One Thousand Gifts - Post #11

It just makes sense that if you pick up from the life you know and move to a foreign country - where you don't know the language and you don't know any people - that the months (or years) that follow are going to be a time of intense spiritual growth (that is if you allow God to work :)). I knew that going into this move to Spain, and I've known it for the past few months we've been here, but it seems that recently it's really sinking in for me.

I'm battling homesickness (for Raleigh and Texas) far more now than when we first moved. Some days I absolutely love being here...I love the culture, the sights & sounds of Madrid, the places we go, people we meet...I just love where I am now and that God has given us the opportunity to experience it. But there are other days (and I had a few of those last week), when I just want to throw in the towel and fly back to the U.S. I wouldn't really do that but it's seemed tempting when the temperature got hot last week and there was no breeze coming through our flat (we have no AC). And I just sit and dwell on what I miss from home and what I'm missing out on by not being there...being a part of Southbridge, playing games with our friends in Raleigh, walking through a quiet neighborhood, Texas sunsets & thunderstorms, raising our daughter near our family.

I don't quite know what all God is up to in our lives while we're here in Madrid. I try to keep reminding myself that He doesn't normally (or ever!) show us the full picture of what He's using our lives to accomplish. But I do know that He's changing me, as I've experienced Him do many times before. And just as I had to do then, I need to let go of my plan and embrace His. So much harder to do than to say!

At the beginning of June, I found this great desktop wallpaper on (In)Courage. It is beautiful and has a calendar for June, but what I loved most was the constant reminder of why I am here - To Glorify God!! So while I may not know the full details of what God is doing in my life, I do know the purpose...to bring glory to Him. And continuing to count the ways He blesses me sure does help me keep that perspective....

238. the precarious tower of Bibles, books, & journals next to my bed
239. the portero (doorman) who opens the door & elevator for me
240. feeling the power of prayer from friends
241. having no debt (except our mortgage :))
242. God using this time in Madrid to push, stretch, and mold us into who He wants us to be
243. a breeze
244. ice cream when its really warm in our un-airconditioned flat
245. laundry that dried fast (because of the heat)
246. cold water
247. ice cubes
248. a cool shower after a long, hot day
249. cold watermelon
250. finding a doctor's office that speaks English
251. getting an appointment at dr's office for the next day
252. baby girl staring at me while I cry, then touching my face...felt like she was wiping my tears
253. in every season, I have a reason to worship!
254. a friend watching Charlotte while I went to my dr's appointment
255. baby girl's ticklish spot on her neck
256. talking with another adult during the day :)
257. the "clink-clink" of dishes being washed at a restaurant downstairs
258. beautiful colors in the twilight sky
259. not changing ANY diapers for one full day!
260. Brendan and I deciding to hold each other accountable to technology use/time
261. grocery delivery service
262. a fan
263. book fair at Retiro
264. an English-language children's bookstore in Madrid
265. an orchestra playing during our picnic in the park
266. a surprise opportunity to eat Mexican food!
267. air-conditioning in buildings
268. Brendan and Charlotte "chasing" bubbles as I blew them
269. not hearing & waking up to my neighbor's TV at 1am
270. babies sleeping in strollers
271. sweet Spanish ladies doting on Charlotte - being thankful even though I don't know what they are saying
272. baby girl is doing a little "boot-scootin' boogie" crawl - but it's a crawl - our girl is growing!

Here's the video of Charlotte crawling for the first time: