In telling the girls the story of the first Thanksgiving, I try to stress the difficulties the pilgrims had overcome. The previous year or so had been very difficult. They had come to a new world so that they could worship God in their own way. They must have been trusting Him to take care of them, but they still suffered so much hardship. Yet after all this, they were thankful for friendship, family, food, and shelter. This year has been one of the most difficult for me; harder in some ways even than my first year of residency with a two year old, a newborn, and a husband in graduate school. Even so, I have much for which to be thankful.
I am thankful for the struggles this past year, for in them, God has shown Himself to me. I am a different person than I was a year ago when I boarded the plane to come to Bangkok. I am more humble, realizing that I can do less on my own than I thought I could. I am more dependent on God, my husband, and on my friends around the world. I have a deeper faith, realizing that God's plans are so much greater than my own. God has used my tears of this past year to bring me further than He could have taken me otherwise. He is shaping me into the woman of God He wants me to be. This past year has been a time of waiting and testing. In God's timing, I will be a better physician, a better pilot, a better "missionary" because of what God has led me through.
I am thankful for shelter. I recently wrote about how God provided this home for my family. As I walk to the vegetable market every week, I see shacks built up along the canal. Most children I know here do not have a yard of any sort; they spend their days inside or on a small balcony. Philip just mentioned the other day that they hotel room we lived in for nearly a month was about the same size as our dining area alone. No matter my mood, I do remember to daily thank God for our home. The months spent without one have created a more grateful spirit in me.
I am thankful for food. In another post, I wrote about some of the difficulties I have in providing meals for my family. Big and small groceries are often out of staples items for weeks, I have no oven and just a two burner stove, and dairy products are two to three times more expensive than in the States. But we always have three meals a day, plus snacks. We are able to afford "cheese meals" once or twice a week. We even get store bought pizza one night a week, for a treat and to give mommy a break. Most lunches, we are able to get chicken and rice or noodle soup from a food stand costing a little less than a dollar a piece, giving me more time for schooling in the mornings. I have been able to figure out a variety of meals that are inexpensive and everyone enjoys. We get to eat plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables. We are all more appreciative of special treats like apples, butter, and cheese.
I am thankful for family. There is nothing quite like being on the other side of the world to make one appreciate family. When I moved to Israel right after getting married, I was excited to be in a new country with my husband. It wasn't until I was pregnant with Eris that I really wanted to be closer to my family. These days, I often wish I could just run over to my parents house to have a chat with my mom, to let my kids play on my old playset, to borrow an ingredient, or to relax. I wish my children could spend a weekend at my in-laws, fishing with Granddad, playing games with Grandmom, and laughing together. I wish I could go on a family camping trip with my brother, sister-in-law, and niece. I wish my grandparents could meet Simeon. But I am also very thankful to even have so many loving family members. And I am extremely grateful for Skype. My children can talk face to face with their grandparents. We were able to say hello to everyone at my family's early Thanksgiving dinner. I was able to hear my Grandpa's voice and to tell him that I love him. My parents and in-laws can watch my children grow. They can see Simeon walk around, they can watch Hollis jump around and hear her silly stories. They can appreciate just how tall and grown up Eris has gotten and see Meriel's sweet face as she laughs. Meriel and her cousin Tayla can Skype eachother when it's still Meriel's birthday in Oregon and already Tayla's birthday in Thailand. And the times we do get to spend physically together are almost too precious to describe. We are all eagerly anticipating mid-January and a visit from Grandma and Grandpa!
I am thankful for friendship. While God has not brought friends into my life here in Bangkok as I had hoped, He has deepened my friendship with those on the other side of the world. I can only imagine the isolation and loneliness of those who lived overseas before technology allowed us to interact across vast distances. While I generally do not profess a love for computers, I am grateful for these advances. Encouraged by many friends, I opened a Facebook page. It has been fun to see pictures of my friends' children as they grow and babies I have never had a chance to hold. I get to hear news from Terre Haute, Oregon, Bolivia, New Orleans, and other places just by looking at my computer. I have read through the Bible with a friend in Bolivia and one in Tulsa. I try to Skype regularly with my dear friends who are the closest to sisters I'll ever have. While our experiences are very different, Heather, serving as a missionary in Bolivia, and I can relate to one another in a way we would not have been able to if I were still living in Indiana. Hannah in Long Island has become dearer to me as well. Thank you to everyone who writes a comment on a Facebook post or smiles as you read a comment I write. Thank you for including us in your lives by praying, thinking about us, Skyping, or sending an e-mail. Thank you for allowing me to share by reading my blog. I daily thank God for your friendship.
HAPPY THANKSGIVING!
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