looks strong enough to hold on until mid to late October. The eyes, throat and ears are just a itching like crazy even with the power of meds. And the feeling of walking around in a stuffy medicated cloud.
However, I can hear the tiredness, yet appreciation in your words. When you have a chance, download "The Land Between" sermons from www.adabible.org. It refers to when we are between circumstances that are completely out of our control, the Lord uses these times to bless us, teach us and use us the most. Wonderful sermons our pastor is sharing right now.
I love the story of the taxis' not wanting to stop because of RamaDaan and how they are thinking only of themselves. John's driver must have quite the blessed character to realize how hypocritical, if you will, that his Muslim brothers can be. Love his honesty. And he is a true blessing.
Take care and know that I have sent up many prayers for you this week. Don't know why, but I have had you on the brain many times. That is not a bad thing:)
Oh wendy, thanks for baring your heart in this post and sharing with us these 7 things. I can only imagine the heat and the taxis. I understand the worship; it's a beautiful thing.
I need to remember to read your blog more often! I was noticing that you hadn't been on FB for a LONG time and was hoping everything was o.k.
Wow. 7months! You have had so many hard and amazing experiences... as well as, learned so much in that time!
Is there a way I can get an email when you update this blog? I couldn'nt find a way to do that.
Heather W.
Thanks for a realistic view of how you are feeling! Life is not all sweet-smelling roses is it, but if you look hard you can see beauty every day. That definitly comes from the "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me..." You are a testimony to God showing His comfort, guidance & peace. :) We can only experience this when we are close to Him, so great job!
Praying for you!
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