A Long Way From Home...but Happy!

Yesterday morning I woke up to a white world and got amazed all over again. Apparently the Crowe kids were up at 6:30 (at least Bronwyn was) playing in the new snow. I was a bit later getting out there :) Natural klutziness coupled + the most awkward articles of clothing I've ever encountered + distracted delight = quite a while getting ready.


When I had finally bundled myself up I crunched and bunched down the road. It was still snowing and blowing, and the kids were sledding down the hill on the coated road with the Gollan kids. After talking with Daniel and Priscilla a little and watching the fun I had a couple goes on the sled. (I'll have to practice steering!) and later instigated a snowball fight with some of the older kids. They were having a blast out there. Clark and Ellie looked like two little bears in there snow suits.


Afterwards I walked through the woods next to the house, marvelling at the glowing sheen of white and the contrast with the deep green pines. It stopped snowing and the blue sky even appeared. Even in snow coated winter weather I caught that color scheme again...blue and gold show up everywhere!


Last night we celebrated Thanksgiving at church. It was such a precious time. I thought I would really be missing Thanksgiving at home, but I really found myself getting excited about this celebration, and yesterday I was so thankful for the sense of family, even though there were a lot of new faces at the table.

I went down early to help Cheryl set up, so we moved things around in the ministry room at the Gollans', ironed table clothes, and set the table. Around 40 people came, and we had a potluck style meal. The room was so cozy with candles and lamplight and fall decorations.

After the meal we had a worship time and communion, and talked about God's physical, emotional, and spiritual blessings in our lives. During the singing I was overwhelmed with the sweet sound of Urkainian songs sung by Ukrainian voices. I'm learning some of the songs, but it's still a lot of brain work to join in the singing, so sometimes I just close my eyes and listen.

For me, it's taken leaving my country to really appreciate its history and traditons. I appreciate Thanksgiving more this year because I sort of a pilgrim :) I never thought about the fact only Americans celebrate Thanksgiving on the last Thursday of November. Our time last night probably had more American flavor than usual because there were more Amercans this year, but it was still a time focused more on simply giving thanks to God than on an American holiday. I really liked that. I also realized how much I love my heritage, too.

When Jon, who was leading worship, was sharing a bit between songs about the pilgrims and how American Thanksgiving came about, (he is from New Zealand) it struck me in a tender place because I thought "That's my history!" and I knew it struck a chord for me that it naturally wouldn 't for most people in the room. When you only stay in one country, you don't realize that even other english speaking countries have a whole different background and set of holidays and special traditions than you. I'm not intentionally prideful about mine, but I niavely go around thinking everyone does things like I do (and eats pumpkin pie, by George!) It's really humbling but really sweet to come to a place where the only common denominator at times is Jesus and the place we have in His family.

Even with the joy of the meal together, I could sense a heaviness in the room because there are people who aren't following the Lord or who are doubting Him. There is a lot of pain and suffering in this world, much deeper than anything I've ever been through. But I know Jesus came to suffer on our behalf, and I'm praying that they can believe and truly know Him.

We took communion, and those who know the Lord came one at a time and took the bread and juice, and just made a simple confession that we love Jesus and that He's our Savior.

So that was Thanksgiving! I'm a long way from home, but I'm really enjoying it! This Thursday I guess there will be another celebration at the Crowes' house...