We're leaving in about an hour to head to western Ukraine for some family R&R. I have no idea whether there will be any access to the internet, sooooo it appears that my daily blogging may come to an end as of today!
Hopefully I'll have some interesting pictures and stories to share of our adventures once we return on the 23rd.
Pray for snow -- we'll actually have a fireplace in our cabin.
The adventure begins...
To Mom, Doug, Janet and Biz:
I miss him, too.
The laughter, the tears running down his cheeks...
The lessons passed on to us...
His commitment to his family and others...
His love.
Today I was invited to an impromptu tea party at the invitation of, and in the office of, the head nurse at the hospital where I have been volunteering for a long time. In attendance, behind the desk, is Suzie (an MTW intern who has started joining me each week) and Irina (the head nurse). Nika (Jim's precious assistant) is the photographer. And I am privileged to hold Nikita in my lap as he stirs his own mug of tea.
I was so surprised when Irina invited us up to her office. She is a very busy woman with many, many children to see and a very limited staff to help her. In fact, she was on the phone several times, and staff appeared at her door several times, during our brief party. When we arrived at her office (maybe 5 minutes after our invitation!) she had placed a colorful cloth with butterflies across her desk, had already placed heart-shaped cookies on a plate, and had placed teacups, napkins and a large bowl of sugar in the center of the desk while she waited for the tea to finish steeping.
We talked about LOTS of things that we had never discussed before...the fact that her mother thinks she should be looking for a husband rather than working so hard. A universal desire, I suppose. Most mothers want their own daughters to also be mothers...children truly are a blessing. And we DO prefer that they marry first!
We also talked about the children at the orphanage. She commented that the workers at the orphanage can tell which children have come from an extended time at HER hospital compared to anywhere else. They are happy to see people and adjust quickly to life at the orphanage. She is sure that that is because these children are now USED to seeing people other than medical workers, and have learned to play, laugh, and enjoy people! What a wonderful commentary on what we all do there!
She also mentioned that someone had come to the hospital that day and had put on a little show for the children, and had given each of them a present for Christmas. I asked her whether I could also have access to not only "my" children, but others as well, if I prepared some entertainment. I told her that I had puppets and cassette tapes in Russian that had music and a story, and that it had a Christian message. Did she think that I could use that there? She said not only would the children enjoy it, but the mothers would also find it interesting! WooHoo! In January I plan to present the gospel through puppets to whoever will sit still long enough to hear!
She also said that I could use an exercise cassette with the children -- does anybody remember the cassette called Waddle like a Duck? -- if we had someone translate the animals as we went along. It starts out with an elephant moving slowly...speeds up to bunnies hopping, ducks waddling, and slows back down again. She said that she would be most positive about that -- anything to get the children off of their backs.
This was an amazing day at the hospital! I am truly encouraged.
(Do you think my plates of Christmas cookies and candies had anything to do with this reception?!)
Jerry Bridges asks questions at the end of each chapter in The Fruitful Life.
"Over the past day, how strong a motivation for your actions has each of the following been:
Devotion to God
Concern for your reputation
The desire to feel good about yourself
The habit of living by the ethics you grew up with
The desire for security or comfort
The desire for status
The desire to feel in control or powerful
The desire for pleasure"
It's always humbling when we look at ourselves and ask WHY am I doing this or that?! And REALLY examine our own motives. As deceitful as our hearts are, we often credit ourselves with much more godly motivations than are rightly there. Be honest. Then be willing to change. Not just outwardly, but from the inside out.
Search my heart, O God.
We designed our Christmas cards again this year. A family photo on the front that we took on Sunday after church. Hand-picked Scriptures and a simple message.
Our list gets longer each year. And, for whatever reason, I feel compelled to handwrite the envelopes. I have been told by many a soul that it's not necessary. But I actually LIKE to write each name. Think about each person, if only for a moment. Wonder if they'll be surprised to receive a card. Picture them at home.
This is the FIRST year that we're actually having the cards printed here in Ukraine. (Karen, this may be a HUGE break for you if we like this printer...you won't need to be called for our emergency projects!) AND the first time that we're mailing them from here rather than sending them in bulk to America with someone heading that direction. We do pray that they will all arrive.
I have spent hours over the last couple of days addressing the envelopes...and I am at the letter "M" now in our address book. Over halfway finished. Between baking and some errands, I hope to have the addresses finished tomorrow.
When the cards should arrive.
And then....well, we'll all need to hand-sign them. Stuff the envelopes. Stamp them.
I'm hoping that these will be mailed before we leave the city on Sunday night.
(Send me an email with your address if you think I might not have it. Like Patrick and Hannah, for example. And Charlie and Lynne. And Jack and Stacey. Whoever else.)
Jim and I are reading Jerry Bridges' book entitled The Fruitful Life. From the back cover:
"As we become serious followers of Christ, we want to live loving, joyful, anxiety-free lives. Yet loving our enemies seems impossible. Even being patient with our family is often difficult. How can we put on the gentle garments of grace when we're so busy battling our old behavior patterns?
In The Fruitful Life, beloved author Jerry Bridges explores the nine aspects of the "fruit of the Spirit" described in Galations 5:22-23: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. He clarifies the cultivation process by showing us how to practice the fruit in real life.
Bridges says these qualities of character can truly mark our lives if we devote ourselves to a twofold pursuit: God-centeredness and God-likeness. This book will guide you on that quest by focusing on God's nature as revealed in Scripture and by helping you cultivate the beautiful fruit given by the Holy Spirit."
I really love the way Jerry Bridges writes -- no sugar-coating, just fact. And written so that even I can understand and apply the lessons to my life. He spoke at a conference here in Kyiv a couple of years ago, and we were blessed to be part of a small group that heard him teach on grace and the gospel. What a Godly man!
We've just started this particular book...I'll keep you posted on lessons learned!
Jim, Anna, Jeanne and I watched a Christmas home video tonight. This particular year was 1992. The girls were 9 and Jamie was 7.
And it was classic.
Jamie had been sick, but, by his actions, he was feeling much better. And EVERYTHING was exciting.
"Ooo, baby, hand me downs!"
Jeanne gave Anna a charm...two hearts together...and Anna's response?? "Is that a pin or what?" Anna was not at all touched by the sentiment of a charm...even after being asked if she understood why there were TWO hearts. "You and me," said Jeanne sweetly.
And it was our dog's First Christmas. Aw, Sandy!
Each of the kids spent some time filming, giving the play-by-play action.
Quite hilarious. Very entertaining.
If you get a chance this year, look back at video or pictures from Christmases past.
And laugh together.
If it weren't confusing enough this past Sunday when people said hi to Jeanne and she didn't respond. Or looked as if she had never seen these people before. Which, of course, she hadn't.
Because it wasn't Jeanne at all.
It was Anna.
Well, today, both were in church. A few people looked a bit surprised to see two of them! One boy asked the two to sit side-by-side and asked Anna to remove her glasses.
Naturally, I had to take the shot.
Decide for yourself.
Do you think they look alike?
I received an email from a friend whose family has just returned to Australia after living here for years. One daughter married a Ukrainian young man and lives here still, but Mom, Dad, other daughter, and son returned to Australia this fall. It sounds like all is going well, but she was surprised by some of what she faced as she transitioned to her native country.
Reminded me of a brief explanation that I heard at our women's retreat in October: The Squareheads move to a country of Roundheads. Over time some of the edges are knocked off, and the Squarehead doesn't look sooo much different from the Roundheads. The Squarehead doesn't stand out quite so much and is able to blend in a bit. In fact, the Squarehead gets pretty comfortable in the Roundhead country.
When the time comes that a Squarehead returns home, the Squarehead no longer fits in to the Squarehead country. Not exactly a Roundhead, but not a Squarehead either. Changed. Forever.
Living in another culture definitely changes you! Both inside and out. I am thankful for the lessons that I am learning here...a lot about myself -- and not all of that is so good. But as God reveals me to ME, He is doing a work from the inside out. Changing ME forever.
Pray for all of those in such transitions...whether heading TO a foreign culture or returning FROM one. Thankfully the God of the Squareheads is the One who is also the God of the Roundheads.
It's comforting to know that Someone NEVER changes...
Anna and I spent waaaay too many hours transcribing a teleconference call.
I received a call during the hour between my language lessons and my visit to the children at the hospital. Olenka said that she didn't even know whether to ask me or not, but would I help her transcribe a file that was being sent to her translation company. I said that of course I could give her a hand. When? Uh, now?! I told her that I was on my way out for the afternoon, but that if she would send the file to our computer, maybe Anna could work on it until I got home. A deal.
When I got home, Anna was already at the office...and had been there for an hour or two. We couldn't open the file on our computer. Ugh. We divided the file into specific minutes -- some went to another American working from her home, some was done by Olenka at the desk at the opposite end of the room from where Anna and I had the job of transcribing questions and answers. A bit more interesting than the talks themselves...
Oh, my goodness! We transcribed about 30 minutes of material ourselves. Anna was handling the mouse like a real pro, stopping and starting the sound, moving the cursor back to the document, and I typed. Some of the material was so easy to understand and then type, but sometimes Anna and I would playback certain segments 3 or 4 times and STILL not be sure that we understood. English was the language, but the speakers were not native English-speakers. The accents were actually amusing at one point, hilarious at another, and somewhat frustrating in between.
When we finally typed the last words, I looked at the time. It was 8:45! Jim had been home for hours and I was thinking that it was only 6:00 -- at the latest! I forgot how long it takes to actually transcribe.
I don't think that I could do it for a living, but it was fun to help out a new friend. And fun to laugh with Anna as we mimicked the accents.
