Thanksgiving 2011

My family away from family...

     This year has been a year of firsts for me and Thanksgiving was no exception. It was the first year that I have celebrated Thanksgiving and decorated a Christmas tree wearing flip-flops and a tank top instead of boots and a sweater.  This year I find myself overwhelmingly thankful for the ways that God has provided for me here in Peru.  Moving to another continent was, in many ways, like stepping off a cliff and falling into the huge abyss of the unknown, but I can say with confidence that every fear that has ever crossed my mind, God has answered in ways that are beyond my imagination.  It seems that every year at this time, I thank God for the same things: family, friends, church.  But being thankful for family takes on another dimension when I realize that although my family is thousands of miles away, God has provided me with another family in the form of roommates who have become like sisters, and in the 20-some Americans who gathered at the Madisons' house to eat turkey and watch the football game. (I have to say the US national anthem was my favorite part of the game...it made me feel at home!)  Being thankful for friends means more when I realize that despite different backgrounds, different cultures, and even a different language, I am forming some of the most meaningful relationships of my life.  The same is true of my church, a place where I can learn and serve despite the same challenges of language and culture. After a year of changes, challenges, and choices, God continues to astound me with His goodness and His faithfulness.

...decorating my home away from home.