Thankful

Yesterday night as I drove home, it was lightly snowing, the sky was black, but white snow clouds were blowing around. I loved looking at the sky at night, and having it look so different then usual. I began to thank God for how wonderful life is, and all the little things that I forget to notice.

One day a few weeks ago, I had enjoyed being out in the sunshine, and around 5:30pm the sun started to go down, and for the first time in my life, I was thinking, " I really am going to miss the sunshine...I don't want it to go down." As I had that thought, I was reminded by God in an instant, that the moon and stars were coming out soon. God never leaves us without light. I loved that, that even though in my heart, the sun going down was bad news, right away good news came.

That night when the moon and stars came out, I looked up and just loved the fact that you can enjoy different times and season.

So last night, as I got all thankful, God showed me more things I had not noticed were good, and happening around me. Let me start with what I would call the "bad" things, and then end with the "good" things.

A few weeks ago, my car started to act up, and I wasn't able to drive it anymore. My step dad can fix cars, but during these past few weeks, he has been busy at work on the house. So I ( patiently) waited, and got lifts from friends, and used my moms car when it was avaiable. Along with that I have felt lead to do volunteer work, instead of getting a paid job. Found out about some places I can serve in. I get so excited about working towards something, voluntaraly.Though at the same time, it puts me in the postion to TRULY trust God for increase. Also one of my friends has been going through a bit of a ordeal, and I am not quite sure where my place is in it. I find myself mostly praying, and pretending like I have all the answers.

As these things kinda come up at once, it can seem like a pile of bad. This is how my thinking has been the past couple weeks: " I don't have a car, so I have to get rides back and forth, and then I have to use my moms car at night, and then I need to pay for things, but then my heart is to serve voluntary, and I don't know how to help my friend." So, to have some time away to think and talk with God I have started running at night. I will pray outloud if no one is there, and I love that. Last night was one of those nights, I didn't "have" to go run, but I knew I should. I got into a negitative nancy mode, and needed to get out of it.

As I ran I just prayed for everthing, and just was quiet for a while to hear what God wanted to say. Didn't hear anything really..until on the way home, when I saw those winter clouds in the night sky. I got this since of thankfulness. I was driving my moms car home, and it's as if my eyes finally saw what was right in front of me. A LOAD OF GOOD that I didn't see before.

The "good" things:
-For the past 3 weeks, I have been getting FREE rides from a wonderful couple, that happen to live down the street from us. I have been to school ON TIME everyday, because they always pick me up early. Then they offer to give me rides back.
-The car my mom has, happens to be one of my favorite, an SUV Honda, and is WAY better then my Cam Cam. I have been driving around a super fantastic SUV for 3 weeks no questions asked.
-In the midst of doing Volunteer work, God has placed quite a few oppurtunities for me, and the people gaven OVER and ABOVE what I could have imagined.
-Because I haven't been driving I haven't had to pay for my cars tank..PRAISE GOD!
-My step dad happens to be a machanic and can fix anything with my car, for Free.99! ha
-Even though my friend is having a hard time, every day I have been surround with GOOD REPORTS of improvement, and surround with friends that all are standing together and believing for the VERY best.

and so on...

All of a sudden I saw how life comes ( and sometimes other "things") to pull us aside and discourage us, and say YOUR SURROUND WITH BAD, and your never getting out of this. Then God continues to speak the TRUTH to me, and surround me with the very very very best every moment. HE knows that I already have the victory, cause I am His, and He already won! My job is to beleive His report more then my own, and others.

I came home with an attitude adjustment FOR SURE. Thank God for His goodness, and for the good things He has that are surrounding me.

Friendly Reminder:

" For with God nothing will be impossiable" -Luke 1:37

I heard that at church this morning, and though of the situation Mary was going through. God was saying, " yeah so this hasn't ever happened before...but that doesn't mean it can't...with Me."

So even if you aren't Mary, and having baby Jesus. The things in your life that God has called you to do, or you know are suppose to happen, but seem like their impossiable... perfect! That means it will take some Jesus to make it work!

I am believeing God for the impossiable things to become possiable! Hooray!

Little Voice

Lost of times I find myself between two decisions. I find that choosing one from the other, is actually an important choice. Each decision I make has an outcome, and I want that outcome to be a good one. I want to know wherever my feet go, that is where God wanted them to be. I also have come to see how by making one "small" right decision, you can watch a beautiful outcome happen. It just takes you following God's voice, instead of your own.

Yesterday I was invited up to a friends house for a Christmas get together. I didn't have any other places planned to go to, or anything better in mind. Though for some reason, I couldn't convince myself to go. I thought about it all through out the day, and knew as time got later that I was not meant to go. Along with that "small" voice inside of me saying that, the weather was also foggy, and it looked as if the roads might be icy. I actually called my friend, and asked all the possible questions about what was happening at my friends, and who was all going. I was trying to convince myself to go up to their house, when I knew God has a different plan for my evening.

So I made my final decision and stayed back, and spent some time with my mom. My mom wanted to stay home and get in her Pj's, but I asked if we could get some Christmas shopping done. I just felt like all these friends were having a fun time, and I didn't join in, so I wanted to get out of the house, and do something at least. So my mom agreed to go with me. We were about to drive away from the house, and I saw Eric my step dad shoveling the driveway, and I thought to myself, " maybe he wants to come?". I then flashed back to a lesson I learned while I was in India:

Judith's mom came to visit, and we would sometimes go out shopping, and her mom would stay with the kids. This one day we were about to leave the house, and Judith turned to me and said " I think I should ask my mom to come". The thing is that her mom doesn't like going shopping, and would normally want to stay home. So at first we assumed not even to ask her. But Judith went in, and found out her mom really did want to come. So we all piled in the car, and it ended up being a wonderful day.

So I said to my mom, I think we should ask Eric if he wants to come. My mom said, " I don't think he would want to...", and I just insisted we might as well ask him ( thinking of what happened in India). We rolled down the window, and he straight away said, " Yes, I'd love to come!". So off we went.

We headed out pretty late for usually shopping 8ish. We went to a couple places, including looking at some awesome houses covered in Christmas lights ( see photo proof...ha)

and then randomly chose to see if the mall was still open late around 9:30. SURPRISE. The mall was open tell 10 and JCPenny's was open till Midnight! So we had a late night shopping trip. It was around 11:30 when Eric went out to get the car, to give us "curbside service". Then he noticed a girl standing alone outside next to her car, with the hood up. As we drove by, my mom rolled down the window, and asked if she needed help. It's hard to describe the look on her face, it was a mix of disappointment, and hope. We all got out of the car, and she told us four people and drove pass and no one stopped to help. She had been standing in the cold for 30 minutes just waiting. So Eric jumped her car, and while he was doing that, my mom felt lead to give her a friendly hug. The girl started crying, and said " I've just had a really horriable day..." and then my mom started tearing up. After the car started, she just kept saying, "Thank you so much for stopping...". We all got in the car and as we drove home, we all realized in were in the right place at the right time.

If we/I hadn't:
1. decided to stay home, then my mom would have just gone to sleep
2. If Eric hadn't come, we wouldn't had known how to jump a car
3.Spent that time looking at lights, or looking through all the toys are target...:)
4.If we hadn't deiced to (at last minute) check out the mall then we wouldn't had been able to help this girl.

every decison, and second counts...

Its funny how we think that we go somewhere for a reason, and really it could be for something totally different. You know if the whole reason I went to India, and the whole reason Judith's mom came to visit, was so that God could put that memory in my mind, for that girl, so she wouldn't stand in the cold any longer... It was worth it all.

So remind yourself, that maybe its not about "where" you are, its about "why" you are there. That situation with Judith and her mom happened in September, and this just happened yesterday... 3 months later...

So wherever God has you...its for a reason, at some point, to show someone the Love of God, which can only be seen through His body here in Earth. He uses us to Love these people. So STOP doubting where you are, and believe God that He is using you everyday.

Isn't that neat... God just used India, to get to me, to get to her, to Love her.

Now that's the true gospel!

A handshake.

I have never showed love in a handshake before I came to India. I didn't realize that you could actually. In the culture here, girls and boys mostly only shake hands. Even if you are good friends, its simply that way.

So as I said my fair-wells to the students I shook the guys hands as if I was giving them a hug. It is still so strange for me to care so much for someone, and not be able to give them a hug. So I looked them in their eyes, and shook thier hands like I meant it.

Some handshakes I will never forget. I can tell when they shake them back, and its like if they were to give me a hug. I bet people shake hands longer in India then anywhere else.

Side note: I was given goodbye gifts by the students, and friends here. I was pretty overwhelmed with all the kind words, and things they gave me. I wanted to give them back something in return somehow. Even though the gifts were beautiful, and came from such kind hearts, there is something about me, that gifts never satisfy. You know how people talk about how people have different love languages? I guess its like that. I always love the thought behind gifts, but someone's time means so much to me. Its almost like I appreciate the time it took them to get the gift, and effort more then anything.

Then this morning, I received the best gift of all. One that was from the heart, and one that wasn't planned. One that was spontaneous, yet genuine. My friend Prathap and I were joking and talking in the CBC office, and he just said, out of no where, " you want me to get you some Ittly?" I looked at him in surprise, wondering how he knew that would be the perfect present. Ittly is sorta like rice cake, and it comes with some sauces to dip it in. He left straight away, and came back not only with Ittly but soaked through in rain. I don't really know how to express how sweet the whole thing was. I sat down and enjoyed it, using my hand, and knowing this might be my last little taste of India. I told him that his present was perfect, cause I don't have to try to fit in my in suitcases, and it won't get lost, and it won't brake. Though it will stay in my heart and mind for the rest of my life. what a moment. Thanks for being so lovely.

Its been a wonderful 3 months, and I wish I didn't have to close this awesome chapter...

Thank you to all the students for being so wonderful, I know I will see you again so soon.

and to my India Family-The Forgs...you will forever be the coolest people I know. Thank you for always making me laugh, and think, and make decsions. I love you!

p.s. I wrote this pre-leaving India, now I am current in the BIG USA and will be posting a blog soon about the students, and traveling back home. It has been such a blessing to get to go to India again this year. Thank you blog readers for coming by and enjoying my stories. I'll be sure to keep blogging a bit while I am home. xo

Things Prahbu has said, that I wish everyone could hear.

" Comedy..." : Funny. So if someone does something hilarious, prahbu laughs, and then follows it with the word "comedy!

" Throw me" : When someone dumps you. He was telling me about how one of his girlfriends dumped him, but he said, " then she throw me".

The other day we were packed into the car going to have dinner, and there were a couple conversations going on in the car. Judith and Russ were talking, and David was on the phone talking with a student, and Hannah was talking to herself. Prahbu and I were quietly sitting up front, but I was listening into one of the conversations in the back silently. I asked prahbu which conversation he was listening to. He told me, he was listening to the road.

how great is that? and so accurate for India. The road speaks to you in a way here. The people learned to listen, not look. So Horns are very very important, as well as yelling through your glass window at other drivers. If somethings happens when prahbu is driving, the other driver and him talk to each from the windsheld. We always tell prahbu that the other driver can't hear him, but it doesn't really stop either of them. ha

Time Pass or Love? The other day when I was driving with prahbu, we saw a girl in front of us starring at him, and he was looking back at her. I told him he can't do that cause he is married. followed by laughter. He then told me, "its just fun, you know, Time pass, not love". I was like what???? He then explained to me that guys in India have girls they call them time pass, not love. It means it helps the time pass but you don't actually love them. hahaha. In that moment I realized I was a "Time Pass" for this guy at the fruit shop. lol. every time I go get fruit, this guy doesn't know english, but he comes over to me, smiles, and waves. Then usually as I get in the car he waits and waves. I always ask prahbu what he is thinking. In this moment I realized, I am helping him pass the time. hahahaha

Last story.

In the evening right before prahbu goes home, he asks what time he should come in the morning. We never really know, it changes, so then Judith told him that she would call him in the morning. Then he followed her reply with " before means you call..."

we didn't think anything of it, and said alright, and closed the door. Then Judith laughed and repeated what he said, with a bobble of the head to finish it off. " before means you call...( head bobble...) We forget that we now understand another language...broken english. love it.

Its awesome living here. Something funny happen so much of the time. there is a bit of broken english for ye.

2 days.

Two Worlds Collide

Should I say it... 6 days. I said it. I truly can't believe my last week has snuck up on me...and it seems everyone else too. Its weird to be stopping life in the middle of itself, to jump onto an airplane, and fly into another life waiting for me. In a way its like a magical movie you wish you could be in. I am able to change my life in one day, be somewhere else, surround by different people, doing something completely different. If I could write life a quick letter it would look like this:

Dear life,

How did you find a way to always find me no matter where I go?

sincerely,

Laura

So as it may seem odd, I am closing yet another chapter of my life, and dusting off and re-opening the next one. I have been where I'm going before, but I know its full of new things to experience, and be apart of. I am looking forward to God's plans ahead of, and stories that now lay behind me.

a short story to end:

you know those movies you see where the men walk around with a rope and loin cloth...and thats it. They are sorta like tribal people? When you watch them, its not so weird, cause they are in they're little world, and you are watching from your cozy living room, wrapped up in a blanket, and eating popcorn. So you don't feel the need to tell them to put more clothes on...

well.

We hired an amazing garden man, that is not lacking in his gardening skills...though is definitely lacking in the clothing department. He wears a rope and a small cloth to cover

"himself" (not his (whispers...) behind). What makes the whole situation a bit difficult, is that he can't speak English and we can't speak Tamil. He is from a village, and we are from the city. Its two worlds colliding. I don't know the right way to behave, and I think he is thinking the same thing. The other day, as he worked hard outside ... I felt terrible eating. Its way harder to see a man at his age, working hard, and hardly dress...and its not in your tv screen. I knew that he didn't know when lunch was coming, because I was the only one home, and usually the people you work for here make you lunch. I knew Prahbu would be back later on to help him...but all those things combined made me feel sad for him. So I went to my room, and thought about what I give to him, and I just finally fell asleep for a nap feeling a bit helpless. I woke up, and open the bible for a second, and went to the words about clothing the naked and feeding the hungry. I got up, filled up a BIG cup of water, and open the front door. I found him lying on his back one foot propped on the other, an he turned to me, and sat up and drank some water. I then brought him a banana and apple, I didn't know if he would want pasta or something else. I just knew fruit was a safe thing to give him. Then about 30 mins later prahbu showed up, and rescued our garden man.

I don't know when or if I will ever see him again...but...I just learned that I have to forget about what makes me feel comfortable, and just do the thing that is lingering in my heart. Its good. really good.

( sidenote: found out the garden man, is very wealthy, and owns land...he just doesn't spend his money...and doesn't wear much clothing. I don't know......... the world is so much more real then we know. The movies give us a taste of reality, and sometimes I think that is easier to see, then the true picture.)

life in India. life anywhere. its full of things to experience, just be open to see them.

BAM-BAM bombs are going off everywhere!!!!

Today is a big festival in India for the Hindu's where they set off fireworks, that actually sound like bombs til late at night, and then they start back up early in the morning.

I stayed up til midnight last night, so then all the fireworks had finished, and I slept like a baby. A month ago I was coming up with ideas to avoid the holiday all together. I told judith and David we could stay in this super nice hotel here, but that would cost an arm and a leg, like 500 dollars a night or something. I came to the conclusion I would be up all night, and then it would be over.

So last night when they stopped, I was thrilled, and actually slept great. I am found that I actually have slept better here in India then anywhere for a while. I don't know why actually. Maybe being a nanny makes you sleep better. I bet so, its sorta like being a part time mom. Mom sleeps great, because they are running around all day. Therefore that is my answers to my own question. I sleep better here cause I am busy doing mom like things.

I should tell you the name of the holiday so you can do some research Deepalvi. I actually have not a clue on how to spell it, and Judith tells me I don't actually say it the right way anywho. So I will leave you with that spelling, and hope you stumble across some awesome description of what is going down right now.

In the past few weeks we have done a handful of fun things, one of which was attending a Tamil church. Tamil is the language they speak here in Chennai. We had two friends visiting us, for a mission trip, and they got a chance to teach at a church. Firstly, when you are a guest at a church you sit in chairs in front of everyone on the stage. you face them. Also the way they worship and pray is an experience in itself. The women sit close to the stage on their knees and cover they heads with their head scarf. The pastor sings, and has two people in the church hold mics at there seats and sing with him. I tried to sing along, but had not a clue what was being sung. The only word I heard and knew was Thank You ( nudree ). So I would sing that one word and then wait for it to be sung again.

I kept smiling a ton at everyone, because I didn't know what else to do when you are watching people watch you sit on a stage at church. I forgot to mention that I got to play my song " Come and Meet my God" on a VERY untuned guitar. It sounded terrible, but I loved playing it anyways. After the service the pastor told the people if they would like to be prayed for to come up. I was preparing myself for anyone who needed prayer. The older women went to our two friends that taught, and I was looking around to see if anyone else was left out. When I looked down there was a crowd of little kids waiting to talk with me! They were precious. A group of young girls asked me to write out my words, and they sang along as I wrote them out. They stayed long after to talk with me, and just have fun. They read me some poems they wrote, and I encouraged them to never stop following God. It inspired me to teach young girls about God, in a way I think they think I know a lot. ha. I remember being 14, and thinking how inspired I was by girl's in their 20's. So I might try to meet up once more with this church, and see if I can teach the girls somehow.

So lots of great things are still happening here, and I plan to blog you guys soon once more with a BIG story I want to share with you. Other then that I go back home in one week and 4 days...not that I'm counting, but my family is, and keeping me updated on my arrival time. love them.

type soon,

Laura

p.s. I will tried to add photos soon, it takes too long to upload here at the house.